Belmullet, Blacksod, Ballina battered

WATER EVERYWHERE This picture, taken by Eileen Cowman, shows the main road to Blacksod road completely submerged just outside Belmullet town on Friday.

Belmullet, Blacksod, Ballina battered


Ciara Galvin

AS clean-up operations get underway after the storms that wreaked havoc throughout the county last week, residents of north Mayo are starting to count the costs. Shocking levels of coastal erosion are becoming apparent from Blacksod to Belmullet to Doohoma, while further inland, Ballina is dealing with the aftermath of the Moy having burst its banks.

Farm land ‘ruined’
Large boulders and debris were washed inland on Thursday and Sunday night, rendering land in areas of Tallaghbawn, Doohoma Head and Doolough unworkable. There was extensive damage from the ferry to Doohoma Head as waters came on to farmland.
No major power outages were reported in the area, possibly due to the recent upgrading of power lines there.
Speaking to The Mayo News, Geesala resident Michael Goonan called on the local authorities to ‘come to the rescue of local farmers’. Mr Goonan said that good farming land in Doohoma and Geesala had been ruined after stone, rubble and debris washed in from the coast.
“It will take a lot, but I’m asking for the local authorities to come to the rescue of local farmers and and try to alleviate the hardship,” said Mr Goonan.

Wall collapse feared
In Belmullet, the sea wall was breached in places along the Shore Road and Quay Road. Locals are afraid that if a tide similar to that seen last Friday were to happen again, the entire wall would collapse.
A wall collapsed at Faulmore beach in Blacksod as a result of the storms. A man from Blacksod had to be rescued from his car by firemen after driving into deep tidal water on a low-lying road. Bill Heffron from Aughleam got into difficulty while trying to get away from his storm thrashed home but raised the alarm using his mobile phone when he got into difficulty.
People in Geesala were cut off for a time on Friday as the tide came across the Bangor Road making it impassable, and there was significant flooding between Drum and Ellybay. Following the extended period of stormy weather locals in the Belmullet area are calling for remedial works in the Doolough, Dooyork and Doohoma areas in order to lessen the effects of erosion on the coastline. The regular planting of bent grass which survives salt water has been suggested.

Banks burst
Meanwhile in Ballina, flooding was caused in the town after the River Moy burst its banks on Friday morning. Water levels reached unprecedented heights with Clare Street, Ardbuckle Row, Bachelors’ Walk and Cathedral Road becoming flooded.
The town’s Ice House hotel experienced only minor flood damage to the lower ground floor, despite its close proximity to the river.
Ballina Town Councillor Willie Nolan reported several feet of floodwater in the town where the Moy burst its banks. According to Cllr Nolan, the breach was caused by a combination of high tides, high wind speeds and falling rain. Clean-up efforts are continuing in the town and debris is being removed from the slipway at The Quay.