EDITORIAL: Mayo’s meitheal spirit vital in wake of Storm Éowyn

THE last few days have been very difficult for most people across the county as members of the public struggle to go about their daily business in the wake of Storm Éowyn, which ripped through the country in the early hours of last Friday morning.

Mayo has experienced Met Éireann red warnings in the past, but the violence of this storm was truly shocking.

Mayo County Council, Met Éireann and indeed all of the emergency services had done their best to alert the public to the likely ferocious nature of the storm. If anything, we were lucky that it happened during the nighttime, when most people were at home in their beds.

The scale of the damage was unprecedented, and the local council has warned that it is going to take some time to complete the clean-up right across the county.

Emergency response

Mayo County Council’s Emergency Response Team met on Monday morning to plan for the continued clean-up and community response.

A dedicated Emergency Response Hub phone line has been set up for the public to call; this can be reached on 094 9064660. People can also contact the hub by emailing community@mayococo.ie.

The objective of the creation of Emergency Response Hubs, which is a national Government initiative, is to assist people with basic needs such as water, hot food, phone charging, broadband access, showers, clothing and washing facilities.

Sporting clubs or community organisations that are currently offering assistance to the public, or that wish to assist, have been asked to contact the Emergency Response Hub via phone or email to register with the local authority.

Mayo County Council crews have been on the ground since the ending of the red warning. They have been working to clear roads, deal with fallen trees, remove debris and assist the public where they can, and they will continue to do over the coming days and weeks.

Biggest casualty

Here in Mayo, the huge air dome at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence in Bekan was perhaps the biggest casualty of the storm.

The dome has been a hive of activity since it opened back in 2020, and it is a massive loss to the organisation. However, John Prenty of Connacht GAA is adamant that the facility will be rebuilt.

The home of Burrishoole GAA, McGovern Park in Newport, also suffered extensive damage, but the west Mayo club released a statement to say that through their insurance and with local fundraising, they will rebuild the stand that has served the club so well.

There has been a whole host of structural damage to other facilities and residential properties across the county, but in time, all of this can be rectified, and thankfully there has been no reports of fatalities or serious injuries as a result of the storm.

The loss of electrical power is never easy to deal with, and the public have been warned that it could be next week before everyone has their power restored. Mobile network coverage remains severely compromised for many customers, which is adding to the hardship being experienced, particularly for those living alone.

So, as always, it is important to check in on neighbours, especially the elderly, to ensure they have everything they need. Mayo County Council will do its best to help those in need, but reaching out to your neighbours and friends really is vital during such difficult days. Mayo’s renowned meitheal spirit really is so important at times like these.