Kells, Oldcastle hit hard by wet week

KELLS reported flooding in Rockfield, Headfort Road, Fr McCullen Park, Oliver Plunkett Road and adjoining estates during last Saturday"s torrential downpour, with the Summerbank road outside Oldcastle swept away in parts and up to 2,000 acres of farmland near Drumconrath were still under water yesterday (Tuesday 19th August). The Creggs road outside Nobber was impassable for almost two days, while residents in the Church Street area of Oldcastle claimed that the overflowing Inny River came within inches of flooding them out of their homes. The rainfall woes in the north of the county began on 6th August in Drumconrath, where the effects of a cloudburst was aggravated by a blocked culvert near the town. A number of houses, including one commercial premises in the village suffered flooding damage with one householder still unable to return home as of yesterday. Local councillor Michael Gallagher described how one farmer just over the Louth border found his home entirely surrounded by water while water levels following the cloudburst rose to as much as five feet on some farmlands. Last Saturday"s heavy rain had badly affected some households in the Woodtown area, he added. Council spokesman Bill Sweeney confirmed this week that contacts were continuing between it and the Office of Public Works (OPW) concerning the culvert problem. The flooding on Summerbank Lane, Oldcastle, last Saturday resulted in debris blocking the bridge, resulting in virtually another river forming to one side before the council"s outdoor staff re-opened the passages, said Cllr Michael Lynch. Cllr Lynch visited the area on a tractor as fire brigade staff joined their council colleagues in pumping away the worst of the floods, revealing entire stretches of the road serving the Loughcrew cairns virtually torn away. 'It was a cascade which tore away the road and the floodwaters went as high as three feet', he said. Temporary repairs had been carried out but the road had been 'torn out' along sections. This now required the proposed 2009 co-funding road improvement scheme to be brought forward 'urgently', added the councillor. The Inny bridge at Millbrook as well as houses in the Porchemone areas had also been 'threatened by the high flood waters', he said. He also commended the outdoor staff for assisting householders there and in Church Street with sandbags. 'These levels of flooding have not been seen for many years but it underlines the case for an examination of local bridges, which, quite simply, were not built to cater for such pressure,' he said. Mr Sweeney confirmed that the Oldcastle brigade had to assist their Ballyjamesduff colleagues at the height of the flooding before returning to assist at a number of sites around the town. Flooding in Kells extended from Headfort Road around to Magdalen Court, Cherryhill, Oliver Plunkett Road and the Rockfield road, said Cllr Brian Curran. He was joined by Cathaoirleach Brian Collins in paying tribute to the outdoor staff, fire brigade and gardaí for their rapid response to Saturday"s flooding. Mr Sweeney confirmed the storm water run-off into the town"s sewage system had resulted in the back-ups around Kells while outdoor staff had removed manholes along the Headfort Road to ease the pressure. The damage to the road in front of St John"s Cemetery required it to be cordoned off but he stressed the cemetery wall was not affected. Outdoor staff had worked throughout Saturday and Sunday in the town to deal with the emergency and all roads were passable by Monday, he added. The Council"s spokesman noted the optimisation works for Kells sewage scheme was set to go Part Eight (public display) next month, while the similar Oldcastle upgrade of its scheme had been approved in July. Both towns were scheduled to have new waste water treatment works within two years, a prime feature of both being the separation of storm drain run-off from the sewers, he added.