Forecasters have predicted that the warm weather will remain until the start of August.

Forecasters in the UK's Met Office say the high temperatures in Ireland and the UK look set to stay until next month.

Although temperatures will decrease by a few degrees, overall we will have warm weather for the next few weeks.

Already Irish sun worshippers have been told to brace themselves for another week of glorious sunshine.

Although it will feel slightly milder today and tomorrow, with a pleasant breeze, the high temperatures are set to rise again to the mid-20s and continue through the foreseeable future.

And if that wasn't enough, Met Eireann says the weather could break all records during the next spell.

It was welcome news to a capital that was in high spirits this weekend as revellers snapped up every opportunity to experience the delicious rays.

In Trinity College on Friday groups of businessmen in stiff suits took to the cricket lawn to enjoy their sandwiches, while bikini-clad women and topless men in shorts basked under the welcome heat.

There was a steady intake of breath among a group of Ulster Bank workers who were tucking into their sandwiches under a tree when asked if it would tempt them to call in sick and head off for the day.

Ciaran Keavey, Mike Toomey, James Walker and Colm McLaughlin laughed as they insisted "under no circumstances would we ever dream of doing that. Actually, it makes it far easier to get up out of bed in the morning and go to work. Everyone is in much better form."

Bare-chested Alex Falconer, from Portobello, had been spending his time at Lough Tay, known as the Guinness Lake, in the Wicklow Mountains: "I've just been heading off on my bike for the day enjoying it while waiting for my girlfriend to get off work.

"I told my friends last winter that we were in for a scorcher of a summer and I've a good feeling about this. I think it's going to run and run until September."

Amidst the relaxing air of saxophones playing Bossa Nova on Grafton Street, shoppers combed through rails of T-shirts and summer dresses where 70pc-off sales had hit with impeccable timing.

In St Stephen's Green workmen took some time out, tired sun seekers stole a few quiet minutes in the cool shade with a good novel and lovers got amorous in the sticky heat.

Wrapped in each other's arms under a willow tree by the water, Ulla Rosenvold and Carl Jensen, from Denmark, were over on holidays and had a suitcase full of unused woolly jumpers back at the hotel for the weather they were expecting.

"The sunshine puts love in the air," said the pair, who are 27 years together, as they surveyed the park, "but remember, you can also have romance in rain," smiled Ulla.

The sun is also helping to get the real economy going. Barbecues, paddling pools and summer clothes are flying out of the shops. Tesco reported that sales of flip flops – that most un-Irish footwear – were up by 382 per cent last week, and there has been a huge upsurge in the sale of beachwear and sarongs.

At the IFSC in Dublin, top model Roz Purcell had a word of caution for sunbathers.

"I'm just on my way back from the mole testing clinic on Grafton Street. It's important to keep an eye on these things and to never leave the house without sunscreen.

"I wear factor 50 on my face every day and constantly reapply. Everyone should be able to enjoy the sun while still being careful of their skin."

On Friday Shannon Airport was Ireland's hotspot, with a temperature of 29.5C.

The Furnace weather station in Co Mayo lived up to its name with sweltering temperatures of 28.7C.

Met Eireann currently has the country on Yellow Alert for temperatures in the mid to high 20s.

Irish Independent