Nearly 1,300 passengers aboard the Stena ferry from Fishguard spent most of last night at sea after the ship was unable to dock in Rosslare because of gale force winds. A spokesman for the Marine Rescue centre said it was expected to come in after the storm abated.
He said the ferry, Kroningen Beatrix, was due in around 7 p.m. but it had spent hours "steaming up and down" in rough seas, between Rosslare and the Tuskar Rock. "It can't get alongside because of gale force easterly winds, which are blowing into the harbour," he added.
Contrary to Met Eireann's optimistic forecasts of a fine bank holiday weekend, gale force winds are predicted to continue raging today in south and southeasterly sea areas, with more of the heavy rain which has already forced several outdoor activities to be moved indoors.
A month's rain fell in just over 12 hours in parts of Munster yesterday. Bad weather in the south is expected to continue until tomorrow, but Connacht and Ulster should escape with only light showers.
The rain began at around 2 a.m. yesterday and by mid-afternoon measurements at Cork Airport showed just over three inches, the average for the month of August. Falls of more than an inch were recorded at Rosslare and into the Midlands.
Met Eireann yesterday sought forgiveness from those who had heeded its predictions on Saturday of a balmy Bank Holiday Sunday. "It's disastrous," one of the forecasters said, "but August is like that. You can never trust a Bank Holiday weekend."
Munster and south Leinster, packed with tourists for the bank holiday weekend and start of the August holidays, suffered the worst of the torrential rain and strong winds.
A yacht which went aground near an island in Clew Bay, Co Mayo, was being assisted by a lifeboat last night, the Marine Rescue centre said. A helicopter from Finner, Co Donegal, had returned to base after it had been established that the crew and the yacht were in no danger.
Valentia radio and lifeboat services reported an exceptionally busy day yesterday as heavy seas caused many problems. Eight yachts moored off Sherkin island had to be brought to shelter in Baltimore harbour.
The Courtmacsherry lifeboat responded to a distress call from a yacht. The Valhalla was towed into Courtmacsherry, where it was safely moored last night. A French yacht, the Dourik, with four people on board, was towed by a fishing vessel - the Peregrine - into Cork harbour after it developed steering difficulties yesterday afternoon. Another yacht, the UK-registered Creole - with three people on board - got into difficulties in Cork harbour and pilots came to its assistance. It was safely in port last night.
It is predicted that the low pressure area which brought the rain will move away but be replaced by another one - and more rain.
Saturday's forecast for Munster predicted temperatures between 19 and 23 degrees Centigrade. "Sunburn time" was put as low as 40 minutes for normal skin. Instead, holidaymakers faced flooding by late morning and gales by early evening. At least they saved on sun cream.