Irish Women Battle to Keep Trampoline Sent Flying in Storm Barra Winds

Two sisters in the southeast Irish town of Bantry, County Cork, rushed to grab and secure a trampoline as high winds brought by Storm Barra almost sent it airborne.

Catherine Wharton said she and her sister Mary Wharton raced out of the back of the house after being alerted by a neighbor that their trampoline was flying over their fence, CorkBeo reported.

The sisters, who operate Whartons Fish & Chips in Bantry, were still wearing their pajamas as they battled against the wind to bring the trampoline back to earth. "Serious girl power,” said Catherine, seen in the video wearing a pink robe with a towel wrapped around her head, according to CorkBeo.

Video of the struggle was captured by Catherine’s 13-year-old daughter Maddison and posted by Catherine on TikTok.

Ireland’s meteorological office, Met Eireann, on Monday had issued a Status Red wind warning to residents of counties Cork and Kerry, saying “southwesterly winds later veering northwesterly will reach mean speeds in excess of 80 km/h (50 mph) with severe or damaging gusts in excess of 130km/h (80 mph).”

As the storm was hitting, Cork County Council said Bantry was the area worst affected, due to “High Astronomical Tide, storm surcharging, and wave action.”

As of 6 pm on Tuesday, 38,000 electricity customers were without power across the country, mainly due to trees falling on power lines, Ireland’s Electricity Supply Board (ESB) reported.

The country’s education department advised that schools and third-level education facilities in 11 counties remain closed on Wednesday. Credit: Catherine Wharton via Storyful