Heavy rains, high winds

Heavy rains, high winds batter Ireland

The heavy rain and strong winds which battered the country early today, causing hazardous driving conditions in certain parts and forcing the cancellation of fast ferries has eased significantly this evening.

A major clean-up operation got under way in Galway this mornin after flash-flooding caused serious disruption yesterday.

Flooding affected roads in the docks and Salthill area, and several people at the Westlife concern in Pearse Stadium had to receive medical treatment due to early signs of hypothermia.

Many businesses were forced to close and the fire service dealt with around 50 callouts yesterday evening.

“It was so torrential the rain yesterday evening... I haven’t any details on damage at this stage but we will be assessing it,” Galway City Mayor Tom Costello said. “It’s (the weather) not bad at the moment but we are fearing the worst."

The Corrandulla Agricultural Show was cancelled today due to the weather conditions.

Many areas of the country are experiencing heavy rainfall, while gusts of wind of up to 120km/h have been recorded in some coastal areas.

Drivers are being warned to exercise caution on the roads. Fallen trees have caused disruption and delays on many routes.

A number of ferry sailings across the Irish Sea were cancelled today due to the bad weather.

Met Éireann issued both a gale warning and small craft warning, with forecasters predicting winds to reach Force Six tonight on coastal waters.

However, brighter weather will gradually extend countrywide during the afternoon and evening. The stormy weather is expected to die out overnight with the clouds breaking tomorrow to give a mainly dry and calm day, with sunny spells and well scattered showers.

The weather is to remain unsettled for most of the week

Hundreds of Eircom customers in both Co Roscommon and Co Mayo were hit with power outages as a result of the storm. A spokesman said about 300 households were affected in Creggs from last night but service was restored at around 10am today.

About 200 customers are also affected in Co Mayo and crews were working to repair the damage.

A Vote for Ireland

The Irish had to fight for centuries to win their independence, and theirs is a fierce and proud record. They have just extended that record by voting to reject the Lisbon Treaty, the instrument by which the European Union intends to achieve its final status as a sovereign entity, a new United States of Europe.

Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen and his cabinet, in conjunction with the main opposition party, the Greens, the Catholic Church, the business elite, and the media commentators, were united in a hectoring chorus to persuade their compatriots to vote “Yes.” Against this establishment were a mysterious millionaire, and marginal figures, underdogs, some reprehensible like Sinn Fein, the IRA terrorists.

Multiple reasons are given for the resounding victory of the “No” vote. Ireland is about to become a financial contributor to the EU rather than a beneficiary, as it has been. One fear was that Ireland’s agriculture might suffer at the hand of Brussels, another was that it would be obliged to scrap a tax regime that brings competitive advantages.

Twenty-seven countries now make up the EU, and all have been, or are being, dragooned into accepting this treaty that will change their character and erode their national sovereignty forever. Ireland is unique in having a constitution that specifies that any change to it requires a referendum. The Irish have seen how the EU rough-rides over other countries, and they have preferred to stay true to themselves and their past.

The reaction of the EU leaders only establishes how wise the Irish are to try to preserve their independence. As the Irish vote was announced, EU President Jose Manuel Barroso gave a press conference in which he made scarcely veiled threats. Other leaders spoke openly of dodges and legal subterfuges intended either to disregard the Irish vote or to make Ireland vote again until the desired result is achieved. Instead of congratulations, the Irish are the recipients of ill will and calls for retribution.

EU leaders like to tub-thump about their democratic credentials, but they evidently see themselves building an empire that is not going to take note of matters like a democratic vote against them. The luck of the Irish is famous — and they’re going to need it.