Snake shock for local homeowner

A GLASNEVIN resident got an almost biblical surprise and learned that the story of St Patrick banishing serpents from Ireland is definitely a myth when a five-foot long Rat Snake fell from the sky.

The incident happened the day after St Patrick’s Day on March 18 while the home was undergoing renovations.

The non-venomous snake fell from a freshly made hole in the ceiling, and landed right on top of the unsuspecting homeowner who was standing on a ladder at the time.

The snake was then trapped under a box before making a slithering escape under the lifted floorboards.

Thankfully, no harm was done and the snake, which is believed to have belonged to the previous tenants of the house, is now in the care of the DSPCA.

“The snake is rather thin, which would lead us to think it has been loose for some time but it’s recovering well in the DSPCA Shelter in Rathfarnham,” said DSPCA head of education, Gillian Bird.

“It is not uncommon for escaped snakes to live in celling spaces and wall cavities, feeding on small mice and insects.

“This is the time of the year we start getting calls such as these as the animals often sense the warming temperatures and start coming out to look for food.”