'Frightened' - Tornado causes damage in Danesfort - Kilkenny People Archives

Kilkenny People Archive - Resident in the Ballyda (Danesfort) district had a most unnerving experience on Tuesday evening when, during the height of the thunderstorm, a tornado swept across the country from West to East and left a trail of damage in its wake (writes a Kilkenny People Reporter).

Mr Larry Mullins, who with one of his workmen was returning to his farmyard, told me he saw what appeared to be a huge fog of dust rising from the ground and moving towards them.

"It revolved at a terrific rate," he said, "and made a noise something similar to the hum of an aeroplane. I was riding a horse and were it not for the fact that I was able to get into the farmyard in time I would probably have been carried into the air.

READ NEXT: 'Pull on it Davy' - Familiar GAA face pulls a few pints in Kilkenny clubhouse 

The tornado stretched across about 20 yards and did great damage in Mr. Tom O'Neill's farm- yard. Everything in its path was carried hundreds of feet into the air and newly-cut hay was carried about two miles. An 18-inch sq. concrete pillar of a haybarn was knocked out of place, while a disused haybam, the property of Mr. T. Maher, was beet and cabbage were also tom carried 20 feet into the air. 

A new cowhouse in Mr. O'Neill's yard was severely damaged, the asbestos roof being lifted out of place, while a potato house in Mr. T. Murphy's farmyard was also damaged. People working in fields two miles away saw balls of fire illuminate the sky, and when Mr. Mullins and his workmen saw it first they thought it was a fire.

When I visited Ballyda on Thurs- day there was plenty of evidence of the damage that had been done, and repairs were in progress. Mr. O'Neill told me he was very frightened, while Mr. Mullins said he was not the better of his experience for a considerable time.

FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE