THREE DAYS AFTER Storm Éowyn caused extensive damage across the country, many are still dealing with the aftermath.

With 100,000 people likely to have to wait until next week for their power to be restored, and tens of thousands still without water, local businesses and community centres have opened their doors to help those without supply.

In some of the worst affected areas including counties Mayo, Leitrim, Clare and Galway, local communities are rallying to provide access to water and power for those who need it.

‘In complete darkness’

Patrick Mullan, community co-ordinating officer at the Rossinver Community Centre in Co Leitrim, said that the county had been “hit badly” by the storm.

The centre, which provides youth and family services as well as a drugs taskforce for the north Leitrim community of Rossinver, opened its doors this morning to the public to provide free charging points, water and food.

Rossinver Youth and Community Project, located near Lough Melvin in Co Leitrim. Patrick Mullan Patrick Mullan

“We were lucky enough to be in one of the few remaining parts of the community with power this morning, but a number of locals were in complete darkness and needed somewhere safe to be,” Mullan said.

Mullan, whose house has been without power since Friday afternoon, said that a number of elderly residents in the area had been severely affected by the outages.

There were roughly 10,000 homes and businesses without power across Co Leitrim by Saturday, according to the ESB.

“It’s not been easy here. One local told me she had lost everything in her fridge by Sunday because of the power outage,” Mullan said.

“Another resorted to buying a camping stove to try and cook some food, but it only lasted for five minutes.”

Mullan added that he had called to a number of nearby residences with his wife, a HSE carer, to check on elderly residents, leaving them with hot water bottles, fresh food and blankets.

“It’s like a step back in time,” Mullan said. “The fact that we have power, it means we can give people a little bit of a refuge and help them escape the cabin fever.

Many of them are cold and alone, without the help I don’t know what would happen to them.”

“You have to hand it to the emergency workers, I’ve seen them chopping down trees and fixing power lines, they’ve been kept very busy.”

Mullan added that the Rossinver Community Centre “will continue to provide services as long as they are needed”.

‘Pay it back’

Bernard Cahill, Wellbeing Manager of the Armada Hotel in Spanish Point, Co Clare, said the site has become a busy hub for the local community following the storm, which left roughly 22,000 homes and businesses without power in the county.

Approximately 16,000 homes and businesses remain without power across the county, the ESB said today.

“We had a plan in place, and the team here have been amazing,” Cahill said, describing how some hotel staff stayed overnight in the hotel on Thursday in preparation for the storm.

The Armada Hotel in Co Clare. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

“We lost our electricity, power and water on Friday, which obviously had a massive impact.

“We got water and internet back very quickly, and managed to get power back working too soon enough. We even had a wedding on Saturday after the storm, which went ahead without a hitch!” Cahill said.

He added that ESB workers had briefly passed by the hotel while they continued repair works, and refused free lunches from the hotel restaurant.

“What they’re doing is such hard work, you bcan’t help but commend the ESB workers for not stopping. They look tired, but they’re still hard at it,” Cahill said.

The hotel has since been providing charging points, drinks and snacks, hot water and showers to locals in the area affected by power and water outages.

Yesterday we had 200 families avail of the showers here.

“It’s been busy but it’s the least we can do,” Cahill said. 

“Locals shouldn’t feel like they have to spend any money to have access to basic services during outages like this.

“When the hotel opened around 40 years ago, we wouldn’t have stayed open without the support of locals. Now we get to pay it back to the community, and put our values to the test,” Cahill said.