Ireland's weather woman from Laois set for homecoming talk in Portlaoise

Laois weather watchers are in for a treat during Heritage week when Clonaslee woman Evelyn Cusack comes to Portlaoise.

The meteorologist, who recently retired Head of Forecasting at Met Éireann, will deliver a talk called ‘Ireland’s Weather and Climate: A Journey Through Time’ during Heritage Week in Laois. 

Ms served as the Head of Forecasting from 2018 at Met Éireann, where she worked from 1981 until her retirement in 2023. She is the longest-serving weather presenter on RTÉ.

From a family of seven, she moved to Dublin with her birthplace with family before attending University College Dublin, earning a bachelor's degree in physics and mathematics and a master's degree in physics.

One of the first big weather events while at Met Éireann impacted her home village and nearby Mountmellick which were hit by a flash flood that devastated Mountmellick and also caused damage in Clonaslee in November 2017.

Ms Cusack, who first appeared on RTÉ’s Six One News in October 1988, has played a key role the National Emergency Co-Ordination Group preparations and responses to the  'Beast from the East' and Storm Emma and Storm Ophelia.

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Speaking on her retirement she told RTÉ about her first year as Ireland's chief weather forecaster: "I had my annus horribilis of weather," - using a phrase made famous by Britain's Queen Elizabeth II.

Her Heritage Week talk takes place at at the new Portlaoise Library on Main Street, Portlaoise, R32 N7EP, on Tuesday, August 17 at 7 pm.

For details email: wlawler@laoiscoco.ie or telephone: 086 348 4128

The event is hosted by Laois Libraries. For more on Heritage Week which runs from August 12 to 20 tap HERE.