Residents in North and West Clare say while the impact of Storm Barra was significant, it wasn’t as bad as first feared.
Clean-up operations are continuing across local roads and in coastal areas throughout the county.
The sound of waves hitting the rocks in Lahinch this morning, with wind speeds still reaching upwards of 70 kilometres per hour.
The promenade on the North Clare beach has been particularly quiet today, with residents and beach goers heeding warnings from authorities to remain indoors where possible.
Ben Bennett from Ben’s Surf Clinic says while conditions were difficult in the area last night, they were manageable.
Of the few that did venture out, the general mood was that any storm damage in North Clare was limited.
Mike Quinn from Galway is spending the week in Lahinch with his wife.
Businesses across the county are also slowly reopening their doors as power is restored and winds get calmer.
That’s the sound of trolleys being put into use in Jones’ SuperValu in Miltown Malbay, which was one of many businesses in the area that closed yesterday afternoon and didn’t open until late this morning.
While conditions are still difficult in Miltown, John Jones says customers are slowly walking back through the doors.
However, not every area of Clare feels it has the relevant defences in place to be able to cope with future storms.
Previous storms have left their mark on Doughmore Beach in Doonbeg impacting sand dunes in the area.
Rita McInerney of McInerney’s Shop in the village says further resources there and throughout West Clare are badly needed to mitigate the impact of future events.
