Michael Gallagher (postman and prognosticator)
Michael Gallagher | |
---|---|
Occupation | Postman |
Known for | Weather predictions |
Michael Gallagher is an
The
His first book, Old Traditional Weather Signs, was released in August 2009,[2] his second book Remedies and Cures of Bygone Era launched in June 2012.[3]
Biography
Gallagher has been a postman for more than 40 years.[4] He lives in Glenfin, a village near Cloghan in County Donegal.[2] He was featured on RTÉ Radio 1 programme Mooney in December 2006, in a show dedicated to the decline of the rural post office in Ireland.[5]
Gallagher has been involved in the prediction of weather events for at least 25 years.
He accompanied his daughter to China to compete in the Special Olympics – she claimed a silver medal for Ireland.[4]
Widely publicised predictions
Gallagher first came to national attention in 2007 when he predicted an end to rain that summer.[4] There was "massive interest" in his methods of prediction.[4][6]
In May 2009, he predicted sunny weather for the Irish summer.[1] He claimed that thunder and lightning that month meant there would be good weather later, according to old traditions.[1] In July 2009, he predicted that sunny weather would end on 22 August, that the weather would deteriorate after this time but improve again that September.[2] A weather forecaster in New Zealand agreed with him.[2]
In December 2009, he predicted that he was "90 per cent certain" there would be snow in Ireland on
He predicted 2010's spell of freezing weather.[9]
In October 2012, Gallagher predicted[10] "plenty of snow" before Christmas 2012. The Met Éireann December 2012 Monthly Weather Bulletin[11] recorded limited snow on three days, all confined to areas in the Midlands and West. Overall, Met Éireann summarised the weather in that month as "wet and warm in parts".[citation needed]
In June 2015, he predicted
He predicted the heatwave of 2018.[9]
References
- ^ a b c d e Brian O'Connell (23 May 2009). "It's going to be a great summer – no, really . . ". The Irish Times. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
- ^ Evening Herald. Archived from the originalon 17 February 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
- ^ * Michael Gallagher homepage Archived 26 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine, michaelgallagher.ie; accessed 11 February 2016.
- ^ a b c d "White Christmas ahead, says postman". Sunday Independent. 13 December 2009. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
- ^ "Monday, 18 December 2006". Mooney. 18 December 2006. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
- ^ "White Christmas for Ireland, says Ulster postman". Belfast Telegraph. 14 December 2009. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
- The Press Association. 15 December 2009. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
- ^ Ronan McGreevy (15 December 2009). "Postman not dreaming of a white Christmas – he is predicting one". The Irish Times. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
- ^ a b Walsh, Kayla (28 April 2020). "Dublin weather: Famous forecaster shares long range prediction for summer 2020 – He has been eerily accurate with some of his weather predictions in the past – forecasting the big freeze of 2010 as well as the scorching summer of 2018".
- ^ "Postman Michael sends snow forecast". Irish Independent. 23 October 2012. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
- ^ Met Éireann (January 2013). "December 2012 Monthly Weather Bulletin" (PDF). Met Éireann. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
- ^ Sorcha Pollak (10 June 2015). "Postman examines Donegal wildlife, expects good summer". The Irish Times. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
- ^ Met Éireann (September 2015). "Summer 2015 Weather Review" (PDF). Met Éireann. Retrieved 14 October 2015.