GALE force winds gusting at up to 80 m.p.h., heavy rain and sleet showers, hit many parts of the State yesterday, with serious flooding in Galway, Limerick, Tralee, Kinvara and Westport.
A Co Monaghan family had a lucky escape from injury when a tree blown down by the winds crashed against their single storey dwelling causing damage to the roof and wrecking the family car. lit happened at the residence of Mr Thomas Collins at Annahean, near Carrickmacross.
A Met Eireann spokesman said: "Everywhere got a bit of a hammering. The highest gust of 74 knots (over 80 m.p.h.) was recorded at Baldonnel. A gust of 69 knots was recorded at Belmullet. it was an extremely windy day, very cold, as well as heavy sleet, hail and snow showers. The problems in coastal areas were caused by high tides coinciding with the gales."
Winds will ease today, but there will still be gusts of between 50-60 m.p.h. coming from the south west.
The West Link toll bridge in Castleknock, Co Dublin, was restricted to one lane at one stage large vehicles were stopped from crossing.
In Galway, floods closed the old road to Oranmore and a number of roads in the Salthill and Claddagh areas, delaying rush hour traffic. The road between Spiddal and Inverin was blocked by fallen telegraph poles. Several business premises near the Spanish Arch in the city were also flooded.
A number of cars were abandoned by their drivers, including several at Silver Strand. The high tide, strong westerly winds, which reached storm force 10, and low barometric pressure combined to cause flooding between 6.30 a.m. and 8.30 p.m. in inner Galway Bay.
A Shannon Estuary Ports Authority spokesman said the tidal waters which flooded vast areas of Limerick city and county from 8 a.m. were equal to the record breaking tide which burst the banks of the Shannon in September 1961.
Houses on Clancy Strand, the Sandmall and business premises in parts of the city on Lower Cecil Street and Henry Street were flooded to several inches. The Corbally area, on the northern suburbs, was also affected.
For the first time since it was opened in 1988 the Condell road leading to the new Shannon Bridge was flooded. There was also extensive flooding at Bunratty and Clarecastle in Co Clare due to a backing up of the waters of the Fergus river and at Cappamore, Co Limerick.
In Co Kerry, there was flooding at Blennerville, Tralee, while the main road from Tralee to Castleisland and Killarney was blocked by fallen tree branches.
in Burtoaport, Co Donegal, several cars parked at the quayside were damaged by debris hurled ashore by the surging tide.