Then, just
as you started to approach Ireland, to become the first hurricane “On record”, those
weather people downgraded you to an “Ex-hurricane” and changed your name to
“Ex-Ophelia”!
Alas, we
were still hit pretty hard - we all know the damage an angry “Ex” can do!
I spent early
Monday morning clearing the last few wee bits and bobs in our walled garden.
Hoping that this stoutly built barrier and our, luckily, North West facing
aspect would be protected by the house. Well that was my thinking anyway. At
the time of writing Ex-Ophelia was just starting to show her teeth and starting
her relentless march into Waterford City.
There was
the odd ping of debris, hitting the office window and trees were shedding leaves
like no tomorrow. At least Winnie The Pooh would have been happy, “I don’t mind
the leaves that are leaving. It is the leaves that are coming...” he famously
said. Describing the avalanche of autumn leaves falling around his house. Come
Tuesday morning, there will probably not be a tree in Ireland wearing any
autumnal colours. Leaf blowers becoming redundant in Ireland this year, as
Ex-Ophelia’s sorcery being supreme.
No doubt
some brave and foolish souls, had ventured out to get that once in a lifetime,
danger seeking selfie. Holding their camera phone tightly, to stop it being blowing
away in the wind. Better still, trying to keep one of those ridiculous stick
things steady, to frame the perfect storm. These selfish people put the lives
of our emergency services at risk and getting that Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
shot is not worth the jeopardy.
At least
Ex-Ophelia has taken all our minds off a rather weak and non-eventful Dolly
Mixture of a budget. Paschal “Use the Force Luke” Donohoe and his fearful
leader Leo “Darth-Varadkar” had to cancel their budget road trip to the Sunny
South East and Waterford City. Many had thought that, on this very voyage the
dynamic duo would announce the loosening of the exchequer purse. Finally delivering,
with no strings attached, the circa €61,000,000 for the infrastructural works,
for our Strategic Development Zone, on the North Quays. Trust me, that auld
rumour mill was working overtime last week.
Our Ex
certainly put a BIG stop to that!!!
The
Government cavalcade is simply going to drive right on past Waterford. No doubt
heading off into the Wesht! Maybe they’ll find their way back to us on the
return leg of the road trip? Och, how silly of me. I forgot they don’t have the
satellite co-ordinates for Waterford City, do they?
In many
ways, the story of ex-hurricane Ophelia could be a metaphor for Waterford City
and County. The promise of something spectacular coming our way. The delivery
of a game changing impact project for the whole population. A big announcement
that will fix our economic woes.
We have
waited and waited. There has been promise after promise broken. Deadline after
deadline missed. Goal posts being moved at every single opportunity. Ministers
and TDs ducking and diving, to avoid the eye of the storm. We always seem to
end up with a downgrade. Something more palatable to the constituents of the
people in power and yet little or no use to the people of Waterford.
It looks
like we may well have to sit and wait for considerably more time, to encounter
our first hurricane on record, to grace these shores.
Here’s some
late, late good news to finish. Last weekend the magnificent Nationwide Team
(with Brian and Suzie) were back in Waterford, filming a full programme with
Waterford Camino Tours. The show will air in the spring of next year and will
be hosted by the elegant Mary Kennedy. We really are so very lucky to have such
support, for our City and County from this flagship RTE programme.
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