IT MAY HAVE been a Good Friday, but Met Éireann have revealed that it was an even better Saturday with temperatures reaching their highest point for the year so far.

The mercury hit 22.9 degrees Celsius in Oak Park in Carlow on Saturday, with a spokesman for the forecaster confirming to TheJournal.ie that this was the highest recorded temperature of 2019 so far.

The eastern half of the country experienced the warmest conditions yesterday, with temperatures of 22.3 degrees recorded in Dunsany in Co Meath and 21.2 degrees in Casement Aerodrome in Dublin.

Other high temperatures were recorded at Mullingar in Co Westmeath, where it hit 21.1 degrees, and Moore Park in Co Cork, where it was 21 degrees.

Met Éireann have also forecast that the warm weather is set to continue over the course of the next few days, starting with highs of 16 to 21 degrees today.

Bank Holiday Monday will also see warm and dry conditions in most areas, with spells of sunshine and a few isolated showers, as highest temperatures reach between 18 and 22 degrees Celsius.

And it is still expected to be warm on Tuesday, when highest temperatures will be between 17 and 20 degrees, with sunny spells and just a few showers across the country.