A study of over 40,000 written entries in Irish Annals and ice core measurements shows a strong correlation between the occurrence of volcanic eruptions and extreme cold weather in Ireland over a 1200 year period.
Here Comes the Solar Maximum
What we know - and don't know - about solar storms and their hazards. Sometime in the next few months - summer or fall of 2013 - the sun will reach the solar maximum, the peak of sunspot counts during its roughly 11-year cycle.
To get all the details, check out the Earth Magazine article http://www.earthmagazine.com/article/here-comes-solar-maximum-what-we-know-and-dont-know-about-solar-storms-and-their-hazards
