This Irish hotel has offered free accommodation during the storm

What a brilliant gesture.

With Ophelia affecting the first few counties in the west and south-west this morning, one hotel has decided to help those in need of shelter. Vienna Woods Hotel in Cork has offered free rooms to anyone in the area of Glanmire that needs them. They took to Twitter this morning to make the gesture.

Hotel rooms complimentary to our locals in Glanmire today if you need somewhere safe and dry. #staysafe #Ophelia

— Vienna Woods Hotel (@CorkViennaWoods) October 16, 2017

Ophelia has already hit parts of Cork and Kery with trees and debris already affecting local roads and areas, in particular in the Douglas area. Winds are beginning to pick up strength in other parts of Cork.

The wind has picked up very significantly in Cobh in just the last half hour #ophelia pic.twitter.com/ZB51q0i4xS

— Cork Harbour Weather (@CorkHarbourWX) October 16, 2017

Stephen Murphy from RTÉ captured this video in Kinsale earlier this morning.

#ophelia - just got caught in a sandstorm in Ballinspittle. Gale force winds in Kinsale#storm #StormOphelia pic.twitter.com/OvHkbl2xK3

— Stephen Murphy (@SMurphyTV) October 16, 2017

In preparation for today’s events, Met Éireann has confirmed the times the public in different regions around the country should remain indoors for safety reasons. From 7am – Coastal areas of Cork and Kerry. From 9am – Remaining parts of Munster From 12pm – South Leinster and Galway From 1pm – Dublin and remaining Leinster From 3pm – North Connacht and Ulster