Mid-week thaw of freezing conditions

THE start of the thaw is on the way as freezing and snowy conditions of the past week near an end.

Numerous sporting fixtures fell foul of the weekend’s wintry weather, including the Hennessy Gold Cup at the Leopardstown racecourse in Dublin and no fewer than 11 ties in the opening series of games of this year’s national hurling league.

Meteorologists predict that parts of Munster and south Leinster could face more snow showers this morning and possibly again tomorrow, but the lowest of the temperatures will have passed by Wednesday.

Driving conditions were treacherous in many parts of the country overnight after snowfall, which was particularly heavy through Leinster and Connaught, began to freeze or turn to slush.

AA Roadwatch was describing roads around Navan, Co Meath, as hazardous yesterday evening, with motorists advised by gardaí to avoid unnecessary journeys on the N3 around Virginia, Co Cavan.

In Wicklow, the Wicklow Gap, Sally Gap and Deputies Pass were impassable due to heavy snow and ice.

However, flights in and out of Dublin Airport began to return to normal yesterday after several days of disruption caused by the unusually cold weather.

There was disruption to services at City of Derry Airport, where the runway was closed temporarily after heavy snow, although services were resuming last night.

Only six of the scheduled 17 senior hurling league games went ahead yesterday, with the keenly-anticipated meeting of Galway and Kilkenny — who will both contest the Leinster championship later this year — among the affected fixtures.

The Gold Cup at Leopardstown has been put back to next Sunday, but Irish racing fans will have to wait until this morning for an update on a rescheduled meeting at Fairyhouse tomorrow and Wednesday. The Co Meath track was hit by inclement weather for the initial running of the card last month, but a first inspection of the course yesterday deemed it unfit following snow and frost.