Watch: River floods fairway at Cork golf club after heavy rainfall

High rainfall was forecast for Cork all day yesterday. Picture: Larry Cummins

Heavy rain took its toll on Co Cork yesterday after Met Éireann issued a status yellow rainfall warning. 

The risk of river and localised flooding was forecast and yesterday evening the River Shournagh burst its banks near Muskerry Golf Club. 

Video footage showed the flooding on the eighteenth hole up to the green which club captain, Conor O'Connell described as unusual. 

Mr O'Connell said winter flooding is a feature of the course and members and management are used to adapting to the conditions. 

"A regular occurrence is where the river will flood onto the eighteenth green," he said. 

However, recent flooding on the eighteenth hole reached beyond the fairways where it typically stops. 

The floodwater has since subsided and the river is back within its banks after what Mr O'Connell described as the highest flooding he had seen in years. 

Mr O'Conell said "the river was considerably higher than I'd seen in previous years" and that flooding on the sixteenth and seventeenth hole caught his attention. 

However, the large club with 800+ members is used to the season's changes and drainage installed by the club has since removed the water. 

Management and greenkepping staff are looking forward to welcoming back their membership once public health regulations for the coronavirus allow. 

The club has spent the time during lockdown advancing a number of capital projects without the membership having access to the course. 

Mr O'Connell said management and staff are eager to welcome players back soon and that members are anxious to return to the game. 

Met Éireann forecasted as much as 30mm to 40mm in the Munster region with higher amounts to fall in mountainous regions. 

High winds battered Cork, Kerry and Waterford too with strong southerly winds reported yesterday. 

Motorists needed to proceed with caution due to surface water and reported debris on roads R587 between Toonsbridge and Dunmanway as well as the Cloghroe/Carrigrohane Road, R579, near Muskerry Golf Club. 

Flooding was also reported in Fivemilebridge, Co Cork and in the Tiknock area of Cobh.