section_path: Impact/Ireland/24 to 31 January 2025
section_name: 24 to 31 January 2025
paragraph_text: 24 to 31 January 2025
  
  On 24 January at around 05:00, a wind gust provisionally measured at 183 km/h (114 mph) was recorded at Mace Head Atmospheric Research Station in Connemara in County Galway. The official highest wind gust from the storm in Ireland was 183 km/h (114 mph), surpassing an 80-year-old record for the country when a wind gust of 113 mph (182 km/h) at Foynes was measured in 1945. Moneypoint weather station (anemometer height 40 m (130 ft) above ground level) measured a 159.8 km/h (99.3 mph) wind gust at 04:10. The intensity of winds at Mace Head (Ceann Mhása), Belmullet, and Markree (near Sligo) caused data interruption to local weather instruments. A mean sustained wind speed of 135 km/h (84 mph) was measured at Mace Head at around 04:00, surpassing the previous Irish record of 131 km/h (81 mph) set in 1945 at Foynes.
  
  A maximum wave height of 10.4 m (34 ft) was measured by the coast of Finnis Buoy, near Doolin.
  
  All flights from 08:00 to 14:00 at Ireland West Airport were cancelled. Several flights at Dublin Airport and Shannon Airport were cancelled or delayed. Aer Arann and Aran Island Ferries announced the closure of all morning services.
  
  At 09:00, 815,000 houses, farms and businesses on the island of Ireland were suffering from power outages, particularly in counties Galway and Mayo and 115,000 homes, mainly in Munster, were without water. By lunchtime, nearly one million were without power on the island of Ireland. The country's worst storm since Hurricane Debbie in 1961 resulted in 768,000 without power at its peak in Ireland. The Electricity Supply Board spoke of extensive damage to electricity infrastructure on an unprecedented scale. As of 25 January, 217,000 households were without water as Uisce Éireann 's water treatment plants were disrupted by power cuts. Customers in Galway were worst-affected. Telecommunications regulator ComReg reported that the destruction caused by the storm on telecommunications infrastructure was the largest in Ireland's recorded history. Telecommunications company eir reported that 270,000 fixed-line users were without broadband after the storm.
  
  Several instances of downed trees in both counties and in Munster were also reported. Several families in Munster required evacuation after their homes were destroyed or severely damaged by strong winds, with many cases involving roofs being blown off. At least six to seven downed trees were reported on the N4 road near Newtown Forbes, County Longford, blocking the village off from both ends. Most roads in Longford had trees fall on them. The Connacht GAA Air Dome in County Mayo, which cost over €3.5 million to construct, was destroyed. A 20-year-old man in County Donegal died, when a tree fell on his car.
  
  On 27 January, the National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG), the Department of Social Protection 's Humanitarian Assistance Scheme and some local authorities set up emergency response hubs to those still without power and/or water. These hubs provide "basic needs such as water, hot food, phone charging, broadband access, shower and clothes washing facilities". On this date, 438,000 electricity customers have had their power restored with 330,000 still without power, with power not being restored for up to 100,000 customers until the following week. Engineers from the United Kingdom have been helping ESB repair crews to restore power. Water company Uisce Éireann said 109,000 of their customers were still without water and declared 126,000 customers were a risk of losing their water supply and that 112,000 customers were being provided water via generators. Eir declared that 110,000 customers had had their Internet restored with 94,000 customers still without.
  
  Ireland had asked the EU for help due to the power outages, with the activation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism providing thirteen power generators from Poland and Denmark providing an additional four. The Copernicus Emergency Management Service was also activated. Additionally, 10 Austrian and 40 Finnish engineers arrived on 28 January to assist ESB crews. Additionally, electrical engineers from Finland, France and the Netherlands arrived to help ESB crews on 29 and 30 January. If necessary, engineers from Germany will be asked to help the ESB.