Road closures and thousands without power due to Storm Ali
Thousands of homes across Galway are without power and many roads are impassable due to fallen trees - gusts of 138km/h were recorded at Mace Head at around 8am.
A Status Orange Wind warning is in effect for most of the country since 7am and remains in place until 1pm. Met Éireann has confirmed that Galway has gotten the brunt of Storm Ali.
Motorists are being advised to be alert to debris on the roads – with fallen trees and branches reported on roads across the city and county. Gardai are warning the N59 at Glenlo Abbey is closed, as is the road between Belcare and Corrandulla on the Tuam side of Castlehackett National School due to a tree on the road. In the city, fallen trees have lead to the closure of St. Marys Road, The Crescent, and the Monivea Road at Thermo King. Many other routes in the city and county have also been reduced to a single lane and motorists are being advised to allow additional times for their journey.
Meanwhile, thousands of homes across Galway are currently without power. The worst affected area is Screebe – where almost 7,000 homes are without a service as Storm Ali batters the west coast. A further 1,300 homes are without power in Recess – while over 1,400 homes in Oughterard are without a service. Over 400 homes are affected in Salthill – and service is not expected to be restored to areas west of Galway City until late this evening. A further 200 homes are without power in Tuam North, but service there is expected to be restored by around midday.