It started at 7am, and by late evening on Thursday 3 December, up to 40mm of rain had fallen along parts of the south coast. Between 25mm and 35mm of rain fell in the east. Met Éireann has a status yellow rainfall warning in place for Dublin, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow, Cork, Tipperary and Waterford until 9pm on Thursday evening.

Beef farmer Eric Wickham, who lives in Grallagh, Co Wexford, said: "The farm and the roads around it are completely flooded. It's one of the worst days I've seen in Wexford in years."

Eamon Cassells, a part-time suckler farmer in Co Meath, said there is "probably between 80 and 100 acres in the townland under water" and the Yellow Ford River in Athboy has burst its banks. "The rain is still falling here. It is very bad," he said. "I think I'll have a bit of trouble getting home to the farm tonight."

The pictures below came in from Hanri Rousseau in Campile, Co Wexford.

Tillage editor Andy Doyle says the arrival of a wet start to December means an end to winter planting and the potential to plough for spring crops only when conditions permit.

People have been tweeting about the rain and AA Roadwatch has been issuing updates on road flooding in various parts of the country:

The good news is Met Éireann has said rain will clear from the east this evening and the weather will be dry into the early part of the night. However, heavy rain will develop over Connacht and the northwest on Friday and Saturday will see heavy spells of rain at times with risks of more localised flooding.

Reporting by Amy Nora Fitzgibbon and Odile Evans