Gusts registering as high as 183km/h have been recorded on the west coast, as Storm Éowyn has left more than 715,000 without power – with the storm setting new records for wind speeds.
The storm has caused Met Éireann and the Met Office to issue status Red wind warnings, which are in place for all counties, with Éowyn still tracking across the country.
In a statement, ESB Networks said that over 715,000 customers were without power this morning, adding that there was “unprecedented, widespread and extensive damage to electricity infrastructure so far.”
“We anticipate significant further outages as Storm Éowyn moves across the country,” it added, confirming that crews would be deployed when it was safe to do so, and that it would take a “significant number of days” to restore power fully across the country.
Weather enthusiast, Alan O’Reilly, whose runs the hugely popular Carlow Weather account, said that the wind speeds recorded showed that Éowyn is a record-breaking storm for Ireland, with former mean speed and gust speed records exceeded. Gust speeds of 183 km/h were recorded at Mace Head in Galway during the night – while mean wind speeds reached 135 km/h.
“This storm is a storm like no storm you have ever experienced in Ireland,” he said, warning the public to heed the weather warnings, saying some areas had yet to see strongest winds.
Galway Aquarium staff were onsite all night to monitor animals, and said flooding had started by 2.30am.
In Clare, the noise of the huge storm was captured in this video from inside the Armada Hotel in Spanish Point.
And in Blanchardstown, damage was caused to the ice rink by the strong winds.
Trees across the country have been felled by the storm.
Stormchasers said that they believed gusts of up to 187 km/h had been recorded in Lahinch, Co Clare.
Other videos and photos posted online showed the extent of the storm.
There were by-now-familiar videos of trampolines being whisked off by the winds, though this one was particularly smooth.
This might have been the most-watched video about Storm Éowyn until this morning, however.
Businessman Declan Ganley recalled his great-grandfather being recorded reciting the old poem in Irish about Oíche na Gaoithe Móire (The Night of the Big Wind) in 1839.
“This is a recording of the voice of my great grandfather Edward McHugh, of Achill Island. He was recorded by Raidió Éireann. I can’t recall the year (it was before I was born) but I do remember he was very old at the time. Please excuse the video and ‘music’ soundtrack which someone has added. The voice track is original: Oíche na Gaoithe Móire”
Oíche na Gaoithe Móire (The Night of the Big Wind) was a hurricane which struck Ireland on January 6th, 1839. The ferocity of the storm and the damage it caused lived long in the folk memory of the people. Here in a recording made in 1957, Éamonn Mac Aoidh from Oileán Acla, County Mayo recites verses from a poem originally composed by Michael Burke of Esker, near Athenry, Co. Galway, reputedly on the day after the storm.
Ar oíche ceann an dá lá dhéag
Beidh cuimhne cruinn go h-éag.
Is iomaí milte d’éag
I mbaile, muir’s tír.
Oíche gaoithe móire.
Oíche stoirme’s dóite.
A déan dílte crainnte a’ stróiceadh.
Agus obair ag na saoir.