Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
The view from Banagher this evening. Laurence Cheeseman
Black Cloud
Freak 'twister' causes damage in Clonfert
Hundreds of homes are without electricity in the area as ESB crews work to restore power.
A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT of damage was caused by a freak weather event in Clonfert, county Galway this evening.
A black cloud descended in the east Galway village at about 7pm, tearing down trees, damaging houses and breaking tombstones in the local graveyard near St Brendan’s Cathedral.
The storm, which has been described by many locals as tornado- and twister-like, also knocked out electricity in hundreds of homes in Clonfert and nearby Banagher.
WeatherInIreland.com has described the event as a tornado, adding that it is “likely to be classified as at least an EF2 tornado on the Fujita Scale although a ground examination must be carried out to confirm this”.
One local, Róisín McDonagh, told TheJournal.ie that the “sky was really clear but then suddenly it got very, very black”.
“It was pure destruction,” she said. “The graveyard was badly damaged. Trees fell on top of tombstones.”
County Council crews are currently working to clear fallen trees.
There are no reports of any injuries but a tree is understood to have fallen on a mobile home.
have your say