Tag Archives: storm

CLARE County Council, An Garda Siochána, the Fire Service and Clare Civil Defence are responding to more than 150 separate weather related incidents around the county. Several thousand homes in areas right across the county are without electricity. An emergency number – 1890 252 943 – has been established for members of the public to report fallen trees, blocked roads and flooding. This number will be operational until 7.30pm. The south-east of the county is one of the worst affected areas, particularly in Killaloe and around Sixmilebridge, with fallen trees reported on most routes. The north and west of the county have also been badly affected. Clare County Council says it expects storm conditions to abate later this evening but it is urging members of the public to avoid making any unnecessary journeys due to storm debris and traffic lights out of operation on the county’s roads.

AFTER closing for a number of hours due to this afternoon’s severe weather, when winds gusts reached 150k per hour, Shannon Airport has now reopened. An Aer Arann plane that was parked at the airport blew over during the course of the afternoon, while some of the cladding on the roof of the airport blew down. The terminal building also had to be evacuated after a fire alarm went off after a door swung open and struck it. A number of trees were also knocked in Shannon and Met Éireann’s radar suffered wind damage during the storm.    

WIND gusts of up to 130 kilometres per hour could hit County Clare this Wednesday, Met Éireann has warned. The forecaster predicts that sustained westerly winds will be between 60 and 70 kilometres per hour, and that seas will be high throughout this afternoon. Aer Lingus has cancelled a number of inbound and outbound services from Shannon Airport as a result of adverse weather.Intending passengers are advised to contact their airlines. A status orange weather warning is in place for Clare, along with Mayo, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Wexford, while the most serious warning, a status red alert, has been issued for Cork and Kerry. Tonight will be cold, with occasional showers, with some hail, sleet and snow in places. Lowest temperatures will zero or -1 C., with frost and icy patches also. It will be windy for a time but the blustery westerly winds will moderate further later on.  

Clare farmers along the estuary who have seen their lands swamped by recent flooding will be making their case for a funding reprieve from government when Minister for Agriculture and Marine, Simon Coveney visits the county this afternoon. But Minister Coveney will not be concentrating his visit on areas of flooding , he will also survey some of the damage experienced by coastal communities, areas hardest-hit by Storms Christine and Bridgid. Minister Coveney, who will be accompanied on his visit by Clare TDs Pat Breen and Joe Carey and Senator Tony Mulcahy, is due at Liscannor Pier at 2.30pm. He will then head down along the coastline to Ballynacally and Kildysart where vast tracts of land, an estimated 1,200 acres,  have been submerged with flood water after the embankments in the Shannon were breached. Taoiseach Enda Kenny has admitted not enough money has been earmarked for flood defence works in the years ahead, but Clare Fine Gael TD Pat Breen …

WATER levels in Dooras, O’Callaghan’s Mills have risen to a new high this week, as flooding along the access road reached the four foot mark. With only a few days reprieve, residents of the four houses on this stretch of road have endured five weeks of surface water surrounding their homes. One family moved out over the Christmas period and a second family has now made the decision to also move. Of those who remain, an 88-year-old woman remains trapped in her home. Her son, Ger Mulqueen, is living with her and trying to maintain a farm, while another resident, James Peppard, continues to live there to look after his animals. Locals have had to resort to using a boat to access their homes and to bring in meal and nuts to their cattle, as the road remains submerged and the bog behind them becomes more dangerous to traverse, with each rain shower. Helen Mulqueen, whose mother-in-law is 88 and …

IN a somewhat ironic twist in view of the devastation caused by the weekend’s storm,  “Towards a Better Kilkee: A Town Improvement & Economic Development Strategy 2014-2024,” was launched last night at the Culturlann Sweeney Library. Prepared by Clare County Council, in association with Kilkee Town Council and various community groups, the  key focus of the 10-year strategy is to generate new employment opportunities in a town that has a 36% unemployment rate, promote the local tourism product and enhance the physical appearance of Kilkee. The latter presents a huge challenge, now that the much core element of the seaside infrastructure has been so badly damaged. The short and medium-term priorities outlined in the strategy include carrying out a branding and marketing exercise for Kilkee, establishing contact with owners of all opportunity sites, promote the existing coastal walks by upgrading signage and information, conducting a survey of derelict sites in the town, carrying out upgrading works to the bandstand, producing a comprehensive …

COUNTY Clare is once again counting the cost of storm and flood damage after the spring tides brought their expected fall-out in many coastal areas on St Bridget’s Day. A  Met Éireann weather warning remains in place for this Saturday night. Many road were impassable this morning, while thousands of homes, mainly in  North and Mid-Clare, were left without power. The Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre remains closed all day due to hazardous conditions there. Things came to a head about 6 o’clock this morning, when the sea surged in at Lahinch Promenade and Quilty, while the Strandline wall in Kilkee  was  also damaged. This time round, Killimer and Moyasta were badly affected along the estuary. Flooding also occurred at Clarecastle bridge, as well as on the road at Bunratty. The river at the Black Weir Bridge, near the Clare Inn, burst its banks, while the main Ennis to Kildysart Road, at Ballicorrick also flooded. Further flooding has been reported in …