Limerick floods ‘unprecedented’

Large parts of Limerick City remained under water yesterday after “unprecedented” flooding struck areas over a 320km radius in the early hours of Saturday when the River Shannon burst flood defences.

Mary Hogan had to drop her six-year-old grandchild from an upstairs window into the arms of a waiting fireman.

Fighting back tears, she recalled the moment she and her grandchild, wearing their pyjamas, clung to the side of a rescue boat on Oliver Plunkett St in St Mary’s Park, Limerick. “I’m living here 24 years and I have never seen something like it before... it’s all destroyed.”