Schull schoolgirl thanks Joanna

BY JACKIE KEOGH

A SCHULL girl has written to Met Eireann forecaster Joanna Donnelly to say thanks for keeping her dad and grandad, both fishermen, safe during Storm Ophelia. 

Joanna – who has become the ‘face’ of Ophelia - tweeted the sweet letter and it’s since been retweeted around 500 times. 

Olivia O’Driscoll (8) from Ard Chleire in Schull, wrote to Joanna saying: ‘Thank you so much for warning us all about Hurricane Ophelia and calling a red warning.’

Her little note said: “My dad is a fisherman and he is safe. My grandad is a fisherman too and he is safe.’ And she added a postscript saying: ‘Thank you for two days off school.’

The note went viral after Olivia’s mother, Caroline, took a screen shot of it and shared it with friends on Facebook.

‘Someone must have tagged Joanna Donnelly,’ said Caroline, ‘because within two minutes Joanna had messaged me to ask if she could tweet it. And I said, “absolutely”.’

The humorous forecaster, who is married to fellow forecaster Harm Luijks captioned an image of the letter saying: ‘My work here is done. I’m off to @dunnesstores for the dinner. Stay safe on the roads. Xxx’

Caroline said: ‘Olivia is always expressing herself with little notes. She is a very kind little girl. Last year, when her cousin didn’t make his Holy Communion, she shared her money with him.’

Caroline said Olivia also has a genuine interest in the weather. ‘Her dad, Sean, is a fisherman and when we go to the pier in Schull she looks out for signs of good weather and bad weather. Her granddad, Sean, is from Cape Clear Island, and is also a fisherman, so the sea is in her blood.’