Public urged to check on 'isolated' neighbours as around 133,000 premises remain without power

LAST UPDATE | 29 Jan

AS IRELAND RECOVERS from the devastating impact of Storm Éowyn, the public has been urged to “check in” with elderly and vulnerable people still affected by the continued power and water outages.

The severe weather caused widespread damage to infrastructure on Friday, leaving communities in several counties grappling with disruptions to essential services.

As of 11.30am, around 133,000 homes and businesses remain without power, while Uisce Éireann said that around 7,500 premises are still without water.

Electrical technicians from Austria, Finland and the UK are now on the ground in the worst impacted areas, with further support arriving from France in the afternoon.

Crews are also due to arrive from the Netherlands over the coming days.

And in areas where water has not yet returned, alternative water supplies are being provided and generators have been installed at almost all of the plants, pumping stations and reservoirs where it is feasible to do so.

ESB, Uisce Éireann and local authorities have urged those affected to take precautions while restoration efforts are underway.

ESB has also warned that there are still many faults on the electricity network that it has been made aware of “several instances of potentially very dangerous incidents where members of the public have unknowingly approached fallen electricity infrastructure”. 

Gardaí have urged the public, where posible, to alert them of people still isolated by outages or blocked roads.

“If you are aware of family, friends or neighbours who you have not heard from or who may be isolated or continue to be in a vulnerable situation, please make contact with An Garda Síochána or another appropriate service. Do not assume that somebody else has,” a garda spokesperson said.

The Government has said 16 “emergency response hubs” are up and running across the country, but charity Friends of the Elderly has urged the public to “make the extra effort” and check with elderly residents themselves.

‘Make that connection’

As Bernie Curran, General Manager of Friends of the Elderly told  The Journal, “A 5 minute phone call can change an older person’s day”.

Storm Éowyn has affected people in varying ways, and some residents in more rural areas may be more vulnerable than others.

A water tanker in Dunmanway, Co Cork. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Friends of the Elderly have urged the public to check on your neighbours, especially those who may be elderly or living alone.

Curran said that even just offering emotional support can “make a big difference” during this stressful time.

“You’re breaking the monotony of the day for them, but you’re also ensuring that you can get them supplies, water or a hot meal if they need it,” Curran said.

“It’s really about making the most vulnerable people affected by the storm that they’re not isolated or unsafe, and making that connection with them.”

The charity said that if possible, people should reach out to those nearby, either in person or through a phone call or text.

Offer assistance in practical ways, such as helping with water, ensuring they have enough food, or providing warmth.

Curran also advised people to help elderly resident “preempt the further bad weather” by checking that they have the adequate resources to face any further extreme weather scenarios.

‘Cold and hungry’

A number of people affected by outages have spoken out about their power and water outage struggles since Friday.

A fallen tree on power lines in Athlone, Co Westmeath following Storm Éowyn. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

A Mayo resident told The Journal yesterday that she has had no electricity or water since around 2.20am on Friday after “the storm of the century”.

“This is absolutely terrible carry on, and the Dáil off for two weeks’ holidays. There would be all-out war if this was the carry on in Dublin,” the woman, who chose to remain anonymous, said.

Aisling O’Malley is based about 10 minutes outside Athlone. She is among those currently without power or water. She has a long-term illness and is finding the cold weather very difficult.

“We don’t have a mains water supply and have to use a well. Unfortunately, without electricity we have no pump for the well so we are without water.

“I have been using bottled gas to try and stay warm. I have a long-term illness so I need extra heat and the heater is just not enough,” Aisling said.

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Aisling said ESB teams “are doing a wonderful job and I do understand they are doing their best”, but she is really struggling without power.

Catherine, a 65-year-old resident living in Tuam, Co Galway told RTÉ Radio One’s Liveline yesterday that her power had been gone since Thursday night.

“We’re so cold, we’re hungry, we’re exhausted. We haven’t had a hot meal since last Wednesday just before the storm,” Catherine said.

And the government aren’t doing anything for us. We’ve no internet, we’re lost and we don’t know what is happening.”

Sometimes an interview stays with you long after recording for news. John McDonagh from An Cheathrú Rua is 82 and is unwell and freezing cold since the storm knocked out his electricity in Conemara 5 days ago #storm #Conemara #gaeltacht pic.twitter.com/XneZaSjw2r

— Teresa Mannion (@TeresaMannion) January 29, 2025

John McDonagh, a Connamara native who has been without power and water for six days, told RTÉ News that “the night time is the worst”.

“I have a local nursing home that I can call to during the day, but when I go back home at night, the house was frozen to death, and there’s no gas, heater, nothing,” McDonagh said.

“I go to bed with a hot water bottle, and I wake up cold and struggling to breathe”.

Outage repairs

The ESB has said that 3,000 electricity poles across the country must be replaced, and 900km of new cable must be laid.

768,000 customers were left without electricity in the immediate aftermath of the storm, with around 635,000 of those affected reconnected as of this morning.

While the ESB and Uisce Éireann continue work on repairs, the European Union is sending 17 power generators to Ireland to help with the power outages.

Thirteen of the generators will come from the EU’s strategic reserve based in Poland, and Denmark has mobilised an extra four via the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism, according to the European Commission.

The Government has said a number of emergency response hubs are up and running in Cavan, Cork, Donegal, Galway, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick city and county, Longford, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow.