EXTRAORDINARY EXPLOSION IN CO. KILDARE

Extraordinary Explosion in Co. Kildare

Town Partially Wrecked

Nationalist & Leinster Times, January 17, 1920.

Monasterevin on Sunday evening had a startling experience in the form an “electric explosion,” utterly unlike anything ever previously known in the district. A light thunderstorm with frequent flashes of lightning commenced about 6 p.m., with the usual heavy fall of rain, but about 7 p.m. an extraordinary explosion, not mere thunder, took place lighting up the country to a terrible extent, and causing such an atmospheric disturbance as to cause quite a sensation. Many people were literally hurled off their feet, while roofings were displaced and in numerous cases window panes and windows were smashed into fragments. In Moore Street and Main Street all the windows and shop fronts were smashed to pieces. The police barracks the following morning looked as if there had been a seige made on it. It is a large three storey building, and all the glass in the windows were broken. It is stated that when the explosion took place the police thought that a raid was being made on the barracks and all available men were ordered to get ready. Amongst other houses where much damage was done and glass broken were – The Imperial Hotel (Mr G.A. Blackwell), Mrs Uinacke, Monasterevin House; Mr C. O’ Jameson’, J.P., West End; The Very Rev. Edward Kavanagh, P.P., V.F., Parochial House: and Mr Patrick McCabe, General Merchant.

Many people thought that it was bomb explosion, while women fainted and children were terror stricken. The streets were strewn with glass. The pumping station of the Monasterevin Electric Light Co., which is situated near the banks of the river Barrow, were completely demolished, the roof of the building was blown away, and some of the machinery wrenched from their concrete beds, and smashed like wooden baths, while large concrete blocks were also torn up. The man in charge (Mr. R. Jameson) had a narrow escape. He was violently thrown to the ground, but escaped uninjured. The power house also suffered, all the wires and fittings being smashed to pieces. Owing to the failure of electric supply the town is in darkness. The instruments in the Post Office were badly damaged, and all telegraphic communication has been cut off. A large number of telegraph and electric wires were broken. It is stated that there is over £200 worth of glass broken. Within the past few days glaziers and carpenters are having a busy time, putting in glass and window sashes, and the Monasterevin General Store Co., Ltd., are unable to cope with all the orders for glass, putty and timber.

Our representative found the inhabitants stunned with the shock. In Dublin Street and the Square little or no damage was caused. With the exception of some thunder and vivid flashes of lighting, nothing is reported to have taken place in the country districts. Many exciting scenes were witnessed that night, and many hair-breath escapes, but fortunately there was no loss of life.

The floods in Monasterevin and district have been unprecedently high and the river Barrow is still rising. Drogheda Row has been flooded to a depth of two feet, and many families have had to leave their residences. A tree was blown down opposite the Methodist Church, but did no damage. A horse was killed at Ballagh, near the town. Heavy rain succeeded the explosion. Up to the time of writing the town is without light, or telegraphic communications.