The shops are closed, the roads are empty and students around the country are praising the Gods of wind for giving them a day to lie in bed and sleep the day away.
Hurricane Ophelia (or now Ex-hurricane Ophelia – it’s a complicated relationship at the moment) has managed to shut down the country in a way not seen since the Pope’s visit or Italia’ 90. People from all ends of Ireland have been reacting to the incoming storm in various different ways.
Here are the 8 different types of people reacting to Ophelia. We’re sure you’ll recognize at least a couple.
1. The Netflix bingers
Nigel McCormack on Twitter
Right so. Season 2 it is. Nice one #Ophelia #OpheliaandChill #Netflix #ontheclock
It’d be no surprise if #OpheliaAndChill is trending before the day is over.
Advice to charge your tablets and download your favourite Netflix series is being treated as seriously as legitimate safety warnings by some.
It’s the perfect day for it though. Forget about the wind and rain, and tuck into some quality series-binging. Treat yo’self.
2. The angry commuters
That Joe Guy on Twitter
Dublin Bus: “Should we cancel services before people get to work?” “Na, let’s post a cryptic message then cancel buses hours later” #Ophelia
It seems a bit unfair to include this, given that you’ll find hundreds of people rant about their choice of public transport on any given day.
Despite this, Ophelia unleashed the anger of commuters everywhere today when services such as Dublin Bus and Luas cancelled in the middle of the morning, leading to a mass exodus from the capital of those who had already shown up for work.
It’s okay though. It’s not like it was well known that a hurricane was coming already…
3. The survival experts
Rob Morgan on Twitter
Between making sure doors/windows are secure and stockpiling food, it’s all beginning to feel like The Purge. #opheliahurricane #Ophelia
Board the windows, lock the doors, stock up with seven bottles of milk and eleven sliced pans; these people have planned four steps ahead.
Will there be such an apocalypse that all of this is really necessary? Who knows, but these people will leave nothing to chance, and are probably looking forward to acting very smug should the worst happen.
4. The Pintmen
Lucy Cochrane on Twitter
ophelia off to the Winchester and wait for all this to blow over @simonpegg https://t.co/mBxc10aLBj
You’re off work or college, you have nothing to do, you need to stay somewhere warm safe; sure where else would you go but the pub?
If there’ll be one group of people that will benefit from such an event, it’ll be the brave bar owners opening their doors today for the thirsty among us.
Don’t mention anything about the morning-after just yet though.
5. The pranksters.
https://twitter.com/Simon_Murdoch/status/919869135978459136
Some people will take any opportunity to pull a fast one and their nearest and dearest.
There’s no doubt that there’ll be many poor mothers like the one pictured above who will have their genuine care and worry twisted for the sake of a joke.
We’re not saying we condone such behaviour, but realistically we’ll probably laugh at it all the same.
6. The Father Ted Jokers
kev bonnie on Twitter
Forget the Simpsons predicting the future ! Father ted was on the ball #StormOphelia #Ophelia
Sure it wouldn’t be a national event without something throwing a cheeky reference to Father Ted in there, would it?
This might go without saying, but expect plenty of remarks from the iconic show to come across your screen today, including ‘Careful Now’ and ‘Looks like rain, Ted’.
Clichéd, but you never know. Maybe there is something to be said for saying another mass now.
7. The downplayer
Richard Guiheen on Twitter
@ChloeGMoretz Don’t worry! It’s only going to be a few gales. See us Irish like to make things out like we are going to die but really we are just having a bit of craic! #Ophelia #WeAllGood
“It’s only a bit of wind!”, they’ll say.
Despite warnings from the authorities saying that this event will put lives at risk, Ophelia is nothing that’ll stop this over confident yoke from going about his day as if nothing happened.
Nothing particularly wrong with this, and not to be confused with ‘the mad b*astard’ who’ll even go to the beach in a pair of Speedos if it gets him enough retweets.
You’re not ‘mad’, and you’re not brave. Do us all favour; stay in and have a cup of tea or something.
8. The one who loses all sense of identity
Annemarie on Twitter
DCU asking the important questions…. #Ophelia
Not even the biggest universities of the country are immune of the effects of Ophelia. Dublin City University is such an example, who has seemed to have a full-blown identity crisis upon news of the storm.
Are we a third level institution? What even is a university? Who am I? Why am I here?
That’s what a hurricane will to do a person; it changes you. It makes you question everything about yourself.
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No matter which one of these headings you fall under today, stay safe, be prepared and above all:
DON’T MAKE UNNECESSARY JOURNEYS!
Daniel O’Connor