The Weather Girls

12-year-old Grace Devine lives at Blacksod Lighthouse on the west coast of Ireland. It’s 1944 and she and her family are busy taking readings from the weather instruments. As Blacksod is the first weather station to experience the Atlantic weather, it’s important they call the Met Office in England with the information, even though Ireland is neutral in the war.

One day, a German fighter plane crashes nearby and Grace and her friend Sibby risk their lives to save the young pilot. Their neighbours are horrified, especially when they realise Grace and her mother can speak some German. And then the Met Office demand weather reports on the hour. Something is about to happen that could turn the tide of the war – and Grace is at the heart of it. 

This is based on the true story of Maureen Sweeney, who worked at Blacksod during the war. She reported the incoming storm that led to the Allies delaying D-Day. Without her report, D-Day, which started the liberation of western Europe from occupation, would have been a disaster.

This fascinating part of Irish and European history is fictionalised brilliantly – the kind, brave Grace is a normal schoolgirl with friendship worries too.