While Storm Ashley passed relatively gracefully over much of County Clare last week, it reaped havoc at the Burren Animal Rescue Centre in Tubber, destroying a barn and threatening the centres critical supply of winter fodder.
The storm ripped through the roof of the large barn, tearing apart concrete block walls and damaging a number of metal pillars.
This leave the registered charity in a precarious position, facing a costly rebuild as they also face into the difficult winter season for their animals.
“I was shocked when I saw it, I really was. The last time that we had damage to the barn, it was literally a case of one section getting damaged. This time we have lost it all,” said the founder of the Burren Animal Rescue Centre, Sheena Twist.
“The roof was 40ft by 20ft, it was not a light roof, it was substantial. To see the pillars cracked and the sheer force that was there to do that much damage, it is something else.
“I would imagine that storm lifted one edge of the barn and, as the wind kept increasing, it just popped all the medal tie-downs as it went along.
“The roof was tied down with metal strapping attaching it to the walls and the pillars. In one area, there are blocks over the roof, in the trees. So it pulled the blocks apart. It also took down a section of wall. I don’t think there was any section that didn’t get damaged in some way, it seemed to knock the majority of the pillars.
“I think that because the barn is located at the bottom of a hill, that the wind was rising back up off the hill and it brought the roof with it. I don’t know what caused the whirlwind effect.
“The barn went through hurricanes and other storms in the past and there had been no obvious sign that we were going to lose it. We had a lot of bales inside at the time as well, which we now have to cover. You can’t afford to let them get wet at all or they will just rot from the inside out.”
The amount of damage caused to the barn by Storm Ashley means that the only workable option for the charity is to move and rebuild that barn.
“I think at this stage that we are looking at moving it to a more sheltered area. The damage that has been caused this time means that we would have to knock remaining pillars and rebuild other pillars. When so much damage is done, it is easier to start from scratch,” said Sheena.
“We are hoping that when we dismantle the roof that we will find that a lot of the galvanise is okay, just in the wrong place. Hopefully some of the timbers will be okay as well. Certainly, from looking at them on the ground, it seems that some of them are still in their full lengths without any cracks or snaps. So we are hoping that we will be able to salvage some of the existing materials and just go for a more sheltered location to put it now.
“When something like this happens once, every time you hear a bit of wind you will wonder whether it is going to happen again. Is the barn going to be okay?”
The charity had already been facing significant financial challenges this year due to the increasing cost of fodder as a result of the poor summer.
“At the moment we have about 34 or 35 horses and donkeys, we have about 30 cats and kittens and about 12 dogs there at the minute. There are lots of animals so it is plenty of work to keep them all fed and looked after,” said Sheena. “This time of the year is the hardest part. Some of the animals would be housed inside and some outside, depending on their needs. Some of the older once would have different needs to the younger ones, or if any of them gets sick.
“But any of them that are in good health stay outside. We are lucky, we have a lot of trees and other forms of natural shelter. We also have field shelters in different places that they would be able to access as well.
“Keeping them all fed is always a big challenge and this year was particularly hard because of the summer that we had. Hay wasn’t as freely available as it would be in other years so it drove the cost right up.
“We have gone from paying €29 a bale four years ago to now, where we are lucky to get them for €55.”
Sheena is calling on anyone who might be in a position to donate money, materials, labour or anything useful to the charity to please get in touch.
“This time of the year we hold a prize draw every year and we have already started selling tickets for that. We are hoping to incorporate tickets of that along with people making general donations,” she said.
“We are hoping as well that we might be able to get some supplies with a significant discount, to help bring the cost down. Maybe some help with the machinery costs and the cost of labour. Whatever help people can offer, we will certainly take.”
To offer support or donate money visit burrenrescue.com.
Andrew Hamilton is a journalist, investigative reporter and blogger who has been working in the media in Ireland for the past 20 years. His areas of special interest include the environment, mental health and politics.