Beginning on Sunday, Storm Ashley is expected to unleash strong and gusty southerly winds. Particularly hard-hit will be Galway and Mayo, where a status orange wind warning is in place from midday until 9 PM. Residents in these areas are warned of very strong winds that could coincide with high spring tides, elevating the risks of coastal flooding and significant wave activity.

Nationwide, the less severe but still concerning status yellow wind warning will also be active. This blanket warning, effective from 10 AM until midnight on Sunday, suggests widespread impacts. All counties should prepare for possible coastal flooding, with fallen trees and other debris creating hazardous driving and cycling conditions.

The severity of Storm Ashley is compounded by an ongoing weather advisory, in effect since Thursday. This advisory, spurred by exceptionally high supermoon spring tides, has already put the nation on alert for potential flooding. The overlap of the supermoon event with Storm Ashley’s arrival could exacerbate the conditions, leading to more severe coastal impacts than usual.

As Sunday approaches, authorities urge residents to secure any loose objects that could be displaced by the storm’s fierce winds, to stay clear of vulnerable coastal areas, and to adhere to safety advice from officials. Travel is expected to be particularly dangerous during the storm’s peak, with disruptions to power lines and other infrastructure likely.

The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) has confirmed that the outage is likely to cause some delays in flight schedules. Despite the power cut, the authority has been proactive in managing the situation, ensuring that flights continued to take off. Passengers were advised to proceed to the airport as per their original plans.

During the outage, conditions at the terminal became challenging. Passengers were temporarily held outside Terminal 2 until power could be gradually restored. Others were redirected from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 to facilitate their travel processes. The DAA staff was on hand, distributing water and assisting stranded passengers during the inconvenience.

Eva Murphy Ryan, one of the passengers, expressed her frustration to RTÉ News. She reported being stuck at the top of a check-in line for over an hour, with no information available as screens went blank and baggage carousels ceased operation. According to her, hundreds of passengers were left waiting inside the terminal, looking for updates and guidance.

The DAA has assured that they are working diligently to resolve the issue and will provide more information as the situation evolves. Travelers are encouraged to keep in contact with their airlines to check the latest status of their flights.

Dublin Fire Brigade announced on social media that the blaze was finally under control around 9:30 PM. The fire had initially sparked considerable concern as it spread rapidly, with strong winds driving smoke across a wide area, making the situation more perilous.

One of the most crucial elements in controlling the gorse fire in Sandyford was the involvement of a Coillte helicopter, which played a pivotal role in dousing the flames. The helicopter was deployed around 6:30 PM, dropping water over the affected area for several hours. DFB expressed their gratitude to Coillte, noting that the aerial support allowed “great progress to be made” in containing the fire.

During the operation, up to 4,000 homes in the Tallaght and Dundrum areas experienced power outages as the flames damaged power lines. However, thanks to the quick response from the ESB, the affected homes were switched to a different power line, and electricity was restored within approximately 90 minutes. By Sunday evening, ESB crews were still assessing the extent of the damage.

The fire was attended by six units of Dublin Fire Brigade, including two water tankers, which managed to bring the situation largely under control by late afternoon. Despite the fire being confined to a relatively small area, it generated a significant amount of smoke, which was visible across large parts of Dublin. As a precaution, local roads such as Woodside Road and Slate Cabin Road were temporarily closed to traffic.

Residents in the area were advised by both the DFB and local councillor Oisín O’Connor to stay indoors and close their windows due to the heavy smoke. The situation prompted hundreds of calls to DFB from concerned citizens.

An Garda Síochána was also present at the scene, assisting fire services. Fortunately, there were no reports of injuries related to the gorse fire in Sandyford.

This incident highlights the ongoing risks posed by gorse fires during dry weather conditions and underscores the importance of rapid response and inter-agency cooperation in managing such emergencies.