LIVE: Trees and cables down as Limerick wakes up to destruction caused by Storm Éowyn

TREES have been uprooted, resulting in blocked roads, and cables have been damaged, causing power outages across Limerick as Storm Éowyn continues to rampage through the city and county this Friday morning.

Around 70,000 homes and businesses across the region are without power.

It comes as Met Eireann recorded wind speeds of 137 km per hour in its monitoring station at Shannon.

LATEST AT 10.30am: 

ESB cable down and broken at Ballybehy South, Abbeyfeale

Tree down, Walnut Court, Kennedy Park, Limerick city

Tree down on R511 Southhill

Tree down on the R512 Kilmallock to Bruff Road at uregare Cross. Tree is blocking the road

Tree down in Hazelgrove Estate, Newcastle West, Blocking footpath 

Tree blocking road on the R513 as you approach Beary’s cross

Tree down on road from Bruff to Holycross

In the city centre, there were ferocious winds and choppy waters, but not a car or person to be seen at 7.25am as people heeded Status Red danger to life warning.

LIVE: Tens of thousands of Limerick homes without power due to 'unprecedented damage' in Storm Éowyn

Earlier this Friday in rural south Limerick, a tree had fallen on the Kilfinane-Garryspillane road around 3km from Kilfinane.

Elsewhere, council are reporting that a tree has fallen down and is blocking the road outside Castleconnell.

In the city centre, a cable is reported as being down on the road at the junction of Henry Street and Mallow Street, while debris had fallen from a roof to the road at Glentworth Street.

Also, a fallen tree is blocking the Shelbourne Road Lower at Salesians Primary School on the northside.

Several trees are also down on the N24 - a fallen tree is blocking access to the road from Caherconlish, with other trees down near Grange Cross, Boher and Beary's Cross.

There's a fallen tree on Ballysimon Road at Killonan Cross.

Above: A sign is down in Dock Road

In West Limerick, at Abbeyfeale, a metal structure was reported on the road near Supervalu. And electricity cables are down on the road near Templeathea.

In an update issued just before the end of the red warning at 10am, council reported there was a fallen tree partially blocking Mill Road in Corbally and touching powerlines.

A fallen shrub was also reported at Brooks Bridge between Pallasgreen and Oola.

Back in West Limerick, Devon Road Cross has a tree down, between Abbeyfeale and Newcastle West on the N21.

A tree is also down at Court in Kildimo.

Good morning! Ferocious winds and choppy waters here in #Limerick city centre but not a car or person to be seen at 7.25am as people heed Status Red warning. Stay safe everyone! #StormÉowyn pic.twitter.com/Of2UTlaGov

— Nick Rabbitts (@Nick468official) January 24, 2025

There are also reports of a tree down between Clarina and Kildimo near the Bucket Pub, blocking the entire N69.

And a record in place for 80 years from Limerick looks set to have tumbled this Friday morning.

Met Eireann is reporting a gust of 183 kilometres per hour was recorded at Mace Head in Galway. It beats the previous record of 182 kilometres per hour recorded in Foynes way back in 1945.

Above Limerick City and Council staff, and a number of other agencies are in action in their emergency room

Council has renewed its advice to people to shelter and stay in doors, with the red warning in place until 10am.

Members of the public can continue to log issues on 061-556000 or email customerservices@limerick.ie.

Limerick City and County Council crews will mobilise after the red weather warning has expired and once conditions are deemed safe.

Limerick Fire and Rescue Service have not had to mobilise to any incidents as of 7am. Crews will only respond to life threatening emergencies during the red wind alert.

Limerick City and County Council’s Crisis Management team will meet later this morning to assess the situation.

ESB Networks is warning of the dangers posed by fallen live wires and is advising the public and the emergency services to stay away from these fallen cables and to report such cases to it immediately.

ESB Emergency Services can be contacted at 1800 372 999.

All Limerick City and County Council offices across Limerick will be closed to the public this Friday and will reopen on Monday at 9am.