DEATH STORM
Three killed fallen trees as Ophelia strikes Damage hits millions of euro after Ireland battered Schools still closed as thousands without power
THREE people were killed as Hurricane Ophelia unleashed its deadly power across Ireland yesterday.
The raging storm ripped in from the Atlantic at dawn and battered the country with 120mph gales and tidal surges. Tragic Clare O’neill, Michael Pyke and Fintan Goss lost their lives to fallen trees as many roads became death traps. Ms O’neill, who was in her 50s, was killed when a large branch slammed through her car i n Waterford as her mum looked on. Mr Pyke, 31, died as he cleared timber in Co Tipperary and in Co Louth 33-year-old Mr Goss was killed when a tree hit his vehicle. Former Fine Gael Senator Jim D’arcy, who knows the Goss family, said: “It’s a very cruel world. Words can’t express how everybody feels.” Schools will remain closed after millions of euro worth of damage was caused and thousands of homes were without power during the worst storm since the 1960s.
A HEARTBROKEN mum watched as her daughter became the first Irish victim of Hurricane Ophelia. Tragic nurse Clare O’neill was one of three people who lost their lives after they were struck by fallen trees. Less than an hour later, Michael Pyke, 31, was killed in Co Tipperary. A third fatality was confirmed when Fintan Goss, 33, died after a tree fell on his car in Ravensdale, Dundalk, Co Louth, at 2.45pm. He was trapped in his car and later pronounced dead. All three deaths took place in a three-hour period as Ophelia swept through the country, unleashing ferocious 120mph winds in places and bringing 12 hours of destruction. Ms O’neill, who was in her 50s, was killed while driving on the R671 road between the villages of Clashmore and Aglish in rural west Co Waterford. Her mother, aged in her 70s, suffered the cruel agony of watching her daughter die before her eyes in a freak accident at 11.40am as a large branch crashed through their windscreen and instantly killed the oncology nurse. She was pronounced dead at the scene a short time after emergency services arrived at the scene. Her mother was taken to hospital by ambulance after suffering non-lifethreatening injuries. Both women are from the area between Aglish and Clashmore. The family moved there about seven years ago, having originally come from Co Cork. The accident happened less than a kilometre from Ms O’neill’s home. She worked as an oncology nurse for over three decades, having lately worked as a support co-ordinator with the Cork ARC Cancer Support House with their East Cork and West Waterford service, based in Youghal. She previously worked with the ARC cancer support team at its base on O’donovan Rossa Road in Cork. Local shopkeeper Richard Hurley said: “She was a very jolly, very helpful. “It’s a big shock, it’s a miserable morning, a young woman like that in such a tragic accident.” Mr Pyke, 31, was killed when he went to clear a fallen tree using a chainsaw in the Ballybrado area outside Cahir, Co Tipperary, at 12.30pm. He was seriously injured and died at the scene. His body was removed to South Tipp erar y Gen eral Ho spit al in Clonmel for a postmortem. He had a partner of four years and was from Ardfinnan and lived on St Joseph’s Terrace in the village. It’s understood he went to cut up a tree which had fallen on a road about 3km from his home, between the village of Ballylooby and Cahir, but was fatally injured by one of the tree’s branches. Gardai are trying to
She was very jolly. It’s a miserable morning. It’s just a big shock RICHARD HURLEY CORK YESTERDAY
establish why he had decided to cut the tree. Independent TD Mattie Mcgrath, who knows the victim’s relatives, said: “It’s a devastating tragedy for the family of this young man. “They’re a hard-working family and for his life to be taken like that is just shocking. “It would bring home to us the dangers of going out into the wind.” And tributes were last night paid to dad-of-two Mr Goss, who married his wife Pamela last year and lived locally in Co Louth. The popular and well-respected family suffered previous heartbreak when his eldest brother Ronan died tragically in Scotland in 2000 aged 22. It is understood Fintan had been coming home early from work to spend the rest of the day with his family when the tragedy occurred. The 33-year-old tradesman had a three-year -old daughter named Laragh and became a dad for the second time in recent months. Family friend and former Fine Gael Senator Jim D’ ar cy, who was appointed as an advisor to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar earlier this month, said: “They’re a wonderful family and I’m heartbroken for them because this is their second tragic loss. “It’s terrible for such a lovely family, you couldn’t get better. Words can’t express how everybody in the area feels about this. I taught the four kids so I know all about them. It’s a very cruel world.” Sinn Fein C ounci l lor Antoin Watters said the area was shocked by the death. He added: “This is a real tragedy for the man’s family and the community. I would urge everyone to stay indoors until the storm passes.” National Emergency Co-ordination Group chair Sean Hogan sai d hundreds of roads nationwide were blocked by fallen trees. Meanwhile, local authority crisis management teams met yesterday as they sur veyed the extent of the damage. The brunt of the storm was expected to have passed over Ireland by midnight, moving over Britain early this morning.