Residents ‘fobbed off’ after flooding

ANGRY residents and business people in Newcastle West claimed they are being “fobbed” off by Limerick County Council over the reason behind the flooding that devastated the town.

The council claimed the floods last Friday were a freak after extremely high rainfall.

However, residents said the River Arra rose to dangerous levels again on Wednesday after a few hours of rain.

Hundreds attended a public meeting last night where angry calls were made for the council to give a detailed explanation as to why the Co Limerick major emergency plan was not activated.

One local said: “The council said the amount of rain which fell was double the amount you’d get in a severe storm, yet they didn’t even bother implementing their own emergency plan.”

Ailish Mullane, whose exclusive boutique Kimono was destroyed, said: “I think the council are fobbing us off. Huge amounts of concrete have been put down in various developments and water has nowhere to go. The county council has a lot of questions to answer.”

Cllr Pat O’Donovan who was one of the first to raise the alarm, said people want answers.

He said he will be calling for the council to prepare an urgent report.

Mr O’Donovan said he also wants to know why the major accident plan was not activated when it became clear that there was a serious risk to life.

Many people in Newcastle West have now barricaded their premises with sand bags.

Gardaí say the flooding may also have contributed to a fatal accident on Wednesday night about a mile from Newcastle West on the Abbeyfeale road.

A man in his 30s from Co Mayo died instantly when his Fiat Punto hit a jeep travelling in the opposite direction.

A Garda spokesman said surface water on the road may have been a factor in the cause of the accident.

Meanwhile, residents in the west Limerick village of Athea have stocked up extra sand bags after a build-up in the River Galey which flooded 12 local houses last Friday.

An elderly Newcastle West woman has been reunited with the pet who saved her from drowning in last Friday’s floods which swept the West Limerick town.

Mary Nolan, 84, thought she’d never again see her terrier Speedy as she was winched up into a the Shannon based Coast Guard helicopter. The crew could not take the dog and Mary feared he would be lost in the floods.

However, neighbour, Joe Hurley, who brought Mary out of her flooded cottage found Speedy and brought him to Mary’s brother, Ed, who lives nearby.

After being allowed out of the Mid-Western Regional Hospital yesterday, Mary hugged Speedy, saying: “I would be drowned only for you sweetheart and Joe Hurley who got me out of my flooded cottage.”

Mary was asleep as flood waters invaded her home around 2am last Friday.

She said: “My little terrier jumped on the bed barking. When I woke I put out my hand and the water was up to the level of the bed. When I tried to get out of the bed, the water was up to my waist.”

As she held and stroked Speedy’s coat, Mary said: “It’s true a dog can be man’s best friend.”