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ESB workers survey a fallen tree which crashed through the wall of Phoenix Park in Dublin. Alamy
As it happened

Storm Éowyn: 540,000 premises still without electricity and 138,000 people without water

ESB restoration crews are working around the clock and will provide customers with better estimates from tomorrow.
12.06am, 24 Jan 2025
212k
144

LAST UPDATE | 24 Jan

THE COUNTRY IS still coming to grips with the aftermath of Storm Éowyn.

Most of the weather warnings were lifted earlier today. 

However, Donegal remains under a Status Yellow wind warning until 11pm and is also currently under a Yellow snow-ice warning that will remain in place until 9am on Saturday.

Counties in Northern Ireland are also under wind warnings. Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone, Derry are under a Yellow wind warning until midnight.

Counties in the North will also be under a Yellow snow/ice warning until 10am tomorrow.

Screenshot 2025-01-24 at 16.29.23 Most weather warnings have now lifted, bar in Donegal and Northern Ireland Met.ie Met.ie

A full breakdown of the warnings can be read on Met Éireann’s website. 

And weather warnings for Northern Ireland can be found on the UK Met Office website.

ESB is reporting that over 540,000 homes and businesses are without power across the country, while many roads are blocked due to fallen trees and debris.

The issue has impacted water treatment plants, as 138,000 people are now without water, according to Uisce Éireann. Some households and businesses may be without water for a number of days.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the situation:

You can follow along for the latest here.

With updates by David MacRedmond, Muiris Ó Cearbhaill, Órla Ryan, Diarmuid Pepper, Jane Moore and Lauren Boland

24 Jan 6:05AM

‘In the firing line’

Met Éireann head forecaster Eoin Sherlock has said that some counties, such as those in the Midlands, will not have seen these kinds of wind speeds before.

The storm is like a “spinning top,” he said. Having initially formed off the coast of the US, it moved across the Atlantic at speed by a jet stream.

“It’s got incredible intensity and we’re in the firing line,” Sherlock said.

Sherlock explained that there is also a risk of “some tornado-like activity”, adding that it was something the weather service and other authorities would be “keeping an eye on”.

24 Jan 6:11AM

Strongest gust record broken

Overnight, the highest gust record which stood since 1945 was broken.

That 1945 record was set in Foynes, Co Limerick when a gust of 182 km/h was set.

At 5am, that was broken at Mace Head in Co Galway, when a gust of 184km/h was recorded, provisionally the strongest gust speed ever recorded in Ireland.

24 Jan 6:14AM

The Status Red wind warning is currently in place across the island of Ireland, apart from Co Donegal and Northern Ireland.

In these seven counties, the Status Red warning comes into place at 7am. 

24 Jan 6:17AM

Storm Éowyn has already broken records and Met Éireann’s Gerry Murphy has described it as an “extreme storm”.

He tells RTÉ’s morning Ireland that it’s very windy everywhere right now and that this storm has to be taken very seriously. 

24 Jan 6:21AM

Around 560,000 homes without power

Destructive winds from Storm Éowyn have so far caused widespread and extensive damage to the electricity network across the country with around 560,000 homes, farms and businesses without power.

ESB Networks said it will continue to closely monitor the storm impact on power supplies and all available resources stand ready to mobilise once safe to do so. 

24 Jan 6:30AM

Dublin Airport

Most flights scheduled to depart from Dublin Airport have been cancelled between now and 9.30am. 

Only four flights – to Birmingham, Faro, Tenerife and Gran Canaria – are scheduled to take off as planned.

Two others – to Dubai and Tenerife – have been delayed.

24 Jan 6:33AM

Ireland West Airport

Most flights are cancelled in Dublin Airport between now and 9.30am, and all flights have been cancelled at Ireland West Airport until 2pm.

Passengers due to travel on flights scheduled between 8am and 2pm are advised not to travel to the airport as all morning flights up to 2pm have been cancelled by the airlines.

The terminal building will not be accessible to members of the public during this time period.

24 Jan 6:39AM

Homes without power 

Over 560,000 homes, farms and businesses without power and ESB warns that “significantly more power outages can be expected throughout the day as the storm tracks northwards”.

ESB said that even at current numbers, the damage to the electricity network and impact on customers has been unprecedented. 

ESB Networks will closely monitor the storm impact on power supplies and all available resources stand ready to mobilise once safe to do so. 

A spokesperson added that from “experience of previous significant weather events and due to the severity of Storm Éowyn, we expect that power restoration will take a significant number of days”. 

Estimated restoration times will only be provided once ESB teams have assessed network faults and these will then be available to view throughout Saturday on www.PowerCheck.ie. 

An Important Public Safety Message: If you come across fallen wires or damaged electricity network, never, ever touch or approach these as they are LIVE and extremely dangerous. Please report any damage to electricity infrastructure by calling 1800 372 999.  

24 Jan 6:49AM

Dublin Airport

Most flights leaving Dublin Airport are cancelled, with only six flights between now and 9.45 am due to take off or delayed.

After 9.45 am, it becomes a more mixed picture, with more flights currently scheduled to depart as normal but many others cancelled or delayed throughout the day. 

Most arrivals into Dublin Airport meanwhile are cancelled until around 2pm this afternoon.

24 Jan 6:53AM

Fallen trees

It’s a situation that will likely be replicated across the country, as a fallen tree blocks one side of the Killininny Road in Dublin.

GiCej9-XQAANBKJ Dubline Fire Brigade dealing with a fallen tree this morning Dublin Fire Brigade Dublin Fire Brigade

24 Jan 7:00AM

Status Red wind warning

The entire island of Ireland is now under a Status Red wind warning.

As of 7am, Co Donegal and the six counties of Northern Ireland came under the wind warning and this Status Red warning across Donegal and the North will remain in place until 2pm. 

24 Jan 7:07AM

Wind alerts

All of the island is now under a Status Red alert, but these came into place at different times and will also remain in place until different times.

Here is a map of when the alerts will remain in place across the country.

GiAlxqFXUAAaYKP Met Éireann Met Éireann

24 Jan 7:11AM

Shannon Airport

In Shannon Airport, four departure flights are cancelled while three have been delayed – two of which have been delayed by around five hours.

Meanwhile, four flights due to arrive today at Shannon Airport have been cancelled while three have been delayed.

Two of these delayed arrivals were due to arrive last night but are now scheduled to land at Shannon airport later today.

24 Jan 7:27AM

Collision in Donegal

Gardaí are currently attending a “serious road traffic collision” on the N14 just north of Lifford in Co Donegal.

Garda Superintendent Liam Geraghty told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that he was not in a position to give further details at the moment.

“This does exemplify the warnings that we’ve been putting out there that this is a very, very dangerous and life-threatening storm,” Geraghty said.

“This incident actually happened through an Orange wind warning in the Donegal area, which has now gone to a Red wind warning.

Our appeal to people is the entire country is now covered by a Red wind warning, that people should shelter in place.

“Even when the Red wind warnings dissipate, we still remain under an Orange wind warning until very, very late this afternoon, and there may be other hazards even during that orange wind warning period.”

24 Jan 7:41AM

While Status Red wind warnings remain in place for the entire country, Met Éireann has updated a number of its Status Orange and Status Yellow wind warnings in the last few minutes. 

An Orange wind warning for the entire country will remain in place until 12pm. 

For Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Connacht, Longford, Louth, Meath and Westmeath, the Orange warning will now come into effect from 12pm and remain in place until 4pm. 

A Status Yellow wind warning for counties Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Wexford, Wicklow and Munster will be in place from 12pm to 4pm.

A Yellow wind warning for Donegal will be in effect from 4pm to 11pm.

24 Jan 7:42AM

Power outages in Northern Ireland

More than 93,000 homes and businesses are currently without power in Northern Ireland, NIE Networks has said.

The provider said Storm Éowyn was causing “widespread damage” to the electricity network.

It warned that restoration efforts will take significant time as crews cannot begin work until it is safe to do so.

A statement said: “We anticipate we will begin assessing the damage to the network after 2pm once the red weather warning has been lifted.”

24 Jan 7:51AM

Galway has been hit hard by the storm this morning, with a gust of 184km/h being recorded at Mace Head this morning – provisionally the strongest gust speed ever recorded in Ireland.

Galway Atlantaquaria in Salthill has shared a video of flooding at its aquarium, which it said began at around 2.30am. 

24 Jan 7:55AM

People in Northern Ireland have received a second emergency phone alert warning them of the danger to life as a result of Storm Éowyn. 

Millions of people in the north and in Britain received an alert from the UK Met Office yesterday afternoon. 

IMG_7891 The Journal The Journal

24 Jan 7:59AM

Dublin Airport

Graeme McQueen, Media Relations Manager with the DAA, has told Newstalk Breakfast that around 500 people have passed through security at Dublin Airport this morning compared to around 10,000 people in normal circumstances.

“As it stands we are not going to see anything taking off before 8.55am which is the first scheduled flight currently due to depart,” he said.

“The first arrival is due just after 9.30am, but given the conditions at the moment it would be very hard to see planes taking off or landing in the winds that we are seeing.”

McQueen advised passengers to keep in touch with airlines this morning for the latest updates on their flights.

“My understanding is that the airlines are meeting as we speak to decide on their schedules so (passengers) should hear something soon if they haven’t already.

All the flights just before 9am have been cancelled and are now out of the system, so they won’t fly today. What is hoped for now is that the flights beyond 9am will be able to take off.

“I would imagine that a lot of those will take off with a delay so the order that they go out in will very much depend on conditions, how quickly they can load the planes and we obviously have restrictions on handling at the moment because of the winds.”

McQueen said it is very much “a wait and see if you’re flying”. 

“Keep in touch with your airline. You will want to give yourself plenty of time to go to the airport when that happens.

“We have had very small numbers through the airport this morning. Around 500 people have gone through security in the two terminals. That is normally around 10,000 people (at this same) but we expect that to pick up as the morning goes on.”

24 Jan 8:12AM

One reader in Dublin has shared a photo of the ice skating rink in Blanchardstown, where part of the roof has been blown off during the storm. 

20250124_075004 Kasia Zablotna Kasia Zablotna

24 Jan 8:15AM

Around 715,000 people without power

The ESB has confirmed that around 715,000 homes, farms and businesses are without power as of 8am. 

In a statement, they said there has been “unprecedented, widespread and extensive damage to electricity infrastructure so far”. 

“ESB Networks continue to closely monitor the storm impact on power supplies and all available resources stand ready to mobilise once safe to do so,” the statement read.

“From our experience of previous significant weather events and due to the severity of Storm Éowyn, we expect that power restoration will take a significant number of days.”

24 Jan 8:26AM

Keith Leonard, Chair of the National Emergency Coordination Group, has said it has been a night of “record-breaking wind speeds across the country”. 

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, he said that the figure of 715,000 homes without power is likely to increase.

“Given the scale of power supply disruption, it’s going to take some time to restore all those customers,” Leonard said.

“The National Emergency Coordination Group will be trying to consider how to support best Eirgrid and ESB networks, that’ll be really a key objective for us today.”

He said it will be a “huge operation” which will be supported by local authorities, as well as the Defence Forces.

He also urged people to be cautious when going out after the storm has passed. 

“You have to expect to meet a tree down around every corner that you’re going around today and into the next few days. It’s going to take a long time to clear all the roads and clear all the trees, particularly along the western seaboard that has been really very badly affected.

With those numbers of power lines down now, live power lines down across roads, it’s very, very hazardous and dangerous conditions for people walking, people driving. We can’t emphasise too strongly how careful people need to be in the next couple of days.

24 Jan 8:32AM

150,000 people without treated water

Irish Water has said that around 150,000 people are without treated water this morning as a result of Storm Éowyn. 

Margaret Attridge, Head of Water Operations with Irish Water, told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland programme that water treatment plants that serve a population of about 150,000 people have lost power. 

“Most of our treatment plants would have storage, so that storage will keep people in supply of water for a good bit of the day,” she said.

“But what we are asking people to allow time for our crews to get out and assess the damage and to link in with the ESB to get some power supply returned to those sites as quickly as possible. We are asking people to conserve water.”

People can find real-time information on any outages on Irish Water’s website, or by contacting their customer care number on 1800 278278.

24 Jan 8:43AM

a-car-parses-an-advertising-display-damaged-during-storm-eowyn-in-finglas-dublin-residents-across-ireland-have-been-urged-to-stay-at-home-as-the-entire-island-braces-for-the-arrival-of-storm-eowyn A car parses an advertising display damaged during Storm Éowyn in Finglas, Dublin Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

My colleague Diarmuid Pepper has put together an article with photos and video footage from around the country showing the impact that Storm Éowyn is having.

You can find it here.

If you have any photos or videos that you would like to share with us, you can send them to pictures@thejournal.ie.

24 Jan 8:48AM

Public transport

In case you needed reminding, there are no public transport services operating for the duration of the Status Red wind warnings. 

24 Jan 8:50AM

Eir has said Storm Éowyn has caused major disruptions across the country, with 11,000 broadband faults, 10,000 fixed voice faults, and approximately 500 mobile network site outages reported.

“Over 715 ,000 homes and businesses remain without power, according to ESB. The full extent of the storm’s impact will become clearer in the coming hours and days as power is restored and roadways are cleared,” it said in a statement. 

“To keep customers connected eir is operating, 625 Fixed Network sites and 150 Mobile sites on backup power.

“Eir has been in storm mode since the Red warning was confirmed, and once that Red weather warning is lifted, power generators will be deployed to affected sites, and repairs will commence as soon as it is safe.”

24 Jan 9:00AM

The Status Red wind warnings remain in place for the entire country. 

For counties Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Waterford, the Red warning will remain in place until 10am. 

Counties Cavan, Monaghan, Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wicklow, Roscommon and Tipperary remain under the Red warning until 11am. 

For Clare and Galway, the warning is also in effect until 11am. 

Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo remain under the warning until 12pm. 

The Red wind warning for Donegal remains valid until 2pm.

A Red wind warning is also in place for Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry until 2pm.

Status Orange and Status Yellow wind warnings will come into effect after the Red warnings are lifted. 

You can find more information on Met Éireann’s website. 

24 Jan 9:04AM

Dublin Fire Brigade crews are currently on Harold’s Cross Road, where scaffolding has collapsed and blocked the road.

24 Jan 9:08AM

‘Stay safe and stay home’

Newly-elected Taoiseach Micheál Martin has urged people not to go out during “historic” Storm Éowyn. 

The Fianna Fáil leader also said that the National Emergency Coordination Group will meet shortly to assess the damage and plan the national response. 

24 Jan 9:13AM

The R148 Station Road in Leixlip is currently blocked after some very big trees came down this morning.  

FB_IMG_1737709406281 Alan Hayes Alan Hayes

24 Jan 9:23AM

24 Jan 9:31AM

Fire crews in Meath attended a call this morning with live cables – and a trampoline on the road. 

24 Jan 9:51AM

Readers are sending us photos showing the impact of Storm Éowyn. 

This tree came down very close to someone’s home on Willow Avenue in Clondalkin, Dublin.

1000095902 Anthony Curran Anthony Curran

24 Jan 9:57AM

In Cork, scaffolding has come down on West View in Cobh and is blocking the road.

IMG_2392 Jimmy Stafford Jimmy Stafford

IMG_2393 Jimmy Stafford Jimmy Stafford

24 Jan 10:12AM

The Status Red wind warning for counties Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Waterford has now lifted. A Status Orange wind warning is now in place for those counties until 12pm.

Red wind warnings remain in place for the rest of the country. 

Counties Cavan, Monaghan, Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wicklow, Roscommon and Tipperary remain under the Red warning until 11am.

For Clare and Galway, the warning is also in effect until 11am.

Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo remain under the warning until 12pm.

The Red wind warning for Donegal remains valid until 2pm.

Status Orange and Status Yellow wind warnings will come into effect after the Red warnings are lifted.

A Red wind warning is also in place for Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry until 2pm.

You can find more information on Met Éireann’s website.

24 Jan 10:32AM
Record number without power

The number of premises without power across Ireland is over 715,000 – a record level.

However, the ESB has warned that this figure will likely rise even higher.

Brian Tapley, Regional Manager at ESB Networks, told Today with Claire Byrne: “Some parts of the northwest have yet to kind of bear the full brunt of of the storm. So, unfortunately, the figure will rise.

It’s unprecedented for us, the number of customers without without power.

Tapley noted that more than 395,000 premises were without power after Storm Darragh in December, so Éowyn has already far surpassed that.

It took ESB teams about a week to restore power to everyone last month, and Tapley said it will take over a week to restore power to all premises this time around.

He said ESB Networks will likely not know the extent of the damage until later today or tomorrow, as they cannot assess it until all Status Red warnings lift.

“It’s widespread, it’s countrywide, and it’s extensive damage to our network,” Tapley said.

24 Jan 10:48AM
Dublin Bus

Like much public transport around the country, Dublin Bus services are currently not running.

The Status Red wind warning in Dublin is due to lift at 11am, but public transport in the capital likely won’t be up and running until later today.

Speaking on Today with Claire Byrne, Blake Boland from Dublin Bus said services will resume on a “case-by-case basis”.

When the Red warning lifts at 11am, Boland said: “At that stage, we will be sending our inspectors and our chief inspectors out on the road to survey the damage, and it’ll be done on a case-by-case basis.

“So, safety is the main thing here for our passengers, of course, but we need to make sure that our employees and our drivers are safe coming into work, they’re not really going to be leaving their homes until around that 11 mark.

“We are working hard, making assessments on an individual basis to try to get Dublin moving back as quickly as we can, but in a safe manner.”

Boland said services will take longer to resume in certain areas.

“We might have routes going, you know, towards South County Dublin, on higher ground. And these vehicles are very high-sided vehicles, and they might not be safe in those particular routes.”

He said customers should keep an eye on the Dublin Bus website and social media accounts for the latest updates.

24 Jan 10:52AM
Waterford

Waterford City and County Council has received reports of fallen trees, branches and debris, causing obstruction to roads at the following locations:

  • Lismore, Co Waterford – Tree fallen on power line
  • Reports of trees down/overhanging branches at entrance to Maypark Lane
  • N72 from Dungarvan to Cappoquin at the Pike Service Station
  • N25 at Youghal Bridge
  • Road blocked at St Otteran’s Terrace, Tramore, due to corrugated roof blown from shed
  • Tree down Rossduff (past McGuires Garden Centre) towards Woodstown beach
  • Electricity pole fallen in back garden in Tramore
  • Tree down at Springfield – road between Cappoquin and Aglish
  • Tree blocking road at Pickardstown (Tramore to airport road)
  • Tree down at the Burgery, Dungarvan
24 Jan 11:00AM

Some photos from Dublin:

unnamed (1) A fallen tree in Glasnevin, Dublin Leon Farrell / © RollingNews.ie Leon Farrell / © RollingNews.ie / © RollingNews.ie

unnamed A near-deserted O'Connell Street in Dublin city centre Leon Farrell / © RollingNews.ie Leon Farrell / © RollingNews.ie / © RollingNews.ie

24 Jan 11:02AM

As we reported earlier, Connacht GAA’s Air Dome in Mayo was destroyed by high speed winds this morning.

The €3.1 million facility officially opened in January 2022, and has hosted GAA games at inter-county, schools, club and colleges level. The site is used extensively by teams around Connacht.

“The campus is destroyed, it will have to be entriely replaced or rebuilt,” Connacht GAA Secretary John Prenty told The Journal.

“It will need a full new campus now”, Prenty added.

24 Jan 11:25AM

An ice skating facility in Blanchardstown in Dublin has been destroyed after strong winds tore the structure apart.

an-ice-skating-facility-in-blanchardstown-has-been-destroyed-after-strong-winds-tore-the-structure-apart-residents-across-ireland-have-been-urged-to-stay-at-home-as-the-entire-island-braces-for-the-a Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

an-ice-skating-facility-in-blanchardstown-has-been-destroyed-after-strong-winds-tore-the-structure-apart-residents-across-ireland-have-been-urged-to-stay-at-home-as-the-entire-island-braces-for-the-a Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

24 Jan 11:28AM
Belfast

a-tree-which-has-fallen-into-a-house-and-garden-on-cyprus-avenue-in-east-belfast-residents-across-ireland-have-been-urged-to-stay-at-home-as-the-entire-island-braces-for-the-arrival-of-storm-eowyn-t A tree which has fallen into a house and garden on Cyprus Avenue in east Belfast Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

a-fallen-tree-on-cyprus-avenue-east-belfast-residents-across-ireland-have-been-urged-to-stay-at-home-as-the-entire-island-braces-for-the-arrival-of-storm-eowyn-the-top-level-red-warning-for-wind-is A fallen tree on Cyprus Avenue in east Belfast Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

parts-of-a-wall-of-a-house-have-fallen-down-caused-by-the-winds-of-storm-eowyn-that-hit-the-country-in-belfast-northern-ireland-friday-jan-24-2025-ap-photo A wall of a house that fell due to high winds in Beflast Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

24 Jan 11:38AM

Yet another fallen tree – time time in Blessington, Co Wicklow:

4080d2ec-628a-44b9-b612-10d440d0d91a Blessington, Co Wicklow The Journal The Journal

24 Jan 11:40AM

Here are the latest wind observations from Met Éireann: 

24 Jan 11:44AM

Dublin Airport has shared this video of its first flight takeoff today after severe disruption this morning:

24 Jan 12:03PM

The Status Red wind warning has now lifted in Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo.

24 Jan 12:06PM

The Status Red warning lifting in Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo means that the only counties left under a Red warning are Donegal and the six counties of Northern Ireland.

A Status Orange wind warning is in effect now in Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Connacht, Longford, Louth, Meath, and Westmeath, with a Status Yellow wind warning in Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Wexford, Wicklow, and Munster.

 

Warnings map Met Éireann Met Éireann

24 Jan 12:21PM

The National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) has met again this morning to assess the impacts of Storm Éowyn and coordinate the response.

In a statement, the NECG said it’s working to coordinate and mobilise all available resources to try to restore power and services to homes, farms and businesses as soon as possible.

Local Authority Severe Weather Assessment Teams are monitoring conditions locally and emergency response teams will respond where and when necessary and safe to do so.

ESB Networks are monitoring the storm impact on power supplies and “all available resources stand ready to mobilise once safe to do so”.

However, it is expected that power restoration will take a significant number of days, according o the NECG update.

24 Jan 12:25PM

Keith Leonard, Chair of the NECG, said that Storm Éowyn has brought “record-breaking winds and is causing widespread damage and disruption”.

He said the public should continue to shelter in place where Red Level Wind Warnings remain valid and that even when a red warning expires, we may continue to see potentially dangerous and damaging conditions until the storm has fully passed.

“The aftermath of this storm is also going to present its own dangers. We are going to see widespread fallen trees, fallen power lines and other hazardous debris, so I’m urging drivers to take extra care as we move into this evening and the weekend,” Leonard said.

“And please heed the advice from the ESB – never approach fallen power lines and report such cases immediately to ESB Emergency Services,” he added.

“While public safety remains our number one priority, the NECG is also now pivoting to the recovery stage. We are liaising with agencies, local authorities and key stakeholders to assess the extent of the damage – which in some parts will be at unprecedented levels – and ensuring we get the right responses and resources into the right places to get the country back to normal as soon as possible.

“I would like to thank the public for following our advice during this challenging event and I would now ask them to bear with us as we work through the recovery over the next few days.”

The NECG Infrastructure Sub-Group is due to meet this afternoon about coordinating the ongoing efforts to restore power and other services, while the full NECG will meet again tomorrow.

24 Jan 12:37PM

The trees fallen on the R148 Station Road in Leixlip have been moved aside enough to allow traffic to pass through on one side of the road.

20250124_121917 Andrew Walsh / The Journal Andrew Walsh / The Journal / The Journal

20250124_121957 Andrew Walsh / The Journal Andrew Walsh / The Journal / The Journal

24 Jan 12:42PM

Dublin City councillors have received an update from the chief executive of Dublin City Council with details of how the storm has affected Dublin.

Dublin Fire Brigade has attended 35 storm-related calls for assistance, which have involved fallen trees and cables, damaged cars and blocked roads.

The Eastern Regional Communications Centre in Dublin Fire Brigade HQ has received over over 95 storm-related emergency calls, not including ambulances, for other counties in Leinster, as well as Cavan and Monaghan.

56C27C48-85BE-4164-A07F-879B31904B7E

24 Jan 12:43PM

 

Oof. Not ideal.

24 Jan 12:54PM

Gardaí have been alerted to a road traffic incident in Celbridge, Co. Kildare this morning.

Emergency services received a report of a fallen tree on a car shortly before 6am the R403 (Clane Road) just outside the town.

No serious injuries were reported but the driver of the car was brought to hospital for assessment.

24 Jan 12:56PM

The number of homes, farms and businesses without power has risen to 725,000 as of 12.30pm.

ESB Networks says the “damage nationwide to the electricity network and impact on customers is unprecedented”.

24 Jan 12:57PM

“The worst of Storm Éowyn has now passed for most of the country but with Met Éireann Status Red and Orange wind warnings remaining in place in parts until later this afternoon, further power outages may still arise as the storm continues to track northwards,” ESB Networks has said.

“ESB Networks continue to closely monitor the storm impact on power supplies and all available resources including crews and partner contractors are now deployed where safe to do so, to assess the network and work to safely restore power as quickly as possible in challenging conditions.

“From our experience of previous significant weather events and due to the severity of Storm Éowyn, we expect that power restoration will take a significant number of days and will take more than a week in the worst impacted areas.”

24 Jan 1:02PM

Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris was briefed this morning on the latest developments about Storm Éowyn and the considerable damage caused overnight.

He has spoken with the Secretary General of the Department of Defence and the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces and has been told that members of the Defence Forces and Civil Defence volunteers are ready to assist in the considerable follow-up operation that will be needed.

“I want to thank the Defence Forces for the assistance they have provided overnight and their continued work as the recovery phase now begins. It is important to continue to heed the advice and stay safe,” Harris said.

24 Jan 1:05PM

In case you’d been wondering if the storm has had any impact on this evening’s Late Late Show, we’ve been assured that it’s all going ahead as normal and there are no guest drop-outs.

You might remember that during the snow of March 2018, there was a Late Late Show episode very out of the norm – with no studio audience and guests having to cancel, the show had to get creative to fill the slow, which included featuring a giant stack of Brennan’s Bread that was later donated.

download RTÉ RTÉ

24 Jan 1:07PM

For those of you in Cork, Cork County Council has provided us with a detailed update of roads that have been most affected by the storm.

  • R586 by Carhoon West: Tree blocking the road from Ballineen to Bandon. Road closed.
  • Ballygarvan: Tree partially blocking Ballygarvan quarry entrance.
  • Twomileinn to Mogeely: Reports of a tree down.
  • R512: Tree down between Glanworth and Kildorrery.
  • R619 Coachford: Tree down near GAA Pitch.
  • N71 Smorane: Tree blocking one side of the road from Skibbereen to Leap.
  • Quarry Hall Grenagh: Tree down.
  • Mallow Golf Club: Tree down, road fully obstructed.
  • L2225 Maglin to Jimmys Cross: Tree down.
  • Killavullen Village to Fermoy: Tree down.
  • Macroom, Ummera: Road blocked after tree fell on powerlines.
  • Coachford to Carrigadrohid: Tree partially blocking the road.
  • R629 Ballinacurra to Cloyne: Tree down, road fully obstructed.
  • L2989 Ballard Hill: Tree down.
  • L7009 Pottery Road, Cobh: Tree down, road fully blocked.
  • Drakes Pool Rabbit Island: Access to Crosshaven completely blocked for emergency services due to tree down.
  • Sheeps Head: Tree blocking the road.
  • Copstown Cross to Liscaroll: Tree down.
  • R600-196 Ballinspittle to Kinsale: Tree blocking the road just after the bridge.
  • L5500-0 near Ballyhea GAA pitch: Reports of a tree down.
  • Bear Forest Road, Ballyellis, Mallow: Tree down just outside College Wood Estate.
  • N73 outside Mitchelstown: Tree down.
  • Ballinrea Cross, Carrigaline: Reports of a tree down.
  • Whitewell Cross from Whitegate: Tree down.
  • Killumney village: Reports of a tree down.
  • Cooldurragha, Union Hall: Tree blocking the road.
  • Glengarriff: Tree down blocking the road in and out, near Glengarriff Golf Club.
  • N22 Crookstown to Macroom: Tree blocking half of the main road.
  • Carrigaline: Tree down outside the gate of Avondale United Pitch, blocking the road to Fernhill.
  • Hilltop, Rafeen Hill: Tree down at the top.
  • Ballymore to Cobh: Big tree down.
  • R629 Balliancurra to Cloyne: Tree down.
  • R630 Whitewell Cross, Rostellan side: Trees down, road open and passable.
  • L-3627-0 Mogeely: Tree down, road blocked.
  • N25 Midleton to Castlemartyr: Large branch down.
  • L6463 Glen Road, Ballygarvan: Tree down on wires
24 Jan 1:16PM

Around 60,000 people across the country have no water supply currently in areas most affected by Storm Éowyn – and supplies for a further 500,000 people are at risk.

The number of people without water is likely to increase over the course of the day as the widespread power outages at treatment plants and pumping stations continue to impact on supplies, according to Uisce Éireann.

Large areas are without water in Tipperary, Longford, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Carlow, Kilkenny and Galway.

Uisce Eireann repair crews have commenced restoration works in areas where the Status Red weather warning has been lifted.

24 Jan 1:38PM

Keith Leonard, Chair of the National Emergency Coordination Group, told RTÉ that following a meeting of the group this morning, “the picture that emerges is that there’s been widespread disruption across the road network”.

He added that a “key piece” to today’s events are the large numbers of homes without power.

Leonard also remarked: “That piece up along the western seaboard is badly affected, and into the northwest and even the northeast, there seems to be very significant structural damage, and also a lot of trees down.”

He thanked the public for adhering to the public safety messages, and said this was really important because it “took pressure off our emergency services at a really critical time, and enabled local authorities to monitor and assess the damage”.

24 Jan 1:43PM

Gerry Murphy, a meteorologist with Met Éireann, said the “good news” is that winds in counties no longer under a red alert are decreasing.

However, he remarked that they are “still strong”.

“If you have a structure or a tree or something that was tottering on the brink from the extremely strong winds, the winds are still strong enough to have an effect.

“So people do need to be very careful.

“It’s not just a question of getting back out, because there could be power lines down, trees down, so people should be careful as they make their way back out into normal activities.

“But it is an improving situation, and gradually, as we go through the afternoon and evening, most places will see winds becoming noticeably lighter.”

24 Jan 1:47PM

Close to a million premises across with island are without power.

In the North, around 240,000 customers without power, while that figure is around 725,000 in the Republic. 

24 Jan 1:56PM

Ireland West Airport

Flights have resumed at Ireland West Airport, though some services may be operating with a delay.

A spokesperson said passengers intending to travel this afternoon and evening are advised to contact their airline for the most accurate and up-to-date flight information.

Phone lines are also down at the airport, so if passengers have any queries they should contact operations@irelandwestairport.com 

24 Jan 2:12PM

The Status Red wind warning has come to an end in the past few minutes.

It had remained in place across Donegal and Northern Ireland, but elapsed at 2pm. 

The northern half of the country is now under an orange alert, with the southern half under a yellow warning.

24 Jan 2:15PM

A boat has sunk as a result of Storm Éowyn in the Camber at Kennedy Pier in Cobh, Co Cork.

24 Jan 2:30PM

For Irish Rail passengers, the Cork to Cobh/Midleton services have resumed but all other lines are currently closed.

A spokesperson said it will update on when it can safely open other lines, but to expect significant disruption throughout the day as fallen trees are cleared from lines.

24 Jan 2:50PM

Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore has said Ireland can expect to experience more extreme weather events like Storm Éowyn if we fail to achieve our climate action targets.

The party’s spokesperson on climate said that “as we once again count the cost of another major storm, the harsh reality is that Ireland is not immune to the catastrophic effects of global warming”.

“All the international evidence shows that climate change is happening in real time, with devastating consequences,” Whitmore said.

She said that the new government’s programme “does not inspire confidence” that strong climate action will be taken.

“The section dealing with climate action is vague and non-committal, with no detail on how targets will be met. Another ominous sign is that the new government will be reliant on the support of a number of climate-sceptic Independent TDs,” Whitmore said.

“However, last night’s storm should serve as a salutary reminder of the consequences of not doing enough. The new Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy, Darragh O’Brien, must ensure there is no backsliding on our climate action ambitions.”

24 Jan 2:54PM

NetBlocks, an organisation that tracks cybersecurity, has observed a “significant decline” in internet activity in Ireland due to the power outages.

⚠️ Confirmed: Network data show a significant decline in internet connectivity across much of Ireland amid widespread power outages due to #StormÉowyn which experts have called the "storm of the century"

[image or embed]

— NetBlocks (@netblocks.org) 24 January 2025 at 14:45

24 Jan 2:59PM

24 Jan 3:07PM

If you’re staying in again tonight – the Late Late Show has just announced its line-up of guests for this evening’s episode.

Andy Farrell will be on to talk about his time as Ireland’s Head Coach, including the back-to-back Six Nations wins, and what’s coming next as he takes over the British and Irish Lions.

Three of Ireland’s rising rugby stars – Aoife Wafer, Erin King and Craig Casey – along with legendary former player and captain Rory Best will also be on the show.

Author Paul Howard and Grand Slam winner Gordon D’Arcy will round out the rugby-focused episode, which is celebrating 150 years of the IRFU ahead of the Six Nations return.

The Irish Women in Harmony, a collective of Irish female artists including Ruth Anne Cuningham, Erica Cody, Tolou, Aimée and Soulé, will be on the show tonight to perform their rendition of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah.

24 Jan 3:33PM
Update from Eir

Eir has issued this update:

“Storm Éowyn has caused significant and widespread disruptions to telecommunications services across Ireland. The storm’s severity has resulted in approximately 26,000 fixed voice faults and 63,000 fixed broadband faults, primarily due to power outages at exchanges and on our core network.

This has left approximately 160,000 homes and businesses without broadband connectivity. There are outages at approximately 30% of mobile network sites.

“ESB has confirmed that at least 725,000 homes and businesses are currently without power, further compounding the situation.

“To support our customers during this challenging time, eir has deployed backup power to 1,300 Fixed Network sites and 200 Mobile Network sites. eir has commenced mobile generator deployment where it is safe to do so and our teams remain on standby to restore services promptly once conditions permit.

“Service restoration for core and mobile networks will proceed as a priority. It is expected that there will be a significant number of individual faults in addition to this, but the full impact of this will only become clear after power is restored and after resolution teams have prioritised making fallen poles and lines safe.

“Each individual fault will require a separate repair visit, and it will take some time for the full picture to emerge.”

24 Jan 3:37PM
Snow/ice warning for Donegal

As well as the Status Yellow wind warning in place for Donegal until 11pm, Met Éireann has issued a Status Yellow snow/ice warning for the county which will be in effect from 9pm today until 9am tomorrow.

24 Jan 3:39PM

These are the weather warnings currently in place, but due to lift at 4pm:

24 Jan 3:55PM

More photos of storm damage, this time in Dublin:

a-fallen-tree-on-grove-park-drive-in-dublin-residents-across-ireland-have-been-urged-to-stay-at-home-as-the-entire-island-braces-for-the-arrival-of-storm-eowyn-the-top-level-red-warning-for-wind-is A fallen tree on Grove Park Drive in Glasnevin, Dublin Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

a-fallen-tree-and-pole-on-grove-park-drive-in-dublin-residents-across-ireland-have-been-urged-to-stay-at-home-as-the-entire-island-braces-for-the-arrival-of-storm-eowyn-the-top-level-red-warning-for A fallen tree and pole on Grove Park Drive in Glasnevin, Dublin Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

24 Jan 4:26PM
Dublin Bus: 90% of services back

Dublin Bus services are now above 90% of levels typically seen on a Friday afternoon and this number will increase throughout the day, a spokesperson said.

Most employees and drivers were able to report to Dublin Bus’s eight depots around the city, and inspectors were assessing Dublin’s roads “as soon as safely possible” today.

Dublin Bus spokesperson Blake Boland said: “We’re proud of our drivers and the wider operations team that mobilised so quickly to get our buses back out on the road in a safe manner.

“However, some disruptions and diversions are still in place.”

The latest updates can be read on the Dublin Bus website or its social media pages.

24 Jan 4:36PM
How does Storm Éowyn compare to Ireland's most-recent storms?

Storm Éowyn brought the highest top wind speeds Ireland has ever seen.

Met Éireann recorded gusts as fast as 183km/h, in Co Galway, at 5am. Mean speeds taped at the same centre at Mace Head were hurricane force, at 130km/h.

Top wind speeds are over 50km/h faster than what were recorded during Storm Ophelia in 2017 and 10km/h faster than what was recorded during Storm Debbie in 1961 – both of which caused significant damage to structures around the country.

24 Jan 4:44PM

A number of Irish Rail routes have reopened, but significant disruption remains.

Some services have been combined. A full list of the changes can be read here.

24 Jan 4:45PM

Luas Red and Green Line services have resumed in Dublin:

24 Jan 4:47PM

Bus Éireann services are continuing to resume operation across the country. However, many services remain disrupted or delayed.

24 Jan 4:57PM

It’s shaping up to be a cold day tomorrow for many parts of the country, as a snow-ice weather warning is in place in Donegal.

Having just come off the tail end of a cold snap, the freezing and low temperatures may not be welcomed by many in the country – particularly as previous storms, like Ophelia in 2017, brought about warmer weather in the days after.

While winds will remain moderate overnight, temperatures will drop to as low as -2 degrees in some parts – with scattered showers in the west and northern regions in the country.

Some hail, sleet and snow – mainly confined in the northwest – will develop later, with  longer spells in other parts. Frost and icy patches will settle in overnight as well.

A cold morning will follow those conditions, with crisp, frost and icy patches expected. Early sunshine will be replaced with cloud throughout the day – as rain from the Atlantic moves over Ireland.

Temperatures will remain low, between 3 and 7 degrees, with fresh, southerly winds.

24 Jan 4:58PM

A map, originally shared by Carlow Weather and created by meterociel.fr, shows the expected temperatures tomorrow at 10am.

map

24 Jan 5:09PM

A man died after a tree fell on his car in Feddyglass, Raphoe, Co Donegal last night.

Gardaí attended the scene earlier this afternoon and said emergency services were facing difficult conditions due to Storm Éowyn.

A Status Orange wind warning was in place in the county at the time. Sources have said that the man was returning home from work before the incident happened in at 5.30am this morning.

Read the full story here.

24 Jan 5:13PM

A ESB spokesperson has told RTÉ Radio One that crews have restored power for hundreds of thousands of customers so far.

A total of 656,000 customers are still without power across the country. Over 800,000 homes were disconnected at the height of the storm earlier this morning.

Close to 1 million households lost power today across the island of Ireland.

24 Jan 5:16PM

Meanwhile, nearly 120,000 households are without water as Uisce Éireann’s water treatment plants have been impacted by power cuts.

Margaret Attridge, head of water at Uisce Éireann, tells RTÉ Radio One that customers in Galway are worst-impacted. 

Those without water are asked to conserve as much as possible as crews attempt to restore resources to households between now and tomorrow.

24 Jan 5:22PM

Siobhan Wynne from the ESB told the Drivetime radio programme that repair crews are currently assessing the extent of damages caused during Storm Éowyn.

She said the ESB will be able to provide customers with better estimates for fixes by tomorrow.

Wynne warned members of the public to stay away from fallen electricity lines and phone 1800 370 2999 if they come across them.

24 Jan 5:29PM

The number of people without water has doubled since this afternoon, from 60,000 to 120,000.

Earlier, up to 500,000 people were at risk. Uisce Éireann repair crews have commenced restoration works in areas where the Status Red weather warning has been lifted.

Head of Water Operations at Uisce Éireann Margaret Attridge is warning that service disruptions may last a number of days for some households and businesses.

24 Jan 5:48PM

Some of the iconic trees at the Dark Hedges at Co Antrim did not survive the winds during Storm Éowyn.

This avenue of beech trees was planted by the Stuart family in the 18th century. Many of the trees have been standing for two centuries. The site is the most photographed natural phenomena in the north of Ireland.

See pictures of the trees here.

24 Jan 5:58PM

Up to 625,000 homes and businesses remain without electricity as ESB crews have so far restored 143,000 customers’ services.

Find out all information about the power outages in their area by using PowerCheck.ie or calling the 24-hour number, 1800-372-999 for updates, estimated fix times and the number of people and locations impacted by outages.

24 Jan 6:02PM

Cork County Council has advised residents that all roads which were previously closed today have since been cleared and are now reopen.

The local authority has, however, warned citizens to remain vigilant – as clean up efforts are still ongoing elsewhere around the Rebel county to clear fallen debris, powerlines, trees and branches.

In general, the public have been advised to travel with caution as the nationwide clean up continues.

24 Jan 6:33PM

1000060094 A massive eucalyptus tree came down in Firhouse, Dublin today. Stephen Drohan Stephen Drohan

Stephen Drohan has provided photos of a large eucalyptus tree was uprooted in Firhouse, Dublin today during the storm.

24 Jan 6:56PM

Screenshot 2025-01-24 185241

A large number of power outages remain as ESB crews continue to restore electricity to around 625,000 homes and businesses.

The provider said earlier that it will be able to give better estimates for the time it will take to restore power to customers tomorrow, but teams are working around the clock to restore services to premises as soon as possible.

Earlier, around 250,000 properties in the North were without power – resulting in approximately 1 million homes and businesses being without electricity at one point today during the storm

Have you been impacted by power outages today?


Poll Results:

Yes (154)
No (142)

24 Jan 7:04PM

Road users are asked to travel with caution as clean up following Storm Éowyn gets underway.

The Road Safety Authority recommends that road users give themselves more time to travel on their journeys, now that shelter-in-place orders have been lifted, and to proceed with caution on Irish roads.

Drivers and cyclists are advised to look out for debris, fallen trees and electricity wires and to practice leniency with other road users while travelling.

The HSE has warned those who are considering using a chainsaw to avoid doing so and wait for trees and debris to be cleared by trained professionals.

Safety team tells the public to contact the ESB in cases where power lines have fallen on roads.

24 Jan 7:21PM

 

University Hospital Waterford has congratulated its members of staff who stayed overnight during the height of the storm. 

“Míle Buíochas to the 384 members of staff who camped overnight in UHW to ensure that patient care was not affected by Storm Éowyn,” a post from the hospital’s X account said. 

Those who stayed overnight included medical staff and other hospital workers, UHW said.

“A huge shout out to all our staff for going the extra mile.”

 

24 Jan 7:30PM

Dublin Fire Brigade has thanked the public for their assistance in reporting unsafe scenes such as fallen trees and other damage cause by the storm. 

The fire brigade announced in a social media post that its live map has now been closed.

“If you have to drive this evening be extra vigilant as there may be debris on the road,” the post said. 

24 Jan 7:40PM

As the clean-up operations come to an end in many parts of the country, South Dublin County Council has thanked the crews who did the heavy lifting, and the members of the public who reported damage from the storm. 

To report issues over the weekend, the council advised residents to call the emergency number, 01 4574907.

The council also shared photos of large uprooted trees taken by photographer Ben Ryan.

24 Jan 7:55PM

Nicholas Tarrant, the managing director at ESB, has told RTÉ News that restoring power to the 625,000 homes and businesses that have been but off by the storm will take “a considerable period of time”. 

Tarrant said that the worst affected customers will be without power for “at least a week” and that the full scale of the damage to the network would not be complete until tomorrow or even Sunday. 

“The scale and devastation that we’ve seen across the country… that’s been replicated on the electricity network,” he said.

“We’ve seen really nationwide damage in a way that we’ve never seen before. So this is a very extensive restoration effort that’s going to take a considerable period of time to complete.”

He added that “the ferocity of the weather event has led to very extensive damage. And we’ll take another day or two before we’ll be fully able to assess, but we are making progress”. 

ESB has put out a call for international assistance in restoring the network. 

24 Jan 8:06PM

Storm Éowyn has caused devastating damage across the country, but it has also produced some stunning images, like this picture shared by photojournalist Padraig O’Reilly.

24 Jan 8:23PM

The number of people without water has risen since the last update from Uisce Éireann, who said it’s likely to rise again as the damage caused by Storm Éowyn continues to be assessed. 

Approximately 138,000 people across the country have no water this evening and supplies for a further 750,000 people are at risk, Uisce Éireann said in a statement.

Widespread power outages at treatment plants and pumping stations continue to impact water supply.  

Head of Water Operations at Uisce Éireann Margaret Attridge is warning that service disruptions may last a number of days for some households and businesses.

“We are still assessing the full extent of the disruption to supplies,” she said.

“Our crews will work around the clock where it is safe to do so to restore water service as quickly as possible, but given the extent of the damage, it may take some time before full service is restored everywhere.”

The impacts are being felt nationwide, with large areas without water across Kerry, Clare, Tipperary, Waterford, Galway, Donegal, Longford and Laois.

Updates on local supply issues will be provided on the Úisce Eireann website, www.water.ie as they become available.

The public are being urged to conserve water in affected areas. 

 

 

24 Jan 8:40PM

Storm Éowyn has caused a basketball game in the Women’s Super League to be postponed this weekend. 

The University of Galway Mystics’ home tie with Killester has been called off on Friday due to damage at their venue in Claregalway, Basketball Ireland has said.

The game is to be rescheduled at a yet to be determined date.

24 Jan 8:47PM

A ‘hurricane hunter’ plane belonging to the United States’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) has been based in Shannon Airport in recent days to study the strong winds caused by severe weather events such as Storm Éowyn.

The NOAA team is measuring ocean-surface winds in winter storms over the North Atlantic.

Part of their work sees them flying into the eye of storms to gather data that can’t be gained through satellite imagery alone.

You can read the full story here.

24 Jan 9:27PM

We are wrapping up our Live Blog coverage of the aftermath of Storm Éowyn for tonight. 

The ESB is continuing work to restore power to the 540,000 premises without electricity, but the full extent of the damage to the network may not be apparent until Sunday. The ESB said it has put out a call for international assistance. 

Uisce Éireann is also continuing to assess the level of damage and disruption to water supplies, as 138,000 people are now without water. People in affected areas are being urged to conserve water where possible. 

We’ll be bringing you more updates in the morning as recovery efforts continue. 

Related Reads
Some bus and rail services resume, but many operators warn of ongoing disruption
In pictures: Scale of damage begins to emerge as Storm Éowyn sweeps across Ireland

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