Public urged to avoid coastal area during Storm Éowyn

A Bettystown councillor is urging the public to avoid sea swimming and travelling to the coastal area during Storm Éowyn.

The plea comes as Red and Orange weather warnings have been issued ahead of "probably among the severest storms" Ireland has ever seen - National Emergency Co-ordination Group.

Met Éireann has issued a Status Red Wind Warning across the entire country commencing in the early hours of Friday 24th January 2025.

The National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) is coordinating a national response to the Status Red weather warnings.

Gardai issued an urgent warning to the public earlier today saying that Storm Éowyn will be a weather event that is "dangerous, damaging and destructive with potential serious risk to life and injury for people who do not follow safety advice."

Fine Gael Cllr Sharon Tolan is urging people to do just that.

"We are urging people to Stay away from the beach and under no circumstances should anyone swim or walk the beach during a red weather warning," said Tolan.

"Stay well back from the coast, we are expecting the sea to be very rough," she added.

Last week councillors voiced their frustration over the lack of progress in finding solutions to combat serious flooding in the Bettystown area.

Torrential rain coupled with high tides saw over 30 homes in Bettystown destroyed by flooding in August 2023.

A number of homes on the Golf Links Road and the Village estate in Bettystown were also damaged in a second flooding incident in October of the same year.

An update on the long awaited OPW report into the incidents was met with frustration at the recent Laytown/Bettystown Municipal District Meeting with councillors describing the speed at which it is being worked on as "disappointing."

However, this storm is not expected to result in serious flooding and Tolan is hopeful home owners will come away unscathed on this occasion.

"Certainly there will be heavy showers throughout but there isn't a huge amount of rain fall expected," she said.

"Tide times look to be with us during this event," she added.

"There will be a high tide at 7.10am in the morning, it is not a high spring tide, it is 3.77m so generally speaking you wouldn't worry about that size of a high tide but certainly the gusts will be very strong and very damaging in excess of 130km per hour.

"It is more the roads, the damage to property that we are encouraging people to take care with. We are asking people to ensure bins are well secure and any lawn or garden furniture is put in a secure place."

Meath County Council crews will not be mobilised during a Red Weather event but there are plans in place to coordinate an effective, efficient response once it is safe to do so.

"Our crews are planning ahead but it is important to remember that they have to remain safe as well so during a red warning they will not be able to answer calls immediately, they will have to wait until the red weather warning is finished to clean up debris or do whatever they are needed to do," said Tolan.

"During other events where we had heavy rain and flooding , crews could respond during the flood events but we are not expecting flooding.

“There may be debris or branches from fallen trees so people should take care and give themselves extra time when travelling on the roads when it is safe to do so."