Blood donations fell by nearly 1,000 last year

The number of blood donations decreased by 977 last year, with Storm Emma and the Beast from the East being blamed for the drop.

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service collected almost 126-thousand donations in 2018.

The IBTS says the challenges tested its contingency arrangements, but it called on donors to donate and they responded magnificently.

The service reported an increase in the number of first time donors last year.

Blood donation clinics will be held at the Clonmel Park Hotel from Monday to Thursday of next week.