Snowfall leaves Cupid cold on Valentine’s Day

Snowfall leaves Cupid cold on Valentine’s Day

Áine Ryan

Slipping and sliding in the snow while carrying those delicate bunches of roses could have become a thorny problem for Mayo’s many Valentines as areas of the county were covered in snow on Friday last, February 14. It may not have been a white Christmas but a white St Valentine’s Day proved to be more stormy than romantic as individuals, businesses and local authorities counted the cost in the wake of the destruction of the latest tempest, Storm Darwin, to batter the county and country.
There was certainly little romance for travellers using Knock Airport where persistent snowfalls had a significant impact on schedules while staff battled to keep the facility operational. Three flights from Manchester, Birmingham and Luton were diverted to Shannon.
Meanwhile, there was severe disruption to traffic in Westport where a lorry was stuck on Sheeaune Hill blocking traffic for a time. Gardaí confirmed that slippery conditions had caused vehicles to block the entrance to Kings Hill, on the Newport Road, also disrupting traffic to the town.
A lorry also jack-knifed at Esker church, on the Crossmolina to Bangor Erris road, blocking traffic for some time, as a crane was required to remove the vehicle.  
Fortunately for the overworked Roman God of Love, Cupid, high winds meant there was no danger of him using his bow and arrow. Whether love affairs were ignited by snowballs is in the lap of the less well-known Greek Goddess of Snow, Chione.