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Updated at 4.23pm
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE have been left without power, and there’s been travel disruption to rail, air and ferry services as a result of the storm that’s been passing across the country since early yesterday afternoon.
The eye of the storm has now passed to the north of the island, across to Scotland, according to the latest image from the mesmerising ‘earth wind map’ which is based on data from the US National Weather Service:
There’s trees down and power cables disconnected around the country as a result of the high winds — and no doubt many people will be calling into their neighbours later to ask for their patio furniture back.
Here’s what’s been happening so far:
This was taken at around 9.30 this morning on the road from Ballyboughal to Swords in north Dublin, just past the Roganstown Hotel [Image: Rory Nolan]
Part of the roof was blown off Coláiste Cois Life in Lucan, Co. Dublin [Images: Photocall]
Darren Horgan sent the above pictures of a massive tree down on the Howth Road this morning.
By this afternoon, work was already under way to try and clear it away — as these pics from Photocall Ireland show:
KILDARE
This photo was snapped by @rosebecca along the Ballymore Road between Punchestown and Naas. She says the route has since been cleared.
This was sent in at around 9.30am by Dave Rooney in Longwood, Co Meath — clearly the local council were well on top of the situation:
The Rescue 115 helicopter carried out a daring rescue on Mount Brandon yesterday evening as the stormy weather landed on the south-east coast.
On a less serious note — Olive Sharp’s trampoline and sandbox lost their fight with the gale force winds
She reports there were “trees down and debris all over the garden”.
In Tramore, however, certain hardy souls were determined not to let the inclement weather get in the way of their plans to take a belated Christmas Day swim:
[Image: Vinny O'Brien]
How has it been in your area since last evening? Let us know: pictures@thejournal.ie
Originally posted at 1pm.
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Found a dog on my door step at midnight last night. I took him in and gave him shelter for the night when I found his owners today they were so grateful they dropped two different presents at different times of the day. I kept saying anyone with half a heart would have done the same thing
Well done, Marc. Many pet owners wont even have brought their dogs in last night… you brought someone else’s in. I’d be chuffed too if I was the owner.
They would have but theres an equal amount that would have shut the door…good man yourself
Marc – ya ride doing something like that! So many owners not fit for purpose and you take in someone elses, sound man.
Had to get up 3 times and venture out to try stop a side door from banging. (A door my wife asked me to fix during the summer and she’s burnin my ear off now). Typical women. They want everything done today when its perfectly doable in six months time. Tsk !
Donaaaaaal!!!
So irresponsible to swim in this weather! If they get in trouble they are endangering their own lives AND the lives of the emergency services. Have people no cop on??
Come on swimming isn’t that dangerous are you not thinking of hill walkers who set off when weather is at its worse then manage to phone for help because they are lost and its getting dark
Ref : picture Tramore . The people in the picture were well aware of the dangers involved . I took the picture . they raised money for a needy cause . Fair play to them we need more people to support their local charity .
Even the ducks were in the water, i havent heard of any reported drownings , thats the worse weather in years, but in most places the sea conditions were good for a festive dip ;)
I’m pretty sure the person swimming in Tramore is me. I was fully aware of the dangers and I am a qualified lifeguard and a confident swimmer so I was very capable out in the water.
I swam because I am doing a charity event called The 12 Swims of Christmas where I swim 12 days over Christmas and the funds raised are going to a very worthy cause. On one day when the weather was questionable I knew myself that it was unsafe once I had entered the water and made the call to get out.
On the day when the photo was taken (I think) there were approximately another hundred swimmers completing an annual event on Christmas Day and there were numerous local lifeguards on the beach should anything have happened.
I could be wrong, and Vinny I’m sorry if I am! My comment still stands, however.
Found a satellite dish in my back garden this morning.
It,s Free Blew.
Free-to-air
What was the reception like?
That’s my school!!! Unbelievable! Here’s hoping for an extra few days in bed
That no way for a school principal to talk.
My partner had to go outside last night and find the bulmers can that was rolling around keeping us awake, first world problems
On Christmas eve I noticed the trampoline in our garden lifting slightly. I put a heavy block on it just in case! Trampoline still standing! Wind 0 me 1
You got lucky, that Brick could have bounced up through your window!
More fine work from volunteers rescuing idiots that get Patagonia or North Face gear from Santa and decide to go up a mountain without checking the weather.
The people who were rescued of Mount Brandon should be charged for the costs involved in bringing them down .
Stupid,selfish and reckless and just some of the politer words I use for people who do this carry on despite so many warnings not to.
Great drying out.
A pretty bad night down in south west cork. Roof was rattling away all night but held out.
That’s my oldest lad school,,not built too long ago,glad roof did not hit local houses.
I just seen a trampoline go bouncing down the road.
I almost felt guilty having to send my wife into town to get me an onion for my cheese and onion sambo
Very bad last night here in West Limerick but house survived. Greenhouse and winter vegetable garden wrecked.
Wish I went to that school in lucan bonus weeks holiday’s
I think you need more class time. It should be week’s holidays, and not weeks holiday’s.
Brilliant
Quite glad to have Howth Hill stoutly between me and the worst of the wind.
It really isn’t all that bad in west Dublin bit of wind and rain
Maybe where you are foxy but our neighbours shed blew apart and as you can see above, the roof of the school came off.
Sat on an Aer Lingus flight for two hours this morning before disembarking to wait to reboard in the terminal, good to see no chances were been taken with people’s safety…………
I see down trees and it’s like woohoo my stove will be burning that.
I know some places got it bad I guess we were lucky
Very strong winds and rain in Leitrim .
Feck all else other than wind and rain!!
Tree down in Belfast, opposite St.Georges market.. Causing a bit of.a traffic nightmare. On the bus from Dublin to.Belfast this morning we had to.stop as one of the panels blew open on m1.
Shur tis only a bit of a breeze….
That comment went down a storm…
Is that somebody on the the roof of the school? Can’t quite make it out on my phone, but I think it is. Either very brave or very crazy!
Just the way the roof cladding is bent. That dark shape does look like a head and shoulders though!
Well done to the Journal concerning ‘The Rescue 115 helicopter carried out a daring rescue on Mount Brandon yesterday ‘
Excellent news coverage
In the worst of the storm last evening, a couple were walking their baby (in pram) in Birr. Crazy stuff…
Brrrrrr!
If you know it’s going to be stormy, take down the netting off the trampoline, the net creates a sail and it will take off.. We took our netting down last night and it was still in the garden this morning also weigh it down with heavy stuff from the garden..
Not too bad here in Swords, the sky is black though
When will the authorities and the RSA in particular, insist that large trees are not allowed to grow along roadways and footpaths. Every time we have strong winds somebody is killed or injured and property is damaged. In the housing estate where I live there is a large tree every 20 meters and on each side of the road. The road is only approx 12 meters wide so the trees overhang the road. The problems they cause by blocking street lighting, obstructing vision, generating huge amounts of leaves and seed shedding does not make up for the limited attraction of trying to create the impression of living in the woods. A tree should only be planted in an area where it has enough space to topple without impacting on anything other than the ground.
So, only in parks or the countryside, then? What a bleak, barren concrete jungle you want to live in.
Will you also complain when there is less wildlife, less shade, more flooding?
If you think about it Anton, there are many attractive alternatives to the huge trees that are all over the urban landscape. It is not necessary to confine ourselves to concrete or giant trees. See the trees now in O’Connell St.Dublin and other locations.
My point is in relation to trees which are a danger to people and property. If you are killed by a large tree its beauty will be of very little interest to your nearest and dearest.
I wan’t to live in a safe environment and not to be saddened by reports of deaths caused by falling trees.
Quick…..save the dubs….
So glad I got the tree at the bottom of the garden taken down last year after it had died. Half the budleia outside the kitchen door is down. No damage done, thank goodness!
I feel very lucky compared to those poor souls who have no power all over the country.
good boy marc
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