GAA club's roof ripped off and thousands left without power in Mid-West

David Raleigh

A section of a stand at Fitzgerald Park, Kilmallock GAA Club, in Co Limerick, was destroyed after Storm Éowyn ripped off a large section of its roof.

Part of the sportsground’s canopy appeared to be hanging dangerously close to properties located behind the GAA club.

An estimated 70,000 homes and businesses were without power across the mid west region as Storm Éowyn continued raging across the country.

Throughout the night the hurricane force winds boomed and battered Shannonside, hurtling record breaking gusts in from the west coast.

Met Eireann said the strongest gust speed on record of 182km/h which was set in 1945 at Foynes, Co Limerick, had provisionally been broken at Mace Head, Co Galway, with a gust speed of 183km/h at 5am. Mace Head also recorded the strongest ever mean wind speed nationally (135km/h) breaking the record speed of 131km/h at Foynes in 1945.

A red wind warning which came into being at 2am, ended at 10am and a yello wind warning will remain in the region until 4pm.

There is also going to be a risk of flooding into Saturday due to heavy rainfall overnight, however no serious tidal issues were reported.

All flood barriers remained in place in Limerick City and at Foynes Port and sandbags were in place to protect properties in vulnerable lowlands in Askeaton.
Several electrical stores in the city and county reported they had sold out of power-banks, generators, and torches as people prepared to sit out the storm.

Limerick City and County Council said a number of trees had been uprooted around the county and urged the public to log issues on 061 556000 or email [email protected].

The Council said its crews “will mobilise after the red weather warning has expired and once conditions are deemed safe”.

Denise Ryan, Secretary, Kilmallock GAA Club, said they locked the entrance gates to the club while the “substantial damage” could be assessed.

“We discovered it this morning after we got a phone call, it is very unfortunate, it is a large section (of roof), there are three sections and it's the middle one, it's probably the largest one,” Ms Ryan explained.

“It's devastating, there will be a lot of work involved, but we will work together on it, we have great really, when we need it, so it will be fine (in the end), but it's unfortunate to be honest.”

“We've just logged it with the insurance company and we have to wait for the assessor. You just have to secure the area and make it safe, we have locked the entrances so that no one to get in, so that, at least no one can go near it, that's the main priority.”

It’s understood a neighbouring property suffered “minimal damage” during the storm, added Ms Ryan.

“There was no damage to cars or anything, we were very luck in that sense. And no, no injuries, oh God no, that would be the worst thing really, no nothing like that,” she offered.

“We will get it right, it will just take time, and people have been great all morning, ing us just to let us know, and the boys have been down there now, and you know, they've gone in and checked everything out, secured the area, and locked the gates.”