Finn O’Shadow

Storm Eowyn tore through Ireland, leaving devastation in its wake. Trees were uprooted, roads flooded, and entire communities plunged into darkness as the country’s electrical infrastructure buckled under the weight of the storm. Now, days later, thousands remain without power, and the chaos has highlighted a troubling reality: Ireland’s power grid is woefully unprepared for the extreme weather events that are becoming increasingly frequent.

A Country Left in the Dark

In the wake of the storm, reports of prolonged power outages have poured in from all over the country. Rural communities have been hit the hardest, with many residents left without electricity, heating, and running water for days on end. Shockingly, some of the most vulnerable members of society, including elderly individuals, are being forced to endure freezing conditions with no clear timeline for restoration.

For instance, in one case, a 93-year-old and a 96-year-old have been without power since Friday, with ESB Networks estimating that it may not be restored until Tuesday. This level of service disruption is unacceptable in a modern European nation.

The Strain on ESB Crews

It is crucial to acknowledge the heroic efforts of ESB workers on the ground, who have been working around the clock to restore power under extraordinarily difficult conditions. Their dedication is commendable, but they are being forced to fight an uphill battle due to years of governmental neglect in upgrading and maintaining the power network.

A Government Failure

While severe storms are inevitable, prolonged and widespread outages should not be. The reality is that Ireland’s power grid has suffered from chronic underinvestment. Much of the infrastructure remains outdated, and rural areas in particular are vulnerable to outages that last far longer than is reasonable.

Successive governments have failed to prioritize resilience in energy infrastructure, despite the increasing frequency of storms in recent years. Undergrounding power lines in key areas, improving response capabilities, and investing in smart grid technologies should have been addressed long ago. Yet, here we are once again, watching thousands of families left in darkness, waiting for emergency repairs that should not have been necessary in the first place.

A Call for Immediate Action

The aftermath of Storm Eowyn must serve as a wake-up call. It is not enough to rely on emergency response teams to patch up damage after each storm. The government must take decisive action to ensure Ireland’s energy infrastructure can withstand future extreme weather events. This includes:

Significant investment in modernising the power grid, including underground cabling in high-risk areas.

Better emergency response planning, ensuring that the most vulnerable receive immediate assistance.

A commitment to renewable and decentralised energy sources to reduce reliance on fragile central grid systems.

Greater transparency and accountability from ESB Networks and government agencies on infrastructure resilience plans.

Time to Learn from the Past

Storm Eowyn is not an isolated incident. We have seen similar destruction in previous years, yet the lessons have not been learned. If the government does not act now, history will repeat itself, with future storms bringing more disruption, more suffering, and more preventable hardship.

Ireland deserves a power grid that meets the needs of its people—not one that collapses under predictable weather events. The time for excuses is over. The time for action is now.