Ireland and Northern Ireland to shut schools, public transport ahead of Storm Eowyn

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland and Northern Ireland braced for a storm that officials warned could be one of the most dangerous they have faced when it hits early on Friday, forcing the closure of schools, universities and public transport.

The Irish and UK weather agencies issued a red wind warning - the highest alert level - for the whole of Ireland, Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland, saying inland winds of up to 130 kilometres (81 miles) per hour from Storm Eowyn could be a danger to life.

"Public safety is our core objective for the next 24 hours. The key message remains that people need to shelter in place," Keith Leonard, the chair of Ireland's National Emergency Coordination Group, told a news conference.

"This is among the most dangerous storms that Ireland will have faced... We're going to see huge number of trees down tomorrow and a lot of people are going to be without electricity, broadband, water supplies."

Officials said it was the first time the whole of Ireland had been put under a red weather warning since Storm Ophelia in 2017 that killed three people.

All schools in Ireland and Northern Ireland will be closed on Friday and public transport will not run in Ireland while the red wind warning is in place, currently scheduled from 0200 GMT to 1000 GMT.

The red warning is due to begin in Northern Ireland from 0700 to 1400 and in western and central areas of Scotland from 1000 until 1700, the UK Met Office said.

(Reporting by Padraic Halpin in Dublin, Amanda Ferguson in Belfast and Catarina Demony in London; editing by William James)