Clean-up operations are underway across the country following Storm Darragh, with the ESB having said that restoration work could days several days to complete.
Crews have been working again since first light to restore power - but there's been significant damage to the network.
Nearly 400,000 homes and businesses have been left without power following the storm's landfall.
Winds of up to 140km per hour were observed, with Galway having been particularly badly affected.
'Keep well connected'
Elderly people left without power are being advised to stay connected to their communities.
CEO of the Alone charity Seán Moynihan has said he is concerned for vulnerable people that may have been left isolated.
“For us, the advice to older people in severe weather conditions is to try and keep warm, keep well fed and keep well connected to their community,” he said.
“Especially if they’re on their own or if they’re living with chronic health conditions.”
An elderly woman is using a cordless landline phone. Photo: Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/dpa. 11 October 2019.European meteorologist Dr Kieran Hunt has said that global warming might play a role in storms like Darragh becoming more ferocious.
“These storms would happen whether climate change was here or not,” he said.
“What climate change does is slightly change the configuration of the atmosphere.
“The temperature patterns might change, it might change the moisture patterns or increase the moisture, and those ingredients come together to make the storms.”
'No more storms in the next few days
For now though, Carlow Weather founder Alan O’Reilly has said that there should be no more big storms in the next few days.
“The early days of next week are looking quite settled and quite good,” he said.
“No more storms to look forward to in the next few days at least, with some high pressure over Ireland.
“Too far out yet to be looking at a white Christmas – we are due one, but we’ll have to wait and see.
“At the moment it’s cool, but no snow on the way.”
Meanwhile boil notices have been issued in a number of areas due to pressure on water supplies.
Main image: Crews working for Electricity Supply Board Networks repair one of the main power lines in Co Limerick after storm Aiden. Photo: Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland. 18/02/2014.
