MET Eireann believes a tornado was responsible for damage to houses in Ballygawley, Co Sligo, on Monday.
The tornado struck the village at 3 p.m., uprooting trees and causing widespread damage. Local people estimate it lasted no longer than a minute.
"I was standing by the window inside my house when I heard this ferocious noise," said Ms Mary Hamilton, a Ballygawley resident. "It was really frightening, I stood frozen watching it."
Ms Hamilton described how the wind descended on the village in a tunnel effect.
"It came across the Collooney Road and broke a fence, went into our garden and broke a tree. I was scared, I was glad it was all over so quickly."
Met Eireann said yesterday the tornado occurred due to thunderstorm activity in the Sligo area at that time.
A spokesman said a band of heavy rain had cleared, bringing behind it a showery airflow of strong south-easterly winds, causing the tornado effect.