Storm Eleanor: 55,000 ESB customers without power amid flooding and winds of up to 155km/h

Latest: Gusts reaching almost 155km/h have hit Ireland's western shores bringing flooding and power outages.

Update 10pm: Tens of thousands of homes and businesses have been hit with a blackout as Storm Eleanor swept across the country.

ESB Networks said at least 55,000 households and other properties had been affected by the widespread outages in the west and north-west.