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Updated 11.00 pm
STORM OPHELIA GAVE Ireland an absolute pasting today as it made its laborious way across the country.
Trees were ripped up by the roots, roofs were peeled back and tossed aside, and, tragically, at least three people died – the hurricane-force winds showed no mercy.
As we write, 58-year-old Waterford woman Clare O’Neill and Michael Pyke (31) from Tipperary have been named as the first two victims of the storm. A third man, in Co Louth, has not yet been identified locally.
Nowhere in the country has been safe.
On the Boreenmanna Road in Co Cork, Aoife Murphy captured these shots of the destructive force of Storm Ophelia, with a tree ripped up and tossed aside like confetti.
In Co Galway, meanwhile, the storm left behind pounding waves and sodden roads along the coast as it made its way northward:
In Coolcotts, Wexford town, the roof of Scoil Mhuire Primary School was blown clean off:
That was to become something of a recurring theme: in Cork city, a large portion of the roof of the Cork City FC stadium at Turner’s Cross has been ripped off.
Cork is suffering badly – this shows part of the roof of Passage West’s GAA clubhouse blowing close to houses in the village:
Meanwhile, an avenue of trees came loose from their moorings and completely blocked Centre Park Road in Cork city:
Things were no prettier in Charleville:
In nearby Douglas in Cork, the sports hall of the Community School has been devastated:
The midlands did not emerge unscathed – these trees were ripped from the ground at Abbeylands in Mullingar, Co Westmeath.
A TheJournal.ie user has been in touch with this short video of what appears to be part of an apartment balcony railing flapping perilously around the Beacon Quarter in Sandyford, south Dublin. (Fire services have just intervened to pull the piece of sheeting back into the apartment block):
Close to TheJournal.ie offices in Dublin, this is happening (don’t worry – we have all gone to work offsite for the duration of the storm):
The flashing on this roof has since been secured by members of Dublin Fire Brigade.
As illustrated by the tragic death of the woman in Waterford, the danger of large branches and trees felled by the wind cannot be underestimated. A man has been killed near Cahir in Co Tipperary while using a chainsaw to try to clear a fallen tree.
In Cork, near Fota Wildlife Park:
This tree is lying across Leeson Street in Dublin:
And not far away, in Ranelagh, Dublin 6, this old giant on Northbrook Road has collapsed onto a house:
Fallen telegraph poles and electric cables are also a massive hazard – around 200,000 households – business and residential – are without power because of the onslaught of the past few hours. Find out more about that here.
Even if you think you have taken all precautions and your belongings can’t move in the wind, this image taken by Prezmyslaw Nawrocki in Lahinch, Co Clare, which has suffered more than its share of storm damage over the years, shows little is escaping Ophelia:
The National Emergency Coordination Group has said in the last hour that “the immediate storm will not abate over the south coast until 4-6pm and midnight for the north of the country”. Please stay safe and keep indoors if possible. If there is damage to be seen outside your window, by all means email to us at tips@thejournal.ie, tweet or Facebook us, but please don’t venture out on our behalf.
Additional reporting Cianan Brennan
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Not surprised, he was never becoming a millionaire with that music
If he thinks, they are getting votes for a song? He can go, whistle Dixie!
One of the best mounts on “Celebrity Bainisteoir” was the reaction of the team that Paul Gogarty was sent to. You could almost see the thought bubbles ” Who the F*** is he anyway?”
“Fu!k you Deputy Stagg! Fu!k you! I apologise for my unparliamentary language Ceann Comhairle.”
Gobsh1te of the highest order
Go away Goarty your a bore.
Paul F”ck you, another useless failed Politician,why in Gods name would anyone want to have anything to do with him?
This is the last thing we need happening in Irish politics at the moment.
A trained journalist? He makes most of the writers around here look like Joseph Pulitzer!
A deranged and self absorbed fellow.
He thinks the greens are too concerned with environmental issues? Isn’t that what the greens are for? Dope…..
Is this a joke?
No he’s super serial this time guys
Yes. The truth is he is a teacher on sabbatical looking for an inflated pension and a speech writer to wipe his arse for him.
I for one would like to welcome Mr Gogarty to the free ride that is and shall always be Irish politics.
Every election has these local crackerpots who run just to get attention when everything else they touch turns to dirt! He would be better off and have more success with the singing! Does he honestly expect to get any votes??? It will be Irish people voting and any that vote for green party traitors should be deported!
The Green party should have done the decent thing and disbanded.
No no no no no…..not him again.
All these Green’s in here today hasn’t done my hangover any good.
What’s the point in running a low key campaign? Either you put the effort in, in hope to win a seat or you don’t bother. What a waste
Amadán.
The “Fist Candidate”? Takes all sorts.
Indeed, good sir.
Given that Gogo has in the past made a very poor hand of engagement on sites like this ( worth a Google, might I add), his preference for one to one contact is hardly surprising.
No doubt he thinks we’re all wrong and he’s an unappreciated svengali.
A Trojan Horse?
A horses arse !!
No….the stuff that comes out of a horses arse!
Actually called at my door as few weeks ago, missed him but he put through a small photocopied outlining that he was running for local elections! I did appreciate him telling Stagg to F@@@ You! Looks like the music career didn’t really take off!
A useless one?
Fcuk you mister Gogerty Fcuk you.
What a tosser :-)
This deluded fool again ,wonder will he be dragging his child around the streets with him while canvassing,he is an absolute moron ,why do we have such asses in Irish politics
F**k you deputy Gogarty.
Is this the pr1ck who could not get a baby sitter so he had to bring his child to work,
The only reason he’s going back, is because of the money; nothing more.
What’s a media who*e …????
Paul your music is crap but I would quite happily buy it if I thought it would keep you out of politics for good.
I’s will miss his emotion provoking music ..lol lol always brought tears to my eyes ..lol lol
I used to canvass for him. Really nice guy. I’m not happy with him claiming “People can’t afford to think green at the moment”. That’s just cowardly and defeatist. Thinking Green is never convenient, but it’s cheaper in the long run.
*moments
Don’t call us….we’ll call you
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