Dublin was badly affected early on New Year's Day with high tides, driving winds and torrential rain leading to some coastal roads being closed to traffic and sandbags deployed in suburban streets along with flood gates on the River Dodder being closed.

The traditional Bray Swim in County Wicklow was cancelled, an event that takes place on New Year's Day to raise money for local charities and is now postponed until Saint Patrick's Day - so if you're visiting Ireland around the 17th of March 2014 then maybe you should take your towel, swimming togs and head to Bray!

And another interesting story from the part of Dublin Bay you are looking at in the main image, a kitesurfer was rescued this morning by the Dun Laoghaire lifeboat after being caught in a rip tide that pulled him out from Sandymount Strand. 

Like a lot of people I took a walk along Dublin's South Bull Wall, also known as the Great South Wall. This wall was begun in the early eighteenth century to help create a clear channel for shipping into and out of the River Liffey. At approximately 6km or 4 miles in length The Great South Wall was the longest of its kind when constructed. Beyond the wind-battered couple two lighthouses can be seen, the red one is known as Poolbeg Lighthouse and sits at the end of the South Bull Wall and the green one to the left of the image sits at the end of the North Bull Wall, the two demarcating the entrance to the channel into Dublin Port.

It was a bracing walk, the wind whipping up spray and driving the waves into the wall but well worthwhile the effort and what a way to start 2014!  Have you ever walked along the South Bull Wall? Tell us about it below.

The weather forecast doesn't look too promising with more rain and wind expected for the first week of 2014 but the days are beginning to lengthen again and good weather will not be far away. Perfect for some upcoming photo tours 

Happy New Year from Dublin!