Ocean FM News Reports

Emergency services in south Donegal have been praised for their ongoing efforts in the aftermath of Storm Eowyn. Many buildings in the Bundoran area were impacted and a clean-up operation is continuing there. Sinn Finn Cllr Michael McMahon says the community is also playing a major role in helping other people get back on their feet:

Work is continuing today to clear trees from more minor routes in County Sligo.  An extensive operation by Sligo County Council has been taking place over the weekend with assessments ongoing to determine the full extent of damage County wide.  Meanwhile its also emerged that Ballymote Fire Station was damaged during the storm.  Speaking in Sligo this morning, Director of Climate an...

It's emerged that the owners of purpose-built student accommodation in Sligo were among the highest-earning State-contracted emergency providers in the third quarter of last year.   Figures published by the Department of Integration, show that Brava Capital Limited, registered in the Isle of Man, was paid almost €7.7 million between July and September.   This made it the seventh-highest...

Around 100 thousand homes and businesses throughout the Country could still be without power next week.   Crews from the UK are expected to arrive this week to help with the remaining 246 thousand outages following Storm Éowyn.  The ESB have described   it as "by far the worst storm" it's ever experienced in terms of customers losing supply and the scale of damage to the networ...

Right across the North West many communities are still assessing the damage caused on Friday.   The roof of the primary care centre in Donegal Town was blown off during the storm.   Former Health Minister Stephen Donnelly officially opened the multimillion euro facility only last year.   While the upper floor of the centre has been extensively damaged, it's still operating at a redu...

The government is being criticised for only requesting 'storm-assistance' from Europe yesterday. Midlands North-West MEP Ciarán Mullooly says that's despite the European Commissioner for Crisis Management first offering help last Wednesday. The Independent Ireland rep says we need to push ahead urgently with the EU's offer to provide large-generator capacity to get water up and running to half a m...

One business in Donegal had the entire side of its premises ripped open by Storm Éowyn.   Staff at Callaghan’s Electrical in Letterkenny returned to work over the weekend to find that the building had been extensively damaged due to the severe winds that ravaged through the region.    Remarkably, the stock inside the building was not destroyed.    Staff member Aidan O’Tool...

The worst of the destructive weather conditions looks set to be over.   Counties Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal each bore the brunt of the Storm Éowyn and its aftermath in recent days with fallen trees, powerlines, power cuts and water outages.   While each county has been placed under a status yellow warning, which is in effect until 6pm on Sunday evening, wind speeds similar to those seen...

Abbey Vocational School's Turlough Carr tries to put into words what it means for the Donegal Town school to reach a first-ever MacRory Cup final, following Saturday's 0-12 to 0-10 semi-final victory over South West Donegal. He was talking to Michael Daly at Fr Tierney Park after the game.

The Clean-up operation across the north west continues in earnest this morning in the aftermath of Storm Éowyn,   A number of trees, branches and other loose debris has been cleared on a number of areas throughout the region with council staff working around the clock.   Counties Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal have each issued with status yellow wind warnings, however.   Met Éireann is...

Donegal GAA supporters have voiced their frustrations after they’ve been left out of pocket.   Jim McGuinness’ side were due to commence their Allianz National Football League campaign on Sunday against Kerry in Killarney.   A sizable support from Donegal were due to arrive in ‘The Kingdom’ ahead of the league opener with the return of talisman, Michael Murphy just one of star attraction...

Donegal County Council crews are continuing the clean-up operation following Storm Éowyn.   Fallen trees resulted in disruption or even closure on a number of routes.   The county has been issued with status yellow snow and ice and status yellow wind warnings in the coming hours, however.   Members of the public are being advised caution during these warnings.   Speaking to Oce...

The north west is once again, set to be hit with adverse weather conditions over the next 24 hours.   Counties Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal were all under a status red warning during Storm Éowyn with a number of fallen trees and branches on local and national roads.   While overnight accumulations saw thick blankets of snow cover routes across the region.   All three counties have als...

A county Sligo school has been left counting the cost following extensive damage from Storm Éowyn.   The roof of a number of classrooms at Mercy College, located on Chapel Hill in Sligo Town came off in the early hours of Friday morning following extremely damaging winds.   Staff have been assessing the damage this morning with classes set to be moved to alternative locations within the...

A clean-up operation is continuing across Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal, as communities deal with the aftermath of Storm Éowyn. The full scale of the storm's impact is yet to emerge, with hundreds still without power. Council crews have this morning resumed the process of removing trees and falling debris from many roads across the region. Jim Molloy, Director of Services at Sligo County Council has...

Members of the public are being advised that The Irish Coast Guard VHF radio coverage is currently off air on Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal coasts as a result from damage caused by Storm Éowyn. Work is underway to repair the damage and restore the coverage as soon as possible. This means that Malin Head Rescue Coordination Centre is unable to receive or respond to distress calls on marine radio...

Motorists across the North West are being urged to show extreme caution on roads tonight and tomorrow.   Storm Eowyn has caused a number of trees to fall down on roads and block the path of road gritters.   With temperatures set to freeze tonight in the region, many roads will go untreated as a result.   Kieran Brett of Leitrim County Council raised awareness of the situation:

Concern has been raised over a number routes in Leitrim where trees have fallen and caused danger to motorists. Trees were down on the R280 Manorhamilton to Carrick on Shannon Rd, and the main road into Drumshanbo. Leitrim Cllr Brendan Barry says fire services and crews are working on the hazards:

Major concerns are being raised in Ballymote over repeated flooding from a local river.   A number of local businesses and homes have faced extensive damages as a result.   Marty Underwood, Frank McNulty, and Cllr Gerard Mullaney all shared their thoughts on the situation:

One Sligo School has come up with a unique fundraising initiative. The student council at St. Brendan's National School in Cartron have organised the collection of plastic bottles and cans through the deposit Re-turn scheme. The community of Cartron and beyond are being encouraged to get behind the school and to donate their bottles and cans, with a bin available at the foyer of the premises. Some...

A morning of chaos in the North West and the true extent of damage and destruction caused by Storm Aye Oh In is yet to be established by local authorities across Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal. The red weather warning for Sligo and Leitrim has been lifted as of 12 noon but it's still in place for Donegal for an another hour. Sligo and Leitrim are now in an orange alert - this warning still means sever...

Donegal County Council advise the public that road conditions throughout the county are treacherous this morning with fallen trees on numerous routes. North West counties are set to experience the worst of Storm Eowyn around now and in the coming hours. A red warning for danger to life is in place for Sligo and Leitrim until 12 noon - it's in place for Donegal until 2pm. The entire country then mo...

There are reports of some people ignoring the red warning in Strandhill. A number of premises have also been damaged in the area. The red warning remains in place for Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal.  Neil Walton Founder Of Voya Seaweed Baths in Strandhill has been speaking to Ocean FM inside the last few minutes:

Tubbercurry is effectively cut off due to fallen trees as a result of the storm. Sligo County Council has stated there's currently no exit from the town. Other sections of the N17 are also impacted. Fianna Fail Cllr Barry Gallagher says south Sligo has descended into complete chaos and is asking people to be patient:

There's a danger to life as the North West under a Red wind warning this morning and the worst is yet to come. Storm Eowyn is bringing damaging and destructive gusts of over 130 kilometres an hour and is already making an impact. The red alert is in place for Sligo and Leitrim until 12 noon while Donegal is also now under a red warning as of 7am until 2pm. A significant number of routes are impact...