The Daily Star Ireland
Around 13,000 homes and businesses across Ireland remain without electricity as cleanup efforts continue following Storm Amy, which battered the country with severe winds and rain. While crews have made significant progress restoring power—down from 49,000 outages earlier this morning—some households may remain in the dark into next week, particularly in the hardest-hit areas of Donegal, Leitrim, Roscommon, Galway, and Mayo.
Power and Water Disruptions Continue
ESB Networks confirmed that more than two-thirds of affected customers have now had their supply restored but warned that lingering damage to infrastructure means a full recovery will take several more days. In Donegal, where the storm’s impact was most severe, roughly 4,000 homes are also without running water. Uisce Éireann said restoration crews have been working around the clock, deploying mobile and fixed generators to bring treatment plants back online.
“Our incident management processes were activated before the storm hit, and crews have been mobilised to maintain and restore supplies,” said Anthony Skeffington, Regional Operations Manager for the Northwest. Donegal County Council has opened a network of community emergency hubs to support residents who remain without essential services.
Flight Disruptions at Dublin Airport
Travelers have also faced major disruptions. Dublin Airport reported that around 20 flights were cancelled on Saturday morning, while others experienced significant delays. Airport spokesperson Graeme McQueen said operations continued overnight despite challenging conditions, allowing several delayed flights from Friday to finally depart early this morning.
Wind speeds are expected to subside gradually throughout the day, and most airlines plan to resume full schedules. However, McQueen advised passengers to stay in close contact with their airlines for real-time updates, warning that “further disruption remains possible.”
Due to the storm’s impact and resulting crowd congestion, some airport bars closed earlier than usual as a safety precaution. “This is standard practice during major weather events that lead to cancellations and delays,” McQueen explained, thanking passengers for their patience after what he described as a “challenging 24 hours.”
Weather Alerts Lifted, Cleanup Underway
Met Éireann’s Status Yellow wind and rain warnings for several counties—including Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Clare, Kerry, Galway, Mayo, Louth, Dublin, and Wicklow—have now expired. Donegal, which was under an Orange Alert until 8 a.m., remains the focus of recovery operations as county crews work to clear fallen trees and debris from roads.
Officials say the majority of main roads are passable, though drivers are urged to exercise caution due to surface flooding and residual debris. Residents are being reminded to report hazards and avoid downed trees or poles, which may conceal live power lines.
Storm Amy’s Wider Impact
Storm Amy also caused localized flooding, widespread transport disruption, and school closures across parts of the country. In Northern Ireland, the UK Met Office confirmed a provisional record for the highest October wind gust—148 km/h—measured at Magilligan in County Derry.
Belfast International Airport warned travelers to expect delays and encouraged them to verify flight statuses with airlines before heading to the airport. NIE Networks said approximately 65,000 customers in Northern Ireland lost power at the storm’s peak and urged the public to stay away from damaged electricity lines.
“This remains an evolving situation given the ongoing yellow alert,” said NIE Networks operations manager Alex Houston. “Based on past experiences, such as Storm Darragh, it may take several days before full restoration is complete.”
As crews continue their work across both sides of the border, authorities have praised emergency teams for their efforts amid dangerous conditions—and cautioned the public that cleanup and recovery from Storm Amy’s widespread damage will take time.
