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MINISTER OF STATE for Transport Seán Canney has said that Storm Éowyn may cause delays to the installation of new reduced speed limit signs on rural local roads across the country.
Default speed limits on a number of rural local roads are set to decrease from 80km/h to 60km/h on 7 February, as part of a government strategy aiming to bring down the number of fatalities and injuries caused by traffic collisions.
As such, all speed limit signs on these will have to be changed by 7 February to enforce the new reductions.
Speaking at the launch of a Bank Holiday weekend road safety appeal, Canney warned that the storm, which caused a number of road blockages due to fallen trees and power lines, had caused some complications to the installation of the new 60km/h signs.
“I hope the signs will be installed by then, but with the storm that we’ve had, there could be some disruption,” Canney said.
“We’ve had such destruction over the last week in terms of the storm that our roads are still very much a risk, so we have to be very careful.”
The Department of Transport is working alongside local authorites to ensure the speed limits signs are entirely replaced by the time the speed limit reductions come into effect.
Cork County Council, who are responsible for replacing the signs for hundreds of kilometres of rural local roads, confirmed to The Journal that they intend to have all signs replaced by 7 February.
Canney said that he knows that “all the posts are in place and the signs are ready to go up”, adding that he was “confident” that all 80km/h speed limit signs on rural local roads will be changed or replaced by 7 February.
Speaking on the speed reductions, Canney warned that speed limits “are not a target”.
“I think young people may believe that because the speed limit is at 80km/h, they can drive at 80. That’s not the case,” Canney said.
“The fact that it’s been reduced to 60km/h puts the mindset that 60 is the upper limit. But in all cases, people should be driving safely.”
People aged 25 and under made up 35% of fatalities on Irish roads last year, with 60 young people dying as a result of collisions in 2024.
Seven in ten fatal road collisions occurred on roads with a speed limit of 80km/h or greater.
“You have to travel carefully, and you have to make sure that you have full control of your car at all times,” Canney said.
While the change to rural road speed limits will come into effect on 7 February, there are more reductions in store later this year, although the Department has not specified exactly when.
Later in 2025, the speed limit in some urban locations called “urban cores”, which include built-up areas, housing estates and town centres, will go down to 30km/h.
The speed limit on national secondary roads will also reduce from 100km/h to 80km/h.
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I’ve studied weather and weather forcast for 40+ years. I’ve never see a forcast so severe. Currently it’s forcast for hurricane force winds, for an at least hour, in Clew Bay (Mayo), these type winds would normally be seen offshore.
Amazing and terrifying at the same time.
If ya can have a duvet-day tomorrow.
@Donagh Waldron: Best start preparing for more weather like this…if will be every year now!
@Donagh Waldron: thank you for taking sense ahead of the usual loonies in the comment section!
@John Doe: He says himself, using a moniker from a pool of Monikers.
@BrennJam: The genesis of this storm is a plumb of cold artic air meeting warm subtropical air over North America, the plumb was so strong that the interface was almost over the gulf (mid latitude states would be a ‘normal’ interface zone)
This created a very large differance of tempature over a short distance, which in turn created a exceptionally strong jet stream.
Then there was a bog standard low pressure drifting towards Ireland, when it drifted under the jet stream it was spun massively by the exceptionally strong jet stream, and boom!
Will it happen every year; impossible to tell. Yet the warming seas will increase the likelihood of formation of such exceptionally strong jet streams.
@Donagh Waldron: Ophelia in 2017 was remarkable but this be far worse. I too have studied meteorology for over 40 years and when you read Hurricane force 12 in the marine cast, this is exceptional. Stay safe everyone across the island.
@K Mehlhorn: can you remember what the intensity was for hurricane Charley in 1986, no one has mentioned this in comparable at all? One good thing on that was the six weeks of fantastic weather afterwards. Stay safe everyone
@Marie Agnew: As we are all up I’ll share a story about hurricane Charlie. That summer was terrible and potato blight was rampant with the ground sodden spraying couldn’t happen. Along came Charlie and flattened everything, wheat , barley and of course the already dying spuds . After the storm a Garda car was down inishannon way, west Cork and were driving past a field of potatoes only to notice a huge green swath still standing and apparently untouched by the storm. The lads were planting cannabis amongst the spuds ” as an experiment ” . UCC botany department got wind of this and the plants including a few potato samples were studied. The spuds next to the cannabis didn’t rot and were edible with an ” earthy” taste .
@Donagh Waldron: Mace head 113.7 mph gust that’s an all Ireland , island, record.
@Paul O’Mahoney: did they get more peckish the more spuds they ate?
@mcleixlip: My wife was in UCC at that time and nobody really had facts but apparently there was a fairly good party in some house on College road.
@Paul O’Mahoney: Mace head didn’t supply 6am wind speed, equipment is probably in Iceland now.
@Donagh Waldron: over exaggerated in some parts. MET E said it be 115km/h gusts where I am at 10am, now they are saying 70km/h it’s not even that. They were off the mark by 40km/h. The storm was worse a few months ago where I’m based on the south east
@John: South east? Nobody cares.
@John: And what were the gusts at 4am? 6hrs ago? I’ll help you Carlow and Kilkenny were 106 and 102 at 3am , 4am 108 and 106 these are two inland stations are you saying that the wind bypassed where you are?
This is the typical gombeen attitude, it’s not windy here so let’s have a moan about Met Eireann, the Government, and tell everyone what’s happening now 6 hrs after peak.
Are we producing this nonsense in a lab somewhere as its feckin everywhere now.
@Stephen: I’m sure a lot of people care about terribly wrong weather forecasts by MET Eireann
@John: Yeah but this one was spot on just before 6am we went red and the wind really got blowing. Out of curiosity are you a professional moaner, with the certificate to go with it. If not you should apply….
@Donagh Waldron: it’s a lovely day here, just been for a lovely walk, duvet day, pffft
@Paul O’Mahoney: if that’s true it’s hilarious,
@Paul O’Mahoney: That gave me a giggle, the good old days !
@John:. Met Eireann app and website are extremely accurate, providing both forecasts AND access to hourly data and most recent satellite images.
@Paul O’Mahoney: I think John is a questionable person
@John: But they were correct. Don’t comment and people will only think you’re intellectually challenged.
Hopefully I wont be looking up at the sky in the morning.
@Willie Marty: Glasnevin?
@Willie Marty: Those howling gales kept me awake all night yet on a normal night when I struggle to sleep I listen to ambient storm chillout music and fall asleep in ten minutes ?
Hopefully, it passes without any major incidents.
Stay safe.
@ciaran o dowd: Fingers crossed…… 210+ kmph gusts in the Aran Islands. There’ll be some damage out the West Coast unfortunately
@another one? what’s going on is the semi state sector? seems to be a shocking culture? incompetent management? is it at the direction of the ministers/Dept of finance?: nope there wasn’t 210km/h just there. There was a possible chance that it would go up to that but never did. 183km/h was the highest recorded
@John: utter rubbish
Bye bye trampoline
@Luke Littler: no s××t sherlock.. doesn’t always work tho..
@Alan Smith: Unless of course you want rid. for free.
Can’t wait to make all my sandwiches tomorrow
@Liam deoráiste: Haha. Did you stock up on fruit too, William of Oranges?
@Luke Littler: you can feed the multitudes, any chance you have some fish ?
Already getting very very blustery/equally over here in Wicklow… Stay safe everyone!
I’ve a trampoline ordered. Getting delivered tomorrow
@Steven Wonka: Nope…You will be lucky to have it Wednesday!
@Steven Wonka: Why bother getting a trampoline, when we can bounce for free on the trolls heads that consistently disrupt and disrespect our comment section? We fought hard for free speech, and some foreign actors with multiple accounts under the same IP are trying to shut this freedom down.
@Meh Meh:
Foreign actors? You mean Gérard Depardieu is at it again? Shame on him!
@Jonn: The Dove from Above.
@Meh Meh: don’t insult the foreigners we have are own nuts, and a pain they are
@Meh Meh: reporting and muting to journal isn’t enough. Considered it may be journal staff stirring things for more comments traffic but the doe boy is too childminded so… but you’re damn right. He’s ruined this section for everyone .
@Steven Wonka: By air mail.
Met Éireann head forecaster Eoin warning from Éowyn
I hope everyone stays safe and well but the weather warnings for the mid lands has been reduced by an hour, I know it’s still serious but and it’s a forecast but does anyone think that the predicters do be just covering there own backs
@Nikki Swift: clearly not with the ENTIRE COUNTRY under a red warning. Sounds very warranted out there!
@Nikki Swift: it’s 6:25 am here in Kerry, our neighbour moved into a new built home just before Christmas, 1 hr ago I watched as half their roof along with solar panels was ripped from their home and as of yet have no idea where it’s landed. So No. I don’t think it was services covering their assessment. I think the warning is still credible. Just because it’s breezy in the midlands and if you have the brains or intellect to look at any weather radar you’ll clearly see up along the west coast are getting the leading edge of a hurricane.
@Maurice: Maurice, I wouldn’t bother. People think if it didn’t snow in their own back garden, it didn’t snow anywhere. They generally can’t read a forecasting map anyway, and don’t understand what a very low pressure system brings. I hope you all manage to ride it out as well as possible.
Kids just work now at 2.30am here in galway, right now the weather app is saying it’s 100km guests and we can feel the house shaking already, will be 140km at 7am. Can’t wait
How can anyone work from home with no electricity?
@Karen Marten: If laptops most likely charged and people can work without Internet and connect later. Also some have generators ;0)
Just home after night shift,anyone that has to travel take it easy, especially motorway.
Wow, lots of meteorologists here today.
Funny how people have studied this for 40+ years.
Amazing to have so many experts on here, bit like how everyone is an expert on Ukraine, Covid, mRNA, Palestine.
@Jim: same crowd that became epidemiologists during Covid this lot were probably around during the plague and the Black Death. Louis Pasteur probably signed off on their degrees
@Jim: Are you saying they are wrong? I keep weather records too as I garden it’s not unusual to have a hobby.
@Jim: Imagine…people thinking and voicing their opinions…Down with that sort of thing!
@Paul O’Mahoney: where did I say that? Usual twisting of comments.
@damien leen: no problem with people voicing opinion. Inferring expertise while giving providence (… for 40 years I…) is a different story.
My opinion is that climate change is a scam yet the bigots, Zealots & charlatans can have at it with my opinion & that’s fine?
Getting rough in Kildare now and we are in a sheltered stop. Polytunnel might not make it through this, at least it’s not cold. Casement is about 10kms away with 127kph gusts and we aren’t meant to be Red until 6am ….
@Paul O’Mahoney: BBC news just reported that winds of 108 mph were recorded in Co. Galway , the record for the whole island is 113 mph . Mace head 174kmh recorded…….that’s incredible.
@Paul O’Mahoney:
I saw Mace Head now recorded 183kmh
Half me roof is on the driveway
@Don Johnson: Likewise
@Don Johnson: And then you have people like John complaining… he must be thick as two max plancks ;0)
Work remotely where possible and I hope most businesses will pause start & opening times at least until worst is over.
In the majority of case it’s trees that bring down power lines , not wind on its own?
Remove all trees, branches etc out of the path of power lines and the outages will decrease accordingly?
I’ve four sliced pans for sale to the highest bidder….Brennans.
Very scary to be listening to,in Cork,was awake most of the night,But was surprised to get up and see all bins standing not even the bin lids blown opened,small trampoline in garden still standing,have electricity
I can’t find my cat
@Tom Kelly: Ours is under a bed and will not come out.
@Tom Kelly: the journal isn’t the place to be looking for it…..wheresmepussy.ie is where you need to go
Is co clare still there ? Cant get through to any one in the west?
Great drying out there today..!!
As the government takes a break till February, Ireland going through one of the worst storms in years
Fantastic banana Republic
I’m sure it will blow over
Why didn’t someone just ask the americans to turn off the wind?
@bruce banner: Trump doesn’t care, since he got back into office most of America is freezing and that was Canada s fault. Since the jet stream popped out of the Gulf of America, aka Gulf of Mexico he let it rip and will probably say that’s what tariffs will feel like when introduced. He’s some lad for one lad.
Everyone charge your phones, tablets, vibrators etc.
The whole country is blown to bits!
People need to calm down. Irish people love to freak out. I’ve lived in the southern United States before and have experienced hurricanes and winds that would rip your house apart. This is NOTHING. Calm down.
@Ethan: And? The record for strongest wind has been broken and we aren’t finished, while we are used to wind and rain this is exceptional. Comparing hurricanes in the Southern States of America isn’t relevant and while this will pass later today the destruction will be seen then hopefully without loss of life.
Additionally most houses in America are wooden structures and held together with duct tape so the comparison again is irrelevant.
@Paul O’Mahoney: A wind record in Ireland is noteworthy, but calling this compared to what I’ve experienced in the Southern U.S.? Hurricanes like Katrina and Harvey brought winds of 125-150 mph, along with flooding that left entire cities underwater. Ireland’s record-breaking gust of 101 mph? Laughable.
As for American houses being “held together with duct tape,” maybe stick to topics you actually know something about, like tea or turf wars, because that’s as tired as it is unoriginal. It might surprise you to learn that many Southern U.S. homes are built to withstand hurricanes, thanks to strict building codes like reinforced roofs and impact-resistant windows. The damage happens because hurricanes last for days and bring catastrophic flooding—not because the houses are poorly built.
@Ethan: Still irrelevant, and it’s 114mph recorded. If you are trying to look worldly and intelligent, you’re struggling, and I’ve been to Georgia, Alabalma, Louisiana, and Texas and my comment stands regarding housing , witnessed tornados in Oklahoma too.
@Ethan: Yeah but in the southern states the rednecks just shoot at the Hurricanes and they go away. “We don’t like your sort round these parts”
@Ethan: Ohh, so that’s what we need to do ‘Calm down’. Everybody, listen up. Ethan said we all need to just calm down and this will turn out to be nothing. Thanks Ethan, I feel great now apart from the hole in my roof and the tree on my car. Thanks
@Jack Jack: But he has witnessed much worse and in America so the damage here isn’t that bad in comparison. I really do wonder what has happened to people’s sense of humanity and concern for their fellow people and communities. It’s narcissistic in the extreme it’s like look at me I’ve been to here, there, I’m great.
Hope you get sorted out. Not a pleasant experience.
@Paul O’Mahoney: he should f off back there
@Ethan: Spare us the hard man attitude. Comparing 2 different regions makes no sense. Different countries are prepared differently based off past events. People in Ireland arent used to such wind levels.. and the west basically experienced hurricane levels last night. And.. believe me when I say many Irish need a serious warning to take it seriously as many of us dont. Which puts people’s lives at risk. Red alert warnings were 100% justified. Just lucky that many of the country were in bed for most of it.
@Paul O’Mahoney:
@PaulO’Mahoney: Your comment misses the mark, genius. The speed of wind at 114mph is irrelevant to the discussion on flooding, which can be caused by heavy rainfall, poor drainage, or river overflows, not just wind. Traveling through a few states doesn’t make you an expert on construction or natural disasters, just a well-traveled idiot. Construction quality varies widely, and simply being in tornado-prone areas doesn’t address why flooding might be catastrophic. Focus on the actual issue, not your travelogue.
@Jan Eire: @Jan: Maybe if you spent less time dyeing your roots and more time learning geography, you’d know something, not American. I’m Irish born and raised I’ve lived in the US for over 10 years. Go back to your shampoo bottle, love.
@Jack Jack: I wouldn’t worry Jack. With a house like Swiss cheese and a car that’s more treehouse than automobile, you’ve redefined home improvement’!
@Ethan: We are talking about flooding now , we were concerned about wind. I was working, I’m not saying I’m an expert but I wouldn’t have said anything until you with your ridiculous comparison is the only reason I typed. People like you don’t really have much to say unless it’s about you. Everyone else posting was mentioning the extent of the storm and the potential damage and the effects of the high wind, but you chose to shoehorn in with ” calm down ” trying to belittle us.
Well, dude, you haven’t just look at the responses. Perhaps if it snows, you’ll regale us with stories of how you trekked across the Artic in shorts and flip flops.
Still irrelevant.
@Ethan: There ya go adding misogyny to your persona. Typical narcissist move.
@Ethan: agreed. Can’t beat a bit of scaremongering
@Paul O’Mahoney: White knight detected. So she can tell me to F off and go back to a country I’m not even from but the minute I say something back you have something to say ? Typical leftist virtue signaller. Probably reported me too as I hurt your feelings ? Cry.
@Ethan: Nah, just confirming what I thought you are, it’s easy to spot ye. I enjoy exposing people like you as you’re just another example of what’s wrong in this country. No empathy for anyone, no regard for other people’s lives or difficulties. People like you are part of the problem in Ireland , and those who lived away and return are usually the worst. Like you.
@Paul O’Mahoney: You’re quick to point fingers but seem to miss the mirror, buddy. Calling me out for ‘no empathy’ when you can’t even handle someone clapping back at a xenophobic remark? And you think you’re the moral compass here? Please, the only thing you’re exposing is your own hypocrisy. I lack empathy and really I’m the problem because I don’t cry over a bit of rain and wind ? People like People like you, who think they’re the moral police but You throw around accusations of ‘no empathy’ while hurling insults from the safety of your desk job. Go back to work now Paul like a good boy, I’m glad you had fun “Exposing” me must be nice thinking your making a change in this world.
@Ethan: Have a great day.
@Ethan: Is that an attempt at humour?
Prlck!
@Paul O’Mahoney: Exactly. I call you out for your hypocrisy and you run a mile. Have a good day White Knight. Had fun proving you wrong.
@Ethan: You think what you want afterall it’s only yourself you think about so it should take but a few minutes. I think you are the one found out dude
@Paul O’Mahoney: Don’t waste your time Paul
@Paul O’Mahoney: found out ? I proved you wrong on everything. I’ll say again also, not going to comment on the xenophobic remark ? Didn’t think so. Have a good day. Back to work now!
@Jack Jack:
Sorry your car couldn’t handle a breezy day jack, don’t be too ‘Crushed.’
pretty damning that we’ve now had 2 major outages in 2025 and it’s STILL January?… Wish I could run my business so inefficiently and charge so much, what a dream
@Thesaltyurchin: yeah all those 400,000 volt power lines should be buried underground away from the wind, feck the cost of it
@Thesaltyurchin: Not inefficiency. Weather!
Hopefully it’ll blow the turds out of parliament.
@Meh Meh: Unfortunately NO Chance of that..mFFFg Srick like the best turds you just can’t wash off.. no matter what chemicals you use!
@Mick Hanna: Go and drink a pint of bleach you waste of ASCII
@Meh Meh: Westminster ??
A lot of the comments here would be better said in Westminster. I’m sick to death of rogue commenting here. We’re being played like a deck of cards, with people disrupting our legitimate comments. I’ve followed the Journal for at least ten years now, and this is the worst it’s ever been. The Journal needs to stamp out multiple account holders. It’s not that difficult, under GDRP legislation they should be able to shut down accounts, posting multiple times on multiple articles. Yet the moderators let it slide. Enough is enough.
@Meh Meh: I’m fully convinced that it’s the journal staff riling everyone up. A communal account pool. There is no way a legitimate comments board would allow it. Look at Reddit or Boards for instance.
@Meh Meh:
You’re as bad as anyone here. I saw the threats you posted before they were removed. Grow up you complete sap.
A Trampoline! There is always one!
Think about it … 625,000 premises without electricity & 138,000 without water. Stone Age Infrastructure…
Restore power in Dublin, and then worry about the rest of the country.
@Paul Cronin: The only problem there is that the people with the expertise to restore the power are all outside Dublin.
Today’s bread iv got a yeast infection yesterday
Put cables underground.keep a proper record of location in accessible ducts. They could have done this alongside broadband rollout.
@Glaston Beary: Mind bogglingly expensive (and the fibre optic cable is above ground).
..
HUNDREDS of flights cancelled..? Gimme a break… Hundreds of people maybe, but hundreds of flights… Blow it out of all proportion why don’t ye
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