As a big fan of Irish staycations, my thoughts are with some of the people who run business in our seaside towns and have to make enough money in a few weeks to try and tied them over to the next season.

From Ardmore, to Tramore, from Ballybunnion to Barleycove, Crosshaven to Rosses Point there are a multitude of small businesses that depend on the staycationer or the tourist to earn their living.

I am often astounded that if you take the 12 weeks of June, July and August (and there are really probably only eight weeks) of the summer season that it is possible to run a business that allows you pay the bills for 12 months.

A big factor in running a seasonal business is the weather.

Bad weather does two things, it stops people visiting in the first place, and secondly it fails to entice the people who are in town to spend more because they are miserable.

"I was talking to my mother who said the last time she remembers a colder or wetter July than this year was 1978."

How many people remember damp raining days with everyone fighting and you squash into your caravan? I was talking to my mother who is in Kilkee in West Clare today and she says the last time she remembers a colder or wetter July than this year was 1978. This has a real negative effect in the trade of seaside attractions, restaurants, pubs and retail shops.

Most seasonal business tend to be owner run and the premises also tends to be owned by the occupier.

There are certain locations where a business may be able to pay rent for three months but the premises will probably sit idle for the other nine months of the year.

With the season being so short you will often see all hands on deck from a family point of view.

Businesses will get all family members regardless of their age to muck in for the few busy months. This keeps labour costs down and prevents owners having to hire and then fire employees who may only be needed for a short few weeks.

If there is an upside to the seaside town it is that many people have over the years purchased holiday homes that they feel obliged to use.

This can generate a little out of season business at bank holiday weekends or holiday periods such as Christmas or Easter. Other seaside towns have become commuter towns where there is a steady population year round and the population swells for the summer months. These are the lucky ones that are relatively near to a major town.

I’ll be off next week to Schull in West Cork and on to Kilkee in West Clare, and I will try to spend a few quid in the local businesses.

Spare a thought for these businesses make the effort to get out to our seaside towns - the hard earned euros that you leave behind can make all the difference.