Mother-of-four faces spending Christmas in hotel over floods

A mother of four broke down after hearing her family may have to stay in a hotel for Christmas .

Liz Hogan, from Clonlara, Co Clare, was evacuated on Wednesday by Clare Civil Defence on a boat with three of her youngest children, after floodwater struck.

Now in a Limerick hotel, Liz said the stress of the family’s ordeal was made worse when they found out Clare County Council had not been able to source accommodation for the family.

“At the moment we are apparently here until tonight and I was waiting for a phone call from the [council’s] housing department to see where we are going to go,” Liz said yesterday.

A European rugby match between Munster and Leicester Tigers in Thomond Park on Saturday night has led to little availability across Limerick’s hotels.

“I think they are finding it hard to find us a place because of the Munster match in Limerick at the weekend, so I don’t know where we are at, or where we are going from here,” she added.

“I just don’t know where we are going tomorrow night so this is where we are at.”

Liz said she had “loads of offers” from people to take her children, “but it would mean the children all in separate houses and everyone separated around Limerick”.

She said: “I’m trying to keep the family together and in the same routine for school.”

Liz’s eldest son Mark, 18, is studying for his Leaving Certificate. Her daughter Aoife, 12, “just wants to be at home for Christmas”.

She said her younger son Seán, 17, who is in fifth year, is distraught after his geography project was damaged as they were been evacuated.

“Seán and Aoife’s school books got wrecked as well.”

Liz said she was “devastated” after hearing more water is likely to flow her way. “We’ll be homeless for Christmas if all that water comes through,” she said.