Cobh ‘could be cut off’ if bridge hit

Up to 14,000 people could be in danger of being cut off if gale force winds and flooding were to damage the only bridge leading into a town in Co Cork.

As flooding hit the city and parts of the county yesterday it was feared that Great Island and the town of Cobh could be isolated if storms did significant damage to the ageing Belvelly bridge, which is on the only road route into the area.

Last Thursday floods partially cut off the main road into Cobh south of the bridge. Gardaí said the bridge was nearly cut off again yesterday and have admitted that if it was to be significantly damaged it would cause a lot of difficulty for those who live and work on Great Island.

Cobh-based county councillor Cathal Rasmussen said “the reality at the moment in Cobh is that one has to check the tides at certain times before attempting to travel in or out of Cobh.In the region of 15,000 vehicles use Belvellybridge daily”.

He said he was in discussions with Minister Sean Sherlock in the hope of finding money to get the bridge and Fota Road upgraded in an effort to prevent a possible catastrophe.

Mr Rasmussen said the only way to get emergency vehicles onto Great Island if the bridge was out of action was via the cross-river ferry.

“But that could be out of action too if there were high tides and high winds,” he said.

Gardaí said a number of streets had to be closed off in Cork City centre yesterday morning due to heavy rain and high tides. There was flooding was reported in Morrisson’s Island, Sharman Crawford Street and Wandesford Quay.

Cork Business Association (CBA) chief executive Donal Healy said no serious damage was reported. “We have a very good text alert system linked with City Hall which gives up to 24 hours warning, so businesses are well prepared,” he said.

However, some businesses suffered in Bantry as Wolfe Tone Square and nearby quays were flooded.

“The water came in around 5.45am and some people were caught rotten,” Bantry-based county councillor Mary Hegarty said.

Two men escaped when a massive wave blew over them at Gearhies, on the Bantry-Sheep’s Head road.

Adrian Cronin, who took a picture of the incident, said the men, one of whom was a council worker, were lucky because he first thought they’d been washed into the sea. “One of them was actually blown into a ditch,” he added.

Cork County Council director of roads, Tom Stritch, said some roads had been badly damaged around Sheep’s Head and on the Beara peninsula between Reenfrisk and Tranferla while sea defences were damaged at Cloughland and Tragumna. Bailick Road in Midleton was closed for the second time in three days as the tide burst in from Ballinacurra estuary.