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Ireland hit by worst floods for 20 years IRELAND’S
worst flooding in two decades left parts of the country facing an estimated
€10million clean-up bill after three major rivers broke their banks
following torrential rainfall.
It was the worst flooding in the country after a bout of gales and rain
that lasted for over 48 hours.
The Blackwater, Lee and Funcheon rivers all broke their banks —
causing chaos in both Mallow and Fermoy.
Businesses in Mallow were under almost 1.2 metres of muddy water as the
Blackwater surged past flood protection measures.
Parts of the town were cut-off and major route restrictions were imposed
on the Cork-Limerick, Mallow-Fermoy and Mallow-Mitchelstown roads.
Tributaries of the Blackwater also broke their banks.
Dozens of homes were flooded, with carpets, furnishings and electrical
appliances left ruined.
Tribute to victims
“WE will never forget.”
That was the anniversary promise made in Waterford and Cork by families
hit by two of Ireland’s worst trawler tragedies.
Seven fishermen drowned and their bodies were never recovered as the Pere
Charles and Honeydew II trawlers sank within hours of each other in January
last year off the coast of Waterford.
Five fishermen — Tom Hennessy, Pat Hennessy, Billy O’Connor,
Pat Coady and Andriy Dyrin — died when the Pere Charles sank in
a matter of seconds in heavy seas as it returned to Dunmore East port.
And Ger Bohan and Tomasz Jagla lost their lives when their trawler, Honeydew
II foundered off Mine Head just hours after the Pere Charles.
The crew of the Pere Charles were remembered in Dunmore East in Co. Waterford
with a special memorial Mass in local Killea Church.
Lucky escape
A WOMAN escaped death by seconds after her car was crushed by a fallen
tree moments after she got out of the vehicle.
Madge Lynch said she was lucky to be alive after the tree destroyed her
car in Co. Donegal.
She had just parked the car outside her home in St. Johnston and was opening
the front door of the house when the tree toppled on to her car.
“I heard a sort of gushing, swishing noise and the next thing I
was surrounded by branches and twigs.
“I was knocked to the ground and I managed to crawl out under the
branches. I’d just left the car two seconds before the tree fell
on it.” |
