Out of season

1.  At the right time, opportunely, as in "The two young men desired to get back again in good season" (Charles Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit, 1844).
2.  Available and ready for eating, or other use; also, legal for hunting or fishing. For example, Strawberries are now in season, or Let me know when trout are in season and I'll go fishing with you. Both usages date from the 1300s, as does the antonym out of season, used for "inopportunely," "unavailable," and also for "not in fashion." For example, Sorry, oysters are out of season this month, or This style used to be very popular, but it's been out of season for several years.

This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2008)

The term out of season was used to describe the living arrangements of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and which of his two official residences in Dublin he lived in. The term referred to the social season.

During the Irish social season, which ran from January until St. Patrick's Day (17 March), the Lord Lieutenant lived in state in the Viceregal Apartments in Dublin Castle, where he hosted levées, drawing rooms and balls.

Outside the social season the Lord Lieutenant lived in the less stately but more private Viceregal Lodge in the Phoenix Park.

The Lodge, under the name Áras an Uachtaráin, now serves as the residence of the President of Ireland.

This Ireland-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)