Electric fences were destroyed and cattle broke out during a lightning storm that predominantly hit parts of the country last weekend.

“The lightning blew the electric fence to smithereens on Sunday morning. It ran up through the fence, burning parts of it,” dairy farmer Paddy Cummins, who is based near Thurles in Co Tipperary told the Irish Farmers Journal.

“It knocked out the power and blew off fuses. I had to go out and replace the entire fence.”

A status yellow rain warning was issued for 19 counties by Met Éireann for Sunday morning.

“It had never happened before and neighbours were affected as well,” Cummins said.

“Cattle broke out but they didn’t get into the silage ground so no major damage was done.”

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