Limerick farmer delivers gallons of water to neighbours for their cattle

MANY farmers in county Limerick have been left without water and power for days, following the heavy snow, as they try to look after their animals and calving season commences.

There has also been damage to farm buildings with one shed collapsing on top of the cattle due to the weight of snow. Thankfully, the cattle weren't injured and a neighbour gave their owner the use of a shed.

The ESB PowerWatch map shows dozens of faults ranging from Abbeyfeale over to Galbally. Some won’t have power back until Thursday night.

They now face temperatures as low as minus eight this Tuesday and Wednesday nights and freezing conditions until Friday.

Darren Sheehy, Limerick / Clare Regional Executive IFA, asks farmers who are in trouble to contact the Limerick IFA office in Croom on 061 314196 and they will endeavour to help.

Mr Sheehy, who farms in Effin, was filling barrels with water from his well on Tuesday morning when he spoke to Farm Leader. A neighbour was shortly going to be delivering them to farmers without water for their stock.

A photo of a delivery of milk in a transport box on the back of a tractor in Dromcollogher has been widely shared on social media.

Mr Sheehy said there is great community spirit and gives the example of a local woman delivering 34 cartons of milk to houses in the area on Monday night.

Mr Sheehy’s concern is when the temperatures drop to minus eight as farmers with water will be struggling to keep it flowing.  

IFA Munster regional chair Conor O’Leary said the ongoing and severe weather conditions are having a serious impact on farmers across the region. The announcement of an orange weather warning for Tuesday night is a real concern.

“The ESB and local authorities are working hard to restore services, but the challenges are huge. It is vital that full resources are made available nationally and locally to clear roads and restore and maintain services.

“The main concern for farmers at times like this is to look after their animals. This can be very challenging without electricity or water, or with difficulties in transporting supplies to the farm,” said Conor.

He said frozen pipes, and the challenge of maintaining water supplies for livestock, is the biggest problem at the moment.

Farmers across Limerick, Tipperary, Cork, parts of Kerry and into south Leinster are dealing with the most severe aspects of the cold weather conditions.

“It looks like it could be at least Thursday before there is some thaw. The latest Status Orange alert will compound the difficulties caused by the freezing conditions in place since the weekend,” he said.

Mr O’Leary said farmers are working together at a local level to assist their neighbours in any way possible.

“We are asking people to keep in contact with their neighbours who may need some support to get them through the next few days.”

While the county councils have devoted resources to keeping the main roads passable, conditions on local roads remain very challenging.

“Farmers have also been helping their neighbours by obtaining and delivering supplies. Farmers are happy to do this, but the pressure on farmers is mounting on farmers themselves as the cold spell continues. While it is understandable that the main roads are a priority, clearing local roads also needs to be a priority,”  said Mr O’Leary.

Deputy Richard O’Donoghue (pictured below) also highlighted the plight of farmers, noting the items cleared out of all shops are bread and milk.

“I got a phone call from a pedigree farmer in Limerick. She said the calving season has started and they have no water or power for the last two days. There are people within a quarter of a mile, which have power, but there is a cluster there where they have no power. 

"She said they would do without food themselves, just to make sure the animals are fed,” said Deputy O’Donoghue.

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Limerick IFA chairman Sean Lavery said farmers are a resilient lot by their nature and get on with things but stressed the importance of checking in on isolated neighbours.

“If they are living down a laneway or a passage just call into them and check they are OK. Even if they are a farmer and have a tractor it mightn’t start in the cold and they may not be able to get out if they have a car and not a jeep,” said Mr Lavery.

Like Darren, his big concern is freezing and bursting water pipes and keeping milking machines operating in the coming days.