Festive snow melts hearts

COLD SNAP SET TO CONTINUE BUT SLIGO ESCAPES WORST

MANY parts of Sligo were Christmas card perfect last weekend with timely snowfalls making the picturesque landscape extra festive.

While snowmen popped up in gardens and parks however, motorists and pedestrians faced treacherous road conditions, particularly in the south of the county.

Cloonacool, Tubbercurry and Geevagh were hit with up to four inches of snow on Saturday night which froze on Sunday night, leaving byeroads covered in compacted frozen snow and black ice yesterday.

“You’d want to be picking your step out walking,” said Pat McCarrick in Cloonacool. “The side roads are very bad as well, it’s all turning to slush now,” he added.

Eileen Davey (of Tubbercurry Drama Festival fame) said sheep still had to be fed nuts and silage as there was still quite a lot of snow in the fields in her area. Roads were clear however.

Sligo County Council roads crews were busy treating all main routes in the county over the past few days but the overnight rain and low temperatures have left roads in a very hazardous condition, with black ice in places.

Motorists are reminded to take care extreme care and drive very slowly on all routes, particularly on untreated roads, and pedestrians are asked to beware of icy footpaths

All Bus Eireann services continued to operate, with minor delays due to road conditions.

All rail services operated as normal also but the 4.30pm Sligo to Dublin train was delayed by up to an hour Sunday evening due to snow at Longford.

West Sligo and Sligo town escaped relatively unscathed with only the Ox Mountains, Knocknarea and Benbulben getting a dusting of snow.

Most schools around the county remained open with those in the worst affected areas opening late yesterday morning to give schoolchildren time to get to school safely.

Met Eireann is forecasting a cold and blustery day tomorrow, Wednesday, with widespread showers or showery rain; some showers will turn wintry at times with falls of snow on the higher ground. There will be highest temperatures of 4 to 8 degrees in strong westerly winds. Showers will retreat towards western coastal counties overnight leaving much of the country clear. Severe frost is due as temperatures fall to around freezing.

Thursday will remain cold with further rain or showers during the day. Highest temperatures of 4 to 8 degrees with winds turning more northerly in direction. Severe frost to follow overnight in clearer conditions.

Friday will be a cold bright day with some showers and severe frost overnight.