Wintry conditions cause disruption across the country

THE stormy weather that prevented more than a dozen flights landing in Dublin Airport yesterday is expected to be more moderate today, but remain quite wintry.

Following an afternoon of gales and the diversion of 14 flights to Belfast, Shannon, Cork and London Heathrow, normal services resumed at the airport last night although some flights were affected by delays.In addition, five flights were cancelled. Among those affected by diversions were passengers travelling from Chicago and 11 cities in mainland Europe, London and Glasgow.

Dublin Airport Authority blamed the disruption on severe weather conditions including strong crosswinds across the main runway.

On the Irish Sea, all Irish Ferries Swift fast sailings were cancelled but normal cruise services continued to operate.

In Co Offaly, a priest had a “miraculous” escape when a tree collapsed and damaged his car as he drove through his parish.

Although shaken from the experience, Mucklagh Curate Fr John McEvoy was grateful to have escaped uninjured.

“I must be the luckiest man in Ireland. I shouldn’t be here,” he said yesterday.

Fr McEvoy’s Toyota Prius was written off when a large tree branch struck his car as he drove through Mucklagh on the outskirts of Tullamore at about 2pm. Fr McEvoy said the impact pushed the car into the middle of the road and caused considerable damage. A large chunk of wood was deposited on the passenger seat. “It’s unbelievable, that’s all I can say,” he said.

Apart from a scratch to his hand, he was unscathed by the incident and was able to get out of the car without assistance. He was checked over by paramedics before returning home to say a few prayers.

Today, the mixed bag of weather continues. Met Éireann has predicted scattered showers of rain and hail, possibly thundery.