Newsflash: All Donegal schools to shut as Red Alert issued for entire country

Met Éireann has redesignated the entire country to a red level wind warning this evening as Hurricane Ophelia approaches.

The Department of Education said all schools and colleges will be closed tomorrow including Donegal.

A status red wind warning had been in place for Wexford, Galway, Mayo, Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Waterford.

But the wind warning has now been extended across the rest of the country.

The weather warnings come into effect at nine o’clock tomorrow morning.

The hurricane is currently in transition to ex-tropical status, while maintaining hurricane force winds. Met Éireann said it is likely to hit with category two strength.

The Department of Education said its decision comes “following a special meeting of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning in response to Ophelia’s imminent arrival”.

We will bring you other updates as we get them.