Ice returns to create treacherous conditions

AS flood clean-ups got under way throughout Cork yesterday the ice returned, creating treacherous driving conditions which are likely to feature in the coming days as the cold snap once again takes a grip.

For Skibbereen it was a case of third time lucky as 4,000 sandbags deployed by the army and civil defence volunteers kept the deluge back.

The town experienced widespread damage, which affected around 200 people, on November 19 and New Year’s Eve.

However, there is considerable anger in the town that the Government hasn’t released funding for flood relief works.

Cathal O’Donovan, secretary of the local flood committee, said that people “felt they were marooned” because they were 250 miles from the centre of power in Dublin.

He said it was a conservatively estimate that the last two floods had cost householders and businesses €4 million.

Miraculously, Skibbereen town centre escaped flooding on Monday night after 30mm of rain fell instead of the predicted 55mm.

Even then roads in the area were flooded and froze over early yesterday morning causing further problems.

“They were like skating rinks and there were a local of minor accidents,” county council senior engineer Ted Murphy said.

Mr O’Donovan said locals were not just angry, but fearful and feeling insecure.

“It’s terribly upsetting for people, especially as they know what has to be done, as do the engineers,” Mr O’Donovan said.

He said there had to be a political and administrative will to get the job done now.

“We need a compound channel at the edge of the marsh from Curragh Bridge to Kennedy Bridge. We need a flood channel running parallel to the bypass and some remedial works on Kennedy Bridge,” Mr O’Donovan said.

Skibbereen Town Council is to meet tonight to discuss a major push to get the job done.

Cllr Brendan Leahy, who worked on sandbagging with the civil defence, said they would start lobbying the three West Cork TDs as part of a new, concerted campaign.

Mallow’s flood defences held back the wall of water which came down the River Blackwater, but Fermoy didn’t fare so well.

While the main road through the town wasn’t cut off, Ashe Quay was completely flooded by early morning. A number of premises in Brian Boru Square were also flooded along with houses on the Mill Road.

The Tallow road was also closed.

“It wasn’t as bad as last November and I think we can thank the OPW for that. They built up banks before the flood came and spent the night pumping water away from a number of houses,” Fermoy Mayor Noel McCarthy, said.

Floods and ice also brought a town with one of the highest rates of commuting by car to a standstill yesterday.

Two of the three roads which link Carrigaline to Cork City – the Ballea Road and Ballinrea Road – were impassable because of a combination of flood damage and icy patches.

The town’s commuters – almost 75% of workers use their car to get to work – had no option but to drive on the only remaining road out of the town.

It resulted in complete gridlock with some people reporting a two hour commute to the city – a journey which normally takes just 25 minutes.

Local Fine Gael Cllr John A Collins, said parts of the Ballinrea Road had been washed away.

“Flood water, combined with stones and rubble, is literally gouging trenches in parts of the roads,” he said.

He called on the Government to release immediate emergency funds for urgent repairs.

The road conditions caused severe disruption to county bus services including Fountainstown, Ballingeary, Butlerstown, Ballyvourney, Macroom and Haulbowline.

There were ice delays on the Bandon, Carrigaline, Charleville and Garrettstown services.

Superintendent Eddie Macroom said a number of roads around the Bandon area were in a “treacherous condition” due to black ice.

He said even the county council gritting lorry had crashed while it was treating the road between Bandon and Dunmanway.

“Even if the roads appear wet people should remember that there could be ice underneath,” he said.

In the city, there were calls for major reinforcement work on the banks of the river Bride after a tree blocked the river, causing a flash flood over a foot deep in Blackpool on Tuesday.

Premises along Thomas Davis Street and Great William O’Brien Street were worst hit but businesses like Centra and O’Shea’s Chemist were open for business yesterday.