History: Irish Big Snow.

Wibbler

Not sure if this has ever been posted here before, but came across it during a Google. Nice article:

http://www.turtlebunbury.com/history/history_irish/history_irish_big_snow.htm

caseyann

Oh how odd almost every 20 years

Sonovagun

caseyann wrote: »

Oh how odd almost every 20 years

And during a recession years!

looksee

Fascinating article. I was born in February 1947 during the 'big snow', though admittedly it was in northern England. The weather was so bad that I arrived before the midwife.

In 1963 I remember trying to get to school and seeing two double decker buses sliding backwards, quite gracefully, down a hill.

In 1983 we were living in County Kilkenny. The country road past the house filled with snow to a depth of about 3 or 4 feet in the middle, and the height of the hedges at the edges. Until a local builder drove a jcb down the middle of the road we were unable to leave the house. We did manage to walk to the village shops about 2 miles away, but there was no bread, we were able to buy flour and made our own. We were very entertained that bread was being airlifted to remote houses in Wicklow, though I suppose they were suitably grateful

fjon

Great article. The 1947 bit is particularly interesting - however bad it gets, it won't be a patch on that!

Wibbler

Puts the current snap into perspective, doesn't it? Jan. 1982 was nearly thirty years ago, so there are quite a few boardsies who weren't born yet or too young to remember it.

I'm sitting in Swords, looking out the window and I think the max 1/2 inch that we've had accumulate since Saturday pales into significance compared to Jan 1982. Although I didn't live in Swords at the time so I don't know how bad it was here.

nacho libre

excellent article.

30 snow days out of 50. I just can't see that ever happening again. it surely would test your love of snow, and if it did ever happen it would lead to civil war on here. that is of course assuming any of us still had internet connections.

chucken1

My mother used tell a lovely story about the big freeze in 1963. She was expecting me and took great delight in walking along the frozen Shannon!! Its a wonder Im here at all .

Hobbes

I remember the 1982 one because I could of died in it. Walking out in St Annes Park and saw a tree sticking slightly out of the snow. When I walked over to it I sunk right down below the snow. Everytime I moved I sunk lower, so I was hanging onto the branch I saw.

About 20 mins later some guy comes by and tries to help and sinks in as well. We were both there for a while until a load of guys came by, they formed a chain to get us out. When the snow was gone turned out the branch was way up a fallen tree (much taller then me).

Daisy Steiner

I was 2 and a half during the 1982 snow.

My Dad often tells me how rough it was trying to keep the family warm (and stop my two big brothers from bringing me out into the snow)

They managed to sneak me as far as the front yard one day where I was sitting (quite happily) up to my neck in snow!

jprboy

From the 1947 piece:

"De Valera’s post-war Ireland ground to a complete standstill. The transport system was the first major thing to crumple...... No amount of grit or rocksalt was ever going to compete"

"Perhaps inevitably, de Valera’s stumbling Fianna Fáil government got the blame for the lousy weather. As with Britain’s Labour government across the water, they were slung out of power in the ensuing General Election"

Ah, so many parallels.

Now, where's my axe because:

"People began to hack up furniture while, in the countryside, countless trees were felled for firewood."

mikemac

Great article

My Dad was telling me in 1963 large parts of Lough Derg were frozen over. I believe it. Sure there are videos of Dromineer Harbour frozen over on youtube

However, he also said you could walk from the Tipp side to the Islands in the middle. Lough Derg being the largest lake in Ireland, I find that hard to believe

milosh

There are pictures in Newbridge of the Liffey frozen solid (just above the weir at the college) from 1947. Don't think we are going to have it that bad again some how.

mountainy man

I remember 1982 , was living in wales at the time and woke one morning to the sight of snow half way up the glass door couldnt see over it was so cool ! ( was six at the time am not a midget:D) thats my earliest snow memory:)

Wild Bill

I was living in Bray in 1982 and it got cut off from Dublin at Loughlinstown! The snow (an easterly blizzard) lasted about 36 hours and dumped a foot of snow at the coast and twice that inland in places like Enniskerry and Dundrum. It froze hard for about 10 days afterwards; lowest was -10c in Casement the night it stopped. (It was colder in January 1979; 78/79 was a much harsher winter).

Packed ice formed on the city streets after the '82 fall (you think the gritting is bad today!) and the army was out with picks breaking it up on Grafton St several days later.

It was not much worse than the current episode, at least in South Dublin - tonight we have nearly a foot of snow - but outside of the estates the roads are ploughed and treated; never blocked for more than a few hours.

DeepSleeper

feelingstressed wrote: »

Great article

My Dad was telling me in 1963 large parts of Lough Derg were frozen over. I believe it. Sure there are videos of Dromineer Harbour frozen over on youtube

However, he also said you could walk from the Tipp side to the Islands in the middle. Lough Derg being the largest lake in Ireland, I find that hard to believe

I think that might be true actually - I've heard people loaded up a boat with supplies around Coolbawn or Luskagh and pushed it across the ice to Islandmore - there might even be photos of this...

chucken1

feelingstressed wrote: »

Great article

My Dad was telling me in 1963 large parts of Lough Derg were frozen over. I believe it. Sure there are videos of Dromineer Harbour frozen over on youtube

However, he also said you could walk from the Tipp side to the Islands in the middle. Lough Derg being the largest lake in Ireland, I find that hard to believe

They walked from the Clare side too

Heres a link to a thread on boards in 2005!


http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054850822&page=2