Malin Head, at the top of Donegal, holds Met Éireann's record gust for six of the twelve months of the year, and gales blow there on more than 50 days a year. A trampoline can live happily in that, but only if it is sited, anchored and looked after with the wind in mind.
This guide sets out what the weather records say, what BERG advises, the two anchor kits we sell, and when it makes more sense to put the trampoline in the ground. Jump to: the records, five steps, anchor kits, going in-ground, Donegal ground.
| Month | Gust | Date |
|---|---|---|
| March | 167 km/h | 20 March 1986 |
| June | 137 km/h | 24 June 1962 |
| July | 137 km/h | 25 July 1988 |
| September | 181 km/h | 16 September 1961 (Hurricane Debbie) |
| November | 170 km/h | 6 November 1996 |
| December | 178 km/h | 26 December 1998 |
Source: Met Éireann, weather extreme records.
| Storm | Peak gust in Donegal | Warning |
|---|---|---|
| Storm Éowyn24 January 2025 | 163 km/h at Malin Head; 150 km/h at Finner, that station's highest on record | Status Red for Donegal, 7am to 2pm |
| Storm Amy3 October 2025 | 148 km/h at Malin Head | Status Red for Donegal, 4pm to 6pm |
Sources: Met Éireann's Storm Éowyn report and October 2025 climate statement. A year before Éowyn, Storm Isha brought gusts of 133 km/h to Malin Head and 130 km/h to Finner on 21 January 2024.
Three more figures from Met Éireann complete the picture. Gales are recorded on more than 50 days a year at northern coastal stations such as Malin Head, against fewer than 2 at some inland places like Carlow. Annual mean wind speeds range from 3 m/s in parts of south Leinster to over 8 m/s in the extreme north. And the prevailing wind is between south and west.
The coast takes the worst of it, and Donegal has 1,134 km of coast, which the county council's landscape assessment calls the longest shoreline in the country. Inland the wind is usually less severe than on the coast, but a named storm reaches Letterkenny, the Finn Valley and the Laggan too.
BERG suggests placing a trampoline beside a fence or a wall that breaks the wind. In Donegal the wind to hide from is the south-westerly, so the lee of the house, a block wall or a shed on that side is worth more than the middle of the lawn. Keep BERG's 2 m of clear space all round.
BERG calls an anchor set one of the most effective ways to secure a trampoline. Anchors go into grass, not into concrete, gravel or a patio. Fit them the day the trampoline goes up, not the day the first warning is issued.
Take the safety net down and take the padding off: BERG recommends both before severe wind. With the net gone there is far less for a gust to push on. If you can, bring the jumping mat in as well.
Check the anchors and tighten or re-seat any that have lifted. Look over the frame, springs and net before anyone jumps. BERG's advice is not to jump in strong wind or on a wet mat.
BERG recommends storing the jumping mat and the safety net indoors in winter. A cover is for temporary use only. A trampoline that is stripped back in November has an easier time of it until March.
BERG's advice is in its storm preparation article, its winter maintenance page and the manual supplied with each trampoline. BERG also cautions that even an anchor set may not always withstand strong gusts, which is the reason for step 3.
Both kits fit any make of trampoline standing on grass. Ground anchors do not hold in a patio, concrete or gravel. Check them after every named storm and tighten or re-seat any that have lifted. Ordered with a trampoline they travel free; on their own, delivery is €11.99.
Four galvanised steel corkscrew anchors with four webbing straps and buckle tensioners. The straps go over the frame and can be tightened again when the ground softens.
Adjustable, and easier to take out again.
€55was €59.99
Eight galvanised ground stakes, 30cm long, one over the frame at each leg. Eight covers most round trampolines up to 14ft.
More fixing points. Not adjustable.
€55was €59.99
Which one? The kit with straps can be re-tightened, which is useful where the ground softens and firms with the seasons. The pack of eight gives a fixing at each leg of a round trampoline. Neither is a substitute for taking the net down before a storm.
If the site is open to the Atlantic, on a hill or right on the shore, the surest way to deal with the wind is to get the trampoline out of it. A BERG FlatGround finishes flush with the lawn and an InGround leaves a low raised edge. Both catch far less wind than a trampoline on legs. We sell 40 InGround models from €339 and 23 FlatGround models from €699.
The groundwork is done by an installer, who checks drainage and the ground before quoting. In-ground or above ground: which suits a Donegal garden compares the three types.
InGround · Round
InGround · Round
FlatGround · Round
The landscape assessment counts Atlantic bog as the single largest landscape type, a quarter of the county, with bog of all kinds at 35%. Soft ground grips an anchor poorly and can hold water in a hole.
A mountainous granite spine runs north-east to south-west through the county, and the Rosses is low hummocky ground with many small loughs. Rock near the surface can stop both a ground anchor and a digger.
The lower-lying Laggan in the east is covered in glacial till, and drumlins mark Donegal Bay. Deeper soil may hold an anchor better; on a drumlin the task is finding level ground.
These are broad descriptions from Donegal County Council's Landscape Character Assessment. Your own garden may differ. Tell us what the ground is like when you send photos for a free consultation.
A torn net, a lost pad or a bent pole does not mean a new trampoline. Trampolines Ireland keeps genuine BERG replacement parts and delivers them to Donegal. Ring 091 423 369 with the model and size and we will find the part.
Town by town: Inishowen, Gweedore and Falcarragh, the Rosses, Killybegs and Bundoran each have their own page.
Site it in shelter, anchor it, and strip it before storms. BERG's advice is to place a trampoline beside a fence or wall that breaks the wind, to use an anchor set, and to remove the padding and safety net before severe weather. We sell 2 anchor kits from €55. On a very exposed site, an in-ground trampoline is the surer answer.
They help a great deal, but BERG is plain that even an anchor set may not always withstand strong gusts. That is why the net and padding come off before a storm. Gusts of 163 km/h were measured at Malin Head in Storm Éowyn in January 2025.
We sell two. The 4 pack with straps has corkscrew anchors and webbing straps that go over the frame and can be tightened again when the ground softens. The pack of 8 gives more fixing points, one stake over the frame at each leg, and is not adjustable. On soft or peaty ground, ask us before you order.
Less well. A short stake in soft, wet ground has little to grip, and BERG notes that the type of soil affects how well an anchor holds. On peaty ground, put more weight on shelter and on stripping the trampoline before storms, and talk to us about the kit with straps.
It is far less exposed. A FlatGround sits level with the lawn and an InGround leaves a low edge, so the wind has little to get hold of, especially on a model sold without a net. If it has a net, take the net down before a storm just the same.
A round trampoline has no front. What matters is what stands between it and the south-west, since Met Éireann gives the prevailing wind in Ireland as between south and west. Put the house, a wall or a solid fence on that side if you can.
Yes. Trampolines Ireland keeps genuine BERG spare parts, including nets, padding, springs and mats, and delivers them to Donegal.
Send a couple of photos and tell us which way the garden faces. We will say whether we would anchor a trampoline on legs there or go in-ground, and give you a delivered price.
Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm