Gardaí urge public to 'beware' of unsecure trampolines during Storm Barra

Earlier this morning, the Kilkenny Fire Service and members of An Garda Síochána were called out to the Castlecomer Road in Kilkenny this morning where a trampoline had blown across a garden and into a hedge beside a utility pole.

Taking to social media after witnessing the “strange scene”, gardaí warned the public that the “possibility of injury in so many ways is huge” before thanking the Fire Service for their assistance.

“Beware of poorly secured objects like trampolines and garden furniture being moved in these conditions,” a spokesperson said.

A Status Red wind warning is currently in place for Cork, Kerry, and Clare while Status Orange alerts have been issued for nine other counties – Galway, Mayo, Limerick, Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow, Dublin, East Meath, and Louth.

Storm Barra hit the south coast of Ireland in the early hours of this morning and will track across the country over the next 24 hours.

Forecasters have warned the storm will prove a varied, complex, powerful and unusual weather event.

Householders, motorists and pedestrians are being warned that the vast Storm Barra ‘weather bomb’ represents a potential threat to life with violent wind gusts of up to 140kmh.

Met Éireann are reporting mean wind speeds increasing along the southern and western coasts this morning – 80km/hr at Sherkin Island in West Cork and 72km/hr at Roches Point in Cork.

Cork, Clare, and Kerry residents were urged to shelter indoors and safely away from exposed coastal areas – and not to undertake any form of travel until Storm Barra passes.