Ferocious storm hits Ireland

Dublin, 13 November 1915 - A storm of almost unprecedented severity swept Ireland yesterday.

For 24 hours howling gales from the north-east drove rain in torrents causing flooding and widespread damage to property. Across the country, miles of telegraph poles were blown down.

Houses had walls blown in and roofs blown off. Roads were flooded as rivers overflowed their banks, the sea pushed past sea-walls and drains were unable to cope with the scale of rainfall. Boats were smashed from their moorings and lost to the sea.

Damaged caused by a falling tree to a train passing through Bective, Co. Meath during the storm. Fortunately no one was injured. (Image: Irish Life, 26 Nov 1915. Full collection of Irish Life available from the National Library of Ireland)

In several places – including Nenagh, Co. Tipperary – the heavy rain was followed by a snowstorm. Two men in the county were found dead by the side of the road, and a similar tragedy was witnessed in Wexford.

In Dublin, more than 2½ inches of rain fell before 9pm and the velocity of the wind reached 60 miles per hour. Trams and railways ceased running and, at the height of the storm, even walking across O’Connell Bridge proved impossible. Suburbs – from Drumcondra to Ballsbridge – were flooded as rivers burst their banks, leaving many houses under water.

Kingstown was left in darkness when the gasworks were flooded. There were similar scenes in Cork where almost all electric and gas lights were extinguished.

Calmer conditions followed the storm but fears of flooding remain and warnings have been issued for all parts of the country, with people being advised to take extreme care.

[Editor's note: This is an article from Century Ireland, a fortnightly online newspaper, written from the perspective of a journalist 100 years ago, based on news reports of the time.]