THE TRALEE SPORTS Complex, a regional sports and swimming facility with almost 1,500 members, will remain closed to the public after a section of main roof collapsed under snow earlier today.
The main roof collapsed internally into the hall itself, chair of the complex, Jim Finucane said.
There was substantial damage to the main sports hall, although the pools appeared to be unaffected, he said.
Used by clubs and schools, the Tralee Sports Complex has over 100,000 visits annually. The damage is being assessed, Finucane said.
Met Éireann has issued a fresh Status Yellow snow-ice warning for the entire country, which will stay in place until midday tomorrow.
Counties in the south and southeast have been the worst affected by the cold snap – in particular counties Cork, Kerry, Tipperary, Limerick, Carlow and Kilkenny.
In Cork, a family-owned pub on Main Street in Charleville has seen its outdoor area roof collapse under the weight of heavy snow leading to thousands of euro in damage.
Corina Gough, General Manager of Geary’s Bar, told the Opinion Line on Cork’s 96FM that the outdoor area fits around 500 people.
“It would be about 75 percent of our business this time of year. It is fully heated with televisions and things like that. When the electricity went we were unable to close it in and it collapsed yesterday.
“It is a retractable roof. It is a fantastic machine but it buckled. We measured up to 14 inches of snow.
“In severe weather warnings you open it in so that it folds up like an accordion. But if your electricity goes you are stuck. With no electricity yesterday the whole thing collapsed.”
Gough says that a “serious” amount of damage has been done to the pub.
“It is even impacting on another roof out there so we can’t even get in underneath it. We can’t get up to the sheds. The steel girders around the side all buckled. They are in half.
“It is only going to get worse because it is weighing down.We have televisions and speakers furniture all ruined. Even the metal bar in the stage area has crumpled with the weight of everything.”
Gough said that were surprised by how serious the situation became in such a short period of time.
“We closed up, brought in all our furniture those sorts of things but by the time we were doing that the electricity was gone.
“Even round town on the Main Street there is gutters hanging. I know of a farm shed out the road that just caved in.”
Gough saud she’s “never seen snow like it” and the pub will have to stay closed for a few days until the damage has been dealt with.
“Even outside there measuring 14 inches of snow on top of a telephone box. 13 inches just on top of the beer kegs. It is just sitting there now and it is turning in to blocks of ice,” she said.
“You have no idea the amount we have put in to that beer garden over the years. It is devastating today as it is 75% of our business this time of year.
“Even though it is an outdoor area it is heated and there is live music out there.”
Gough added that events booked for January will have to be cancelled now.
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