Travel disrupted and 13,000 homes left without power as storm passes

WINDS ARE expected to lighten today as the country returns to normal in the aftermath of Hurricane Katia.

Up to 13,000 households were without power early yesterday as the tail end of the hurricane brought down trees and power cables, caused flights to be diverted and interrupted the Dart service in Dublin.

Roads were blocked in a number of locations in the midlands, west and north, while the Cliffs of Moher visitors’ centre in Co Clare asked tour operators to keep away until winds abated.

In Dublin the country’s newest island, a temporary desert island in the Liffey on which “castaway” visual artist Fergal McCarthy had planned to spend a week, will be repopulated this morning. Mr McCarthy said the weather was “not awful” but he had to come off the island at about 9pm on Sunday for insurance reasons.

A number of Irish Ferries services between Dublin and Holyhead have been cancelled for a second day today. But the HSS Stena Explorer from Dún Laoghaire to Holyhead is expected to run as normal.

Two Dublin-bound Ryanair flights were diverted to Shannon yesterday after heavy winds struck the capital. Passengers were taken to Dublin by bus. Dart services in the city were also disrupted twice during the day due to high winds affecting overhead cables.

Motorists in Co Laois faced disruption when a fallen tree blocked the road between Portarlington and Ballybrittas.

In Donegal a District Court judge took the unusual step of adjourning the court to Carrick-on-Shannon in Co Leitrim after hearing a defendant was being brought from St Patrick’s Institution. Judge Kevin Kilrane had been told the youth would not arrive before the court list was heard and accordingly he moved the proceedings to Carrick (closer to the judge’s home) and cutting 120km off the prisoner’s journey. The youth was freed and fined €1,300.

In Donegal the Harry Blaney bridge, which spans Mulroy bay off the Fanad peninsula in the north of the county, was shut as a precautionary measure. A number of local ferry services to and from the islands off the Donegal coast were cancelled for the day.

The ESB said crews expect to have almost all homes reconnected by this morning. Crews will be out at first light, a spokesman said. Householders across counties Cavan, Longford, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal bore the brunt of the storm, as winds gusting up to 130km/h hit the north and north-west. But by evening as customers in the northwest had their power restored, high winds cut supplies across Meath and north Dublin.

Trees were also brought down in Galway city and county while high tides made worse by the gales caused severe flooding along the promenade in Salthill.

The Coast Guard urged people to take care, particularly near the coast and in exposed areas, while road safety chiefs warned motorists to be extra vigilant if driving in stormy conditions.

The Road Safety Authority said: “Vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists are advised to check local weather forecasts before making journeys. If necessary, consider delaying your journey until the weather improves.

“If you must take to the roads, watch out for falling debris and keep in off the road when meeting traffic.”

Road travel in Cork, Tipperary, Donegal, Galway and Kildare was also disrupted by fallen trees and branches and flooding.

Met Éireann said winds would finally ease tonight and the next few days will give much calmer weather. It will be mainly dry but towards the weekend, the weather will become more unsettled again.