The anniversary of the deadly 1974 storm that killed 3 and a wave that cut the island of Inishbofin , Donegal in half

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The weather in January 1974 was mild, wet and stormy as the North Atlantic and a large section of north-western Europe was under a “sway of complex low pressure area”. An extreme storm on 11–12 January caused extensive damage. In particular full moon spring tides combined with wind and low pressure caused damage to low-lying coastal farms and houses.

“Roads were blocked by seaweed, rocks or other debris and in some sections destroyed”. Many small boats sank and larger boats were torn from their moorings. Also, a “freak event” at Crushoa, in south Galway, occurred on the evening of 11 January. Seaweed farmers noticed the tide “reversed for about an hour and then returned with full force and vigour not discernable in its earlier movement” (Met Éireann (2016); Connacht Tribune, 18 January 1974). The descriptions given here imply that this event was a storm surge.

On the eve of the 11th of Jan 1974 a deadly storm caused extensive damage across Ireland, sadly 3 lives were lost in the event. The island of Inishbofin off the Donegal coast was temporarily cut in two by waves sweeping over its central plateau an event not previously witnessed.