Lightning Strike Kills Ten Cattle on Cavan Farm

A lightning strike killed ten cattle on a farm at Butlersbridge in County Cavan on Friday evening, just hours after a Status Yellow thunderstorm warning had ended.

The incident occurred at approximately 8pm. Met Éireann had issued the thunderstorm alert for Cavan, which remained in effect until 6pm. While the warning had expired, unsettled weather and residual storm activity continued to affect parts of the region into the evening.

RTÉ reports that the ten suckler-bred heifers, owned by a local farmer, had sought shelter under a tree during a heavy downpour. A bolt of lightning struck the ground nearby, killing all ten animals instantly.

Local TD Brendan Smith (Fianna Fáil), who lives in the area, said, ““Farmers invest huge effort and care into rearing their cattle, and this kind of loss is deeply felt—not just economically, but personally too.”

There have been plenty of thunderstorm activity across Ireland in recent days with multiple warnings issued by Met Éireann.

Further thunderstorms are possible ion the northwest of the country on Thursday.