It seems that Storm Darragh has caused widespread disruption across the country since last night and we in County Kildare may have escaped the worst of it.
More than 35,000 broadband faults, 20,000 fixed voice and approximately 500 mobile network site outages have been registered.
The ESB is confirming that this afternoon up to 325,000 homes and businesses remain without power.
Clearly this has been a destructive storm and the extent of the damage will continue to emerge over the coming days.
We knew from the ‘Red’ alert that the western seaboard would suffer the worst with downed cables, poles, and other critical infrastructure.
What has been your experience of it? Is it true to say Kildare has escaped the wrath of the wind and rain? Do tell us?
The Red warning was placed on our neighbouring county of Wicklow and it is likely that storm force extended into Kildare, particularly in the south of it.
4 WOMEN elected in Lucan, Liona O'Toole (Ind), Caroline Brady (FG) and Joanna Tuffy join Vicki Casserly and Paul Gogarty on Final Count (101 votes seperate Tuffy and Sinn Féin's Derren Ó'Brádaigh)
Cllr Vicki Casserly (FG) takes second seat in Lucan after Cllr Paul Gogarty tops poll last night
Mr Hugh Creegan, responding to Leixlip TD Catherine Murphy at the PAC meeting last Thursday in which he confirmed the NTA's intention to bring Dart to Kilcock as part of the Dart West project.
Dublin mum of two Rachel Connors took on the abseil challenge at Croke Park, to raise funds for Debra, the charity that aids people living with epidermolysis bullosa.
Liffey Valley based Rachel’s 12-year-old daughter, Casey lives with the rare skin disease as do some 300 others in this country.
Accompanied by her sister Samantha, Rachel conquered the 150ft plunge yesterday, 28th March.
“We were so nervous beforehand, we both felt sick, but we pushed ourselves out of our comfort zones and remembered why we were doing it,” said Samantha, from Clondalkin.
“It was a challenge for us to step off the edge but Casey faces challenges every day and she gets through it.”
The sisters’ abseil has so far raised more than €2,500 and their fundraising link remains open until 28th of April at: www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/Rachel-Samantha2
Twelve-year-old Casey daily battles the most severe form of EB and needs painful bandaging several times a week to cover blisters which erupt on her skin, 70% of which is covered in open wounds.
“Sometimes she goes through a down week and things can get very hard for her,” said Rachel, who is also mum to Jayden, 14.
“Then she’s back, and one day, hopefully, we can tell her there will be a cure but until then, we want her to do as much as she can to be like other children.”
•Video shows Rachel Connors (left) and her sister Samantha abseiling at Croke Park yesterday (28th March).
