A storm and a clean up. Storm Éowyn wreaks havoc across county as almost 3000 homes are still without power

A major clean up operation is continuing as the damage caused by Storm Éowyn continues to be assessed throughout the county.
Over 180 incidents dealt with in the aftermath of Storm Éowyn according to Louth County Council with reports of over 30,000 homes and businesses left without power while a number of fallen trees blocked roads throughout Dundalk and North Louth.

As of Tuesday afternoon there were still 2,700 homes without electricity while a power outage at Greenmount Water Treatment Plant caused a disruption to supply for customers in Castlebellingham, Dunleer and surrounding areas in County Louth.

Winds of up to 140kph (according to the popular Louth Weather facebook page, a gust of 148kph was recorded at Kilowen on the northern shores of Carlingford Lough) ripped through the county in the early hours of Friday morning in what has been described as the worst storm to hit Ireland in living memory.

Shortly after 6am on Friday morning the damage began as trees were uprooted and electricity poles damaged as many homes and businesses woke up with no power in their houses. Roads were blocked by fallen trees including major routes like the N2 and N52 as well as smaller roads such as the Ardee Road which was blocked at Rath until Sunday evening after a large tree fell and brought down live electricity wires with it.

In Dundalk the recently refurbished St Helena’s Park playground was closed on Saturday after two large 150-year old hornbeam trees were blown to the ground. In Duffy’s Car Park at the Longwalk Shopping Centre, another large tree was felled as council workers worked tirelessly to remove the tree and re-open the area.
There was also damage to St Brigid’s Shrine in Faughart after uprooted trees fell right beside the shrine. The clean up of that area is continuing with the hope that the annual candlelit procession for St Brigid can take place this Sunday (February 2nd). A statement from Louth County Council outlined the damage caused locally whilst praising the efforts of it’s workforce who worked day and night to get things back to normal as quickly as possible.

“Louth County Council wishes to acknowledge the exceptional efforts of its teams and partners who worked tirelessly over the weekend to address the widespread damage caused by Storm Éowyn.

“The storm brought significant challenges, with fallen trees, damaged streetlights, and hazardous conditions requiring an immediate and coordinated response.
“Louth County Council’s customer service team dealt with over 150 reported incidents by the public in the immediate aftermath of Storm Éowyn, over three times the normal levels for stormy conditions.

“We have solid structures, and a very capable, well-trained team in place for situations like this,” said Louth County Council Chief Executive David Conway.
“Our emergency plans are strongly linked to our colleagues in the HSE and the Gardai at a national level and, thankfully, there were no major incidents to report.
“There are still approximately 2,700 homes without power in the county and from a community perspective, we have liaised with the Public Participation Network (PPN) to help those affected.

“Our facilities at Aura Leisure Centre in Dundalk and Drogheda, along with Dundalk Sports Centre and Lourdes Athletics Stadium, are available to members of the public who have been left without electricity or water, and we are willing to offer any further assistance if required.

“As with every event of this nature, Louth County Council will have a full debrief and review the lessons learnt from it and look at what improvements we can implement in the future.”

“A total of circa 180 incidents were dealt with by Louth County Council crews as part of the clear-up operations, including scores of trees cleared from roads around the county, starting with National Roads, followed by Regional and Local Roads in order of priority.
“With the assistance of An Garda Síochána (AGS), ESB, Eir, and tree-cutting contractors, Louth County Council’s Roads and Park crews worked extended hours to ensure public safety and restore accessibility.

“By Saturday night, the majority of clean-up operations were completed, with the exception of Rath, Ardee Road, Dundalk, which remained closed on the advice of ESB due to fallen overhead power lines. Work on this area was safely concluded after the lines were addressed.

“Streetlights that fell across major roadways were also made safe promptly to prevent further incidents.
“While the focus was on reopening roads as quickly as possible, in some cases, trees were moved to the roadside temporarily to allow traffic to flow. These areas continue to be addressed as part of ongoing clean-up efforts.

“In the county’s parks, a number of specimen trees were sadly lost during the storm. However, Louth County Council is committed to maintaining and enhancing our green spaces. Plans are underway to begin a replanting programme this week, with new trees being ordered to replace those lost.
“We also extend our gratitude to the Roads and Parks crews who managed winter gritting duties on Saturday and Sunday nights, ensuring safe travel during frosty conditions.

“Louth County Council is deeply appreciative of the hard work, resilience, and dedication that was demonstrated by all involved. These efforts underscore the strength of our community and partnerships in responding to severe weather events.
“We will continue to monitor and address any outstanding issues in the coming days.
“For updates, please visit www.louthcoco.ie or contact customer service at 042 933 5457,” concluded the statement.

Shower and phone charging facilities for members of the public who have been left without electricity or water are available at the following local facilities this week.
• Aura Dundalk Leisure Centre 8am-10am, 1pm-2pm, 7pm-8pm
• Aura Drogheda Leisure Centre 8am-10am, 1pm-2pm, 7pm-8pm
• Dundalk Sports Centre 9am -10am
• Lourdes Athletics Stadium 10am-12pm

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