Galway’s big clean-up is in full swing after Storm Éowyn – but frustration is growing in many parts of the county at the slow progress being made with the return of services most notably electricity.

By mid-week around 50,000 ESB customers around the county were still without power nearly a week on. Uisce Éireann however had some good news in mid-week confirming that the majority of customers in the Mid-Galway Water Supply Scheme had water back as normal on Wednesday morning last, although they said that ‘some small pockets’ were still experiencing disruption.

Earlier in the week, Galway County Council confirmed the setting of of emergency Response Hubs at a number of locations across the Council’s municipal districts in order to provide water, hot food, phone charging/broadband facilities, showering and clothes washing facilities. For information on those contact: 091-509 069 or email the Council at: communityresponse@galwaycoco.ie

But on the sporting front, the Galway International Motor Rally scheduled to take place this weekend, February 1st and 2nd, has been cancelled due to infrastructural and communications damage caused by the storm.

Reacting to the response, Roscommon/Galway Independent Ireland TD, Michael Fitzmaurice, called for ‘heads to roll’ in Uisce Éireann over their handling of water supplies in the aftermath of the storm.

“All of these disruptions to water supply could have been prevented had the Government and Irish Water the foresight to take a few simple steps like ensuring there were generators available at the main pumping stations and smaller generators at booster pumps.

“There has been plenty of advance notice; we’ve had warnings in place since last Wednesday that this was to be a storm unlike any other; and still here we are with  hundreds of thousands without water, power and heat,” said Deputy Fitzmaurice.

Caption: Miracle…the holy statues survived the fall of two large trees uprooted by Storm Éowyn at the grounds of St. Brendan’s Cathedral, Loughrea. Photograph: Hany Marzouk

See full coverage in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.