‘A bloody nightmare’: Homes, businesses and sports clubs ‘destroyed’ by flooding in Limerick

THE CLEAN-UP is underway in Abbeyfeale and west Limerick after the worst flooding in living memory on Saturday.

Homes, businesses and sports clubs were badly damaged due to the combination of thawing snow and torrential rain which resulted in river banks being breached.

Cllr Liam Galvin said it was “a sea of water” early on Saturday morning.

“There was water flowing across the Railway Road. There were ten or twelve residential properties all in danger of being flooded but for the families, their relations, neighbours, council staff, fire brigade all coming on board. I want to acknowledge them. We saved at least ten houses,” said Cllr Galvin.

Farmers helped to transport people with their tractors as cars would have been washed away.

Two homes and two businesses - Cahill’s filling station and the mart - were badly damaged. Saturday’s mart had to be called off.

“The biggest thing from a community point of view is the two sporting clubs that got destroyed. Abbey United’s field, clubhouse, dressing rooms, storage shed and yard got absolutely torn asunder (pictured below).

“The GAA club is maybe worse again. We have a state-of-the-art clubhouse down there,  timber dance floor, carpet in the lounge area, and all that was all destroyed.

“It’s the same story in the sports complex with a large timber playing floor for basketball and karate and all the things that take place there and all that’s destroyed,” said Cllr Galvin, who thanked Minister for the OPW Kieran O’Donnell and Minister for Patrick O’Donovan.

Cllr Galvin expects that there will be a scheme announced for those affected by flooding in the coming week.

The long-serving councillor said they are an awful week in west Limerick.

“I was watching Frozen Planet on Monday night and on Tuesday morning it was like something you'd see in Frozen Planet. We got quite a heavy fall of snow - maybe six to eight inches of snow and it drifted in places. Then we got the frost with the snow and we were out of water for two days.

“Then we went from minus four up to bloody 14 degrees. With the torrential rain, along with the six inches of snow which thawed you ended up with a bloody nightmare,” said Cllr Galvin.

READ MORE: Abbeyfeale worst hit as Storm Bert sweeps across Limerick

He said he called for dredging of the Allaghaun river, which goes around the back of the soccer club, but it was turned down as it is a Special Area of Conservation

“It needs to be cleared of sallies, bushes, brambles, and trees. I'm all for wildlife but we have to give precedence to lives, properties and livelihoods.”

Cllr Galvin also called for action on the flood relief scheme in Athea.

“The water was only a couple of inches from coming out over the banks yesterday. It was touch and go yesterday in Athea but we have a solution for Athea. We need to get it up and running," he concluded.