Record monthly rain for Claremorris as flood relief starts

Record monthly rain for Claremorris as flood relief starts


Edwin McGreal and Michael Commins

THE month of November saw record rain recorded at Met Eireann’s Rainfall Station in Claremorris.
The rain between November 1 and 25 at Claremorris was 234 per cent of the monthly normal with a staggering rainfall of 284.5 milimetres during the month just gone. The extremity of the weather becomes apparent when contrasted with last year’s measurement of 102.5mm and the average for the station of 111.8mm.
Belmullet Station didn’t have such extreme rainfall but still had to deal with nearly twice their average.
The total for November of this year was 220.6mm, up from 134mm last year and up from the average of 127.4mm. Average figures are based on figures from 1961 to 1990.
Such rainfall led to extensive flooding in parts of Mayo but, on a national comparative, the county escaped the worst of the flooding.
Nonetheless flood waters in the River Moy around the general Foxford area reached their highest level in years in recent days. Several acres of ground have been under water on both sides of Foxford bridge.
Mayo County Council moved swiftly to alleviate the situation on the road that leads out to Foxford GAA pitch.
Michael Maloney, who owns Blackrocks Private Nursing Home, was loud in his praise of the Council team who brought in lorry-loads of sand to raise the road and enable access to a number of homes.
“We are fortunate ourselves that we are on the raised ground but there is a low point in the approach road which needed attention. The Council workers couldn’t have been more helpful and ensured that access was open at all times. They were terrific and the people around here are very grateful to them.”
Meanwhile, waters in Lough Conn were also running very high. The Conn Rangers soccer field in Mount Falcon, Ballina was completely flooded while the River Moy also burst its banks on a considerable stretch of the river below Foxford.
In the south of the county, FAS workers had to take action with sandbags to prevent water from entering Crossboyne Church on the banks of the River Robe. There was severe flooding on the Scardaune road beside which saw a number of cars having to be pulled from the waters. The Bushfield road near Roundfort was blocked as was the Annfield to Roundfort road with severe flooding still in place at Killeenrevagh, Garrymore.
Meanwhile a flood relief centre has been set up in Castlebar by Fine Gael to raise funds for those in the country affected worst by the floods. The centre is located on Tucker Street, across from the office of Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny.
Teagasc are also working with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to assist farmers worst affected by the flooding and the Irish Red Cross are aiming to raise €1m for their flood appeal.
While the worst of the wet weather appears to have passed in Mayo, dangerous frost on roads in the county caused difficulties for vehicles on Monday morning with at least two cars leaving the road at Islandeady on the N5 connecting Westport with Castlebar.