Scairbhín…..

The sudden jolt of reality in the form of the windy and wet weather is known in Gaeltachtaí or even places where the Irish language has only recently died out as ‘Scairbhín na g-Cuach’. It describes the end of April/beginning of May period which would herald the sound of the first cuckoo.

It may be a corruption of ‘is garbh mí na gcuach’- cuckoo weather is harsh. The four seasons are crucial for farmers…… warmth and sunshine for germination…… and cold for hardening off early shoots.