'This shouldn’t be happening': Skibbereen floods despite €18m defences
There have been calls for an investigation into why part of a West Cork town flooded during Storm Ellen last night despite a near €18m investment in flood defences.
Fianna Fáil TD Christopher O’Sullivan said the people of Skibbereen deserve answers as communities begin assessing the full extent of the storm damage which has left 164,000 people without power and with multiple reports of downed trees blocking roads.
As forecast, Cork bore the brunt of the storm, with gusts of 115kph recorded at Roches Point, 104kph at Sherkin Island and 100kph at Cork Airport.
But in Skibbereen, several homes and businesses on Bridge St were hit by the flooding. Members of Cork County Fire Service pumped water from the area, which was cleared before midnight.
“I can’t imagine what homeowners and business owners in the town are going through. With the level of investment in flood defences, they were hoping with confidence that they wouldn’t expect flooding again, yet here we are,” Mr O’Sullivan said.
Skibbereen has a long history of flooding, and experienced two major flood events in 2009 when over 120 residential properties and more than 70 businesses, schools, care centres, public buildings and sporting facilities were flooded.
It prompted a major tidal and fluvial flood prevention project on the River Ilen and on three tributaries flowing through Skibbereen – the Caol, Assolas and Glencurragh.
The project, which began in 2016, included the construction of almost three kilometres of flood walls, just over four kilometres of embankments and a number of storm water pumping stations.
The stark concrete finish on some of the flood walls and culverts drew criticism but engineers said the project was a 200-year flood prevention scheme that would provide protection for more than 300 homes and businesses in the town.
The scheme protected the town from flooding during sustained periods of heavy rain on a number of dates in November and December 2018.
But locals, who warned at the time about the need for more work to be done at The Cutting area of the town, said Bridge St can flood if drains become silted with leaves and debris.
They said the investigation into what happened last night should focus on this area.
In Bandon, where flood relief work is also underway, surface flooding affected Brady’s Lane and Hickey’s Corner but the town escaped damage.
In Cobh, one vessel appeared to break its moorings and was driven onto the shore.
In Cork city, the low-lying quays escaped with some minor flooding but there were widespread reports of spot flooding, particularly in Glanmire, and many reports of downed trees.
The violent winds also knocked a landmark tree on the city's skyline.
The towering monkey puzzle tree, which was located on the southern side of the N40 South Ring Road in Mahon, dated from the 1840s, and was the last botanical remnant of William H Crawford’s once magnificent Lakeland gardens, which were developed by the famed gardener and horticulturalist, after whom the city’s Crawford Gallery is named.
A video of the moment it was toppled was captured on video, and shared widely on Twitter last night.
Members of the city council’s flood assessment team are due to meet this morning to assess the results of the latest tidal models ahead of tonight’s high-tide at 7.30pm.
There is concern that forecasted heavy rain today, combined with the high-tide and a storm surge, could result in significant flooding in the city centre. An update is expected by mid-morning.
Meanwhile, Kerry escaped the worst of Storm Ellen but gardaí are warning motorists and road users to watch out for spot flooding and debris from fallen trees and branches.
Council staff have cleared a number of trees including from the N22 at Glenflesk. A tree is also down on the Ring of Kerry Road near the Castleross Hotel in Killarney. Council staff are currently on the site.
Key tourist sites like Killarney House and Gardens have been closed to the public since yesterday and Muckross House and Gardens is closed today, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht said last night on behalf of the NPWS, the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Flooding has been reported at Templenoe near Kenmare, but the town itself escaped a repeat of the major floods of the end of July.
A number of homes in Rathmore on the Cork-Kerry border are experiencing a power outage.
Council crews reported a quiet night and a council spokesman said the county had escaped significant damage and the worst of the storm.
The early morning flight from Kerry to Dublin was cancelled last night but others will go ahead as scheduled for the remainder of the day.
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