Home 'destroyed' after roof left off Laois house during Storm Ashley

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help a woman whose Laois home was severely damaged after it was left without a roof during Storm Ashley in October 2024.

Darina Ní Cholmáin’s ceiling collapsed and she was left tens of thousands of euro out of pocket after the ordeal at her home in Donaghmore late last year. 

Her case was picked up by RTE’s The Complaints Bureau programme who carried out an investigation following the incident.

Speaking to the Leinster Express, Ms Ní Cholmáin explained that she had “dabbled with the idea of getting solar panels” fitted on the house she had lived in for 25 years. 

However, she said she had some issues with leaks and the solar company recommended a roofer that they used. Ms Ní Cholmáin contacted the roofer who quoted €17,000 to do the job. 

She said he arrived a day late in early October. “The builder came down and said he wanted a deposit of €3,000 before he started the work,” she explained. Ms Ní Cholmáin said he removed the roof and covered it in felt and polythene but didn’t leave it weatherproofed and when it rained the water started to flow into the house. 

Ms Ní Cholmáin sent a video to the roofer who returned and tried to patch up the problem. However, she said the roofer returned “sporadically” after that but every time it rained the rainwater poured in. She said the roofer returned and then requested another  €3,000 to pay his workers. “I was left with an exposed roof at this stage,” she said. 

Ms Ní Cholmáin said Storm Ashley swept across the country causing serious damage to her home and the roofer did not return. She later had to hire another roofer to complete the roofing job. 

In the meantime, rainwater had leaked into six of the seven rooms in the house. A ceiling collapsed while others still need to be replaced. Damage was caused to carpets, furniture, personal belongings and fittings. 

“I have been quoted €4,800 for the sitting room alone to be replastered,” said Ms Ní Cholmáin. 

She said water poured in through light fittings and she has been advised to have the entire electrical system examined. 

“I don’t have the money to do the repairs that are required,” she said. 

She said “it is shocking that there is no regulation in the building industry,” she said. 

Ms Ní Cholmáin had to hire a large skip to dispose of all the damaged items from her house.

“He has destroyed the place and walked away without a backward glance,” she claimed. 

Her son has now set up a GoFundMe page in an effort to help pay for some of the repairs to the home as Ms Ní Cholmáin can’t afford to do the work. 

Anyone who wants to support Ms Ní Cholmáin can do so at the following link https://gofund.me/fa2ea555