Storm Éowyn in Longford: Communities without light, heat, water or telephone coverage oscillating between hope and despair

The recovery from the storm continued slowly during the week, with the clearance and repair of some of the damage done. 

As people were able to venture further, it became apparent that a huge amount of damage has been done to Derrycassan Woods, with vast numbers of trees in the woods being felled by the force of the winds last Friday week and many of the paths within the woods either being blocked or too dangerous to navigate. 

The uprooting of trees also caused major damage to powerlines in the area with many poles and wires being broken and requiring replacement. 

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The parish continued without light, heat, water, or telephone communications for much of the week, oscillating between hope and despair as one restoration date after another was announced only to be pushed back as soon as it actually approached. 

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By Thursday night, the area was one of the last in the county left entirely in darkness as light edged closer and closer, and it was only on Friday morning that power began to be restored. 

Major work remained to be done, however, and most of Aughanoran, Larkfield, and Derrycassan along with major parts of Mullinroe, Cloonagh and Kilmore were still left in the dark as of Sunday evening with the amount of work needed indicating that full power might not return until this Wednesday, an interval of almost two weeks. 

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The work of ESB, Coillte, and county council workers in trying to undo the damage is much appreciated but there needs to be much reflection at higher levels of administration and government as to how the country in general and rural Ireland in particular was left in such a vulnerable state.

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