Sewage flowing into river crippling Limerick's 'forgotten village'

A public meeting is due to be held in Kilbehenny village at the end of the month to discuss the issue

Maurice Walsh, chairman of Kilbehenny Sewerage Action Group says explains how raw sewage from over a dozen houses, pubs, hairdressers and a church flows through the centre of the village, before ending up in the river.

Raw sewage flowing into the River Funshion at Kilbehenny village in Co. Limerick is having a “crippling effect” on the surrounding area, according to locals.

They say the problem is causing a serious health risk to residents, with regular reports of rats spotted near the unmanaged sewerage network. One resident with two young children recently reported finding a rat in the u-bend of their toilet, after it climbed through the entire network.

Maurice Walsh, chairman of Kilbehenny Sewerage Action Group says it’s an “urgent matter to be taken care of”. He explains how raw sewage from over a dozen houses, pubs, hairdressers and a church flows through the centre of the village, before ending up in the river.

Locals say that the lack of a public sewerage treatment plant or modern sewerage network in the village is also preventing the building of housing in the area, leading to further rural depopulation.

The village sits on the border between Cork and Limerick and the issue has been raised with representatives from Limerick City & County Council, Cork County Council and Irish Water repeatedly, but a solution has yet to be found.

Mr Walsh says Kilbehenny is known locally as “the forgotten village” as a result of the inaction, claiming the issue has been ongoing for over 20 years.

Residents also complain of the “grave consequences” the sewage is having on the natural environment, with fungus visible on the riverbed below the discharge. There is also a terrible smell during the summer, which is impacting the local area and visitors to the village, says Mr Walsh.

“If I was caught doing this by the Department of Agriculture, I would be seriously reprimanded and my single farm payment would probably be taken off me,” continued Mr Walsh.

A spokesperson for Irish Water said: “There is no raw sewage being discharged from any Irish Water infrastructure in Kilbehenny. As there is no other public wastewater infrastructure in Kilbehenny village, Irish Water currently has no remit in the area.” 

They added that they “will work with the Local Authorities to identify and implement an appropriate solution for Kilbehenny.” 

A public meeting is due to be held at the end of the month to discuss the issue and locals are encouraging other communities to share their experiences with inadequate wastewater treatment. The meeting will take place at Kilbehenny Community Centre on April 28, 2023, at 8pm.