Hotels open doors to powerless locals as bitter cold tightens grip

 Snow covered countryside entering Ballyvourney (Baile Bhuirne) in Cork . 

A status orange low temperature and ice warning is now in effect until 11am Thursday for most of the country, as persistent ice and snow continue to disrupt travel and power supplies.

Temperatures plunged to -6C overnight, with the coldest readings recorded in Mullingar, Co Westmeath (-6.1C), Dublin's Casement Aerodrome (-5.8C), and Gurteen, Co Tipperary (-5.7C).