The storm also caused significant physical impact. Coming only a month after Storm Darragh, which left its own legacy of damage, this has exerted severe pressure on Coillte, the National Parks & Wildlife Service and trail management groups across the country.
By way of example, of Coillte’s 260 recreation sites, 72 remain partially or fully closed two months later. At the time of writing (6th March), Coillte’s recreation team was still trying to work out the full impact of the storm on their trail infrastructure, with some sites not yet accessible due to fallen trees.
Trail management organisations are working hard to get trails cleared and open again, yet there remains a lot of work ahead, so some patience and understanding is needed. Walkers and other recreational users are also asked to exercise caution and not enter forests with windblown trees as hazards arising from storm damage may not be visible. The Coillte.ie website provides information on which of their recreation sites are closed, for other trails contact the trail management organisation, or the local Rural Recreation Officer may have information to help - https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/925db9-rural-recreation-officers/