The land around Wilton Castle was my playground growing up. On lazy Sunday afternoons we would leisurely peruse the ruins and roam freely and George Windsor never minded as we used to harvest his raspberries every August. The golden rule was simple – do not damage anything.
Picking the raspberries was a community event. A couple of dozens of us locals would spend the few weeks picking and chatting and sometimes, we would dip in the River Boro when high jinks kicked in. Wonderful memories.
The famous bridge at Wilton collapsed during last weekend’s weather event. Stonework of the original bridge can be been for the first time since 1947.
The Christmas Day inundation wrecked Wilton Bridge and when I visited on Tuesday a local man showed me the original stonework way down in the fallen remains of the current bridge. The original was one of those stone bridges, and a small number still exist!
Another local said the bridge was washed away in the floods of 1947 and it happened on St. Patrick’s Day. It was rebuilt, but it has been getting attention over the years and there was a recent investment of almost €50,000!
This is not the first time that Wilton has been in the news. The Furlongs and the Butlers were there since 1247. The Alcock family arrived in 1695, the castle was burned in 1923, and today, the windows are once again illuminated as Wilton Castle is a tourism accommodation facility.
Wilton was famous for its horseless carriage proceeding in ghostly fashion towards the castle on a specific day every year. It looks like the ‘ghost’ has returned, and while the engineers and the experts probe the fallen masonry, another group will crunch the maths, but it looks like normal travel between Bree and Davidstown will be a diversionary tactic for some months to come…
It was heartbreaking to walk through the village of Bridgetown and observe people’s possessions either sitting outside their homes or piled high on lorry-sized skips awaiting collection having been devastated by the torrential Christmas Day rainfall that created flooding across large parts of Co. Wexford.
The clean-up has days to go, the horror inflected on the local population will be a talking point for generations and fears for the future are evident. “I would be afraid of this happening again,” said one elderly resident, and another asked; “Could it be possible that this is the beginning of things to come at regular intervals?”
And this was two days after the worst weather event to hit south Wexford in living memory. Cllr Jim Codd said; “The people are devastated here. Their Christmas ruined. People trapped in submerged car parks.
In our attached audio clip, Cllr Codd explains the scenario that descended on Bridgetown and other areas in south Wexford before taking me to the Big Bridge of Ballaburn where we gazed at a waterlogged landscape as far as the eye could see in all directions.
AUDIO ADDITION; CLLR JIM CODD tells DAN WALSH about severe flooding in the Bridgetown district and outlines what happens next?
Local resident Ollie Daly with Cllr Jim Codd and his children, Moira and Siobhán, at the clean-up in Bridgetown village today.
Hundreds of low-lying acres of land are covered by water with the pumping station on the canal unable to handle the volume of water. Winter crops are already devastated.
Local resident Leslie Bates told WexfordLocal.com that his 86 years old mother never remembers such flooding and devastation in her lifetime. “We have got bits of flooding over the years but never anything like this,” he added.
AUDIO ADDITION; Local resident LESLIE BATES talks to DAN WALSH about flooding on the low-lying landscape of south Wexford today.
Leslie Bates and Cllr Jim Codd reflect on hundreds of acres of land flooded in south Wexford.
Cllr Codd is calling for better flood defences for Bridgetown, Duncormick and Wellingtonridge and he is urging TDs for Wexford to release funds to make these areas safe. “Substantial investment is required for drainage,” he concluded.
The man in his 20s who died in a two-vehicle road traffic collision at Ballintore, between The Harrow and Ferns, at approximately 5.20pm on St. Stephen’s Day has been named locally as John Power.
JOHN POWER
The deceased was the sole occupant of the first car. The driver of the second vehicle, a woman in her 50s, and seriously injured was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin where her condition is described as critical.
Gardaí are appealing to any road users who were travelling in the area at the time and may have camera footage.
Anyone with any information should contact Enniscorthy Garda Station on (053) 9233534, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.
“Housing is top of the list for 2022 and that’s a promise to the people of North Wexford,” Cllr Joe Sullivan told the members at the December meeting of Gorey-Kilmuckridge Municipal District Council held at Gorey Courthouse in line with Covid-19 guidelines. Cllr Pip Breen was in the Chair.
There were a serious discussion regards the current unsatisfactory housing situation in the Gorey-Kilmuckridge district with all members present united in the strongly held views that Wexford County Council’s role in housing is far from satisfactory and is calling for immediate urgent action on resolving the crisis.
Cllr Joe Sullivan expressed his sheer frustration and anger at trying to help two families in Gorey for the past two years. “I have no one to listen to me. The eldest child will be eighteen shortly and that child has never known what it is like to have a home. I have been dealing with that family for two years and I am getting nowhere. Is it me or is it the system? I don’t know,”
Cllr Andrew Bolger had checked earlier in the day and was informed that there were only two units in Gorey town. Cllr Bolger supported Cllr Sullivan and he was experiencing an analogous situation. So, too was Cllr Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin.
CLLR JOE SULLIVAN and CLLR ANTHONY DONOHOE.
Cllr Mary Farrell said; “We are using words like horrendous, frustrated, distressed, heartbreak. It seems to be ongoing. When are we going to get to the end of this? Who makes the decision when families are in crisis? What are the criteria? Everyone deserves a roof over their head but there must be some guidelines as to how decisions are made. As a Council we have to do something about this!”
Cllr Donal Kenny agreed with his colleagues and the frustration that is out there, but he explained meeting up with colleagues from Carlow and Wicklow. “There are an awful lot of houses being built in Wicklow and they are happy enough, they are a year or two ahead of us. We all know we have sites, but we are not getting the shovel into the ground.”
Cllr Anthony Donohoe said he recognised the existence of hardship cases but did not question the staff criteria they are following to give out the houses. “The whole problem is we just don’t have enough houses. We are meeting our housing needs by buying turnkeys on the private market which is a completely distorted market that is displacing the young working couple – the young chap working in the tile centre and the girlfriend who is working in the deli – who cannot get off the Council’s list and are not earning enough to open a bank account
“We are driving up the private housing market on them by buying turnkeys. I would like to see us stop the practice of buying turnkeys, develop our own properties, develop our own lands, deliver our own houses, and leave the private market to the private market,” concluded Cllr Donohoe.
A man in his 20s has died following a two-vehicle road traffic collision that occurred at Ballintore, near Ferns, at approximately 5.20pm yesterday.
The deceased was the sole occupant of the first car. His body was taken from the scene to University Hospital Waterford where a post mortem will take place.
The driver of the second vehicle, a woman in her 50s, and seriously injured was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin where her condition is described as critical.
The road is closed and local diversions are in place.
The road will remain closed overnight and gardaí say the examination of the scene will begin tomorrow morning at first light.
Gardaí are appealing to any road users who were travelling in the area at the time and may have camera footage.
Anyone with any information should contact Enniscorthy Garda Station on (053) 9233534, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda Station.
About twenty-eight homes were flooded, twelve in Bridgetown and of eight bridges serious damaged, four of them have been wiped out entirely, following the Christmas Day torrential rainfall when more than 3.5 inches fell in 24 hours. More damage may emerge in the coming weeks as safety inspections are carried out across Co. Wexford.
Minister Patrick O’Donovan with responsibility for the Office of Public Works visited Enniscorthy this afternoon where he surveyed the flooding in the town and met with officials and public representatives who were seeking support for the flood relief scheme planned for the town.
AUDIO ADDITION – TOM ENRIGHT, CEO Wexford County Council talks to DAN WALSH about the Christmas Day flooding across the county.
The attendance included Minister James Browne, Deputy Verona Murphy, Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy, Cathaoirleach Wexford County Council, Cllr Cathal Byrne, Cathaoirleach Enniscorthy Municipal District, Cllr Jackser Owens, Tom Enright, Chief Executive Officer, Wexford County Council, Tadhg O’Corcora, Senior Executive Engineer and Liz Hore, Director of Services.
Minister Patrick Donovan visited Enniscorthy today to see the flooding devastation. He is flanked by Tom Enright, CEO., Liz Hore, Director of Services, Tadgh O’Corcora, Senior Executive Engineer, Cllr Cathal Byrne, Cathaoirleach Enniscorthy Municipal District Council, and Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy, Cathoairleach Wexford County Council.
Wexford County Council’s Emergency Management Team met this afternoon to review the impact of the devastation.
Hundreds of people were forced to put their Christmas Day celebrations on hold as local river networks across the county became inundated and unable to cope with the staggering water volumes, described by many locals as “unprecedented in living memory” and of “biblical proportions.” Flooding was reported in many parts of the county as early as 8am on Christmas morning.
Scores of Council workers, including Fire fighters, road crews, civil defence volunteers and support staff were called to assist as flood waters breached riverbanks in all parts of the county.
The Council’s Out of Office emergency phoneline recorded more than 250 calls throughout the day as members of the public sought assistance from the Council to protect their properties against the rising flood waters. More than 3.000 sandbags were deployed at scores of locations and while these did offer protection to householders in many areas, not every home managed to escape the flood waters
One of the areas worst affected was the village of Bridgetown, where the local canal burst its banks in the early morning, flooding neighbouring houses to a depth of more than a metre. Fire crews and trained civil defence personnel used boats and rafts to assist those trapped by the rising waters. Many of those forced to leave their homes took shelter with friends and neighbours with others availing of temporary emergency accommodation provided by Wexford County Council.
The River Slaney in flood at Enniscorthy this afternoon. Diversions are in place. The Promenade, Abbey Quay and Templeshannon Quay remain closed.
In Enniscorthy, the River Boro surged to unprecedented levels, sweeping away road bridges at Kilcarbry Mill and Wilton, Bree. A rapidly rising River Slaney once more flooded Enniscorthy town, with both Templeshannon Quay and Abbey Quay flooded and closed to traffic, with diversions in place.
Flood waters also destroyed road bridges at Chapel Clonroche, Cullenstown Little, Wellingtonbridge, Mangan, Hollyfort and Ballyroebuck Ferns, with reports still coming in of further road damage in many parts of the county and road diversions in place.
Wexford County Council continues to advise those travelling to drive with extreme caution, and to drive at night only ifessential, as hazards such as flood water and damaged roads may be difficult to see.
Despite the surging flood waters in the river network, water quality at all Council public water treatments has remained excellent, with no public water supply quality issues to report.
As flood waters recede throughout this afternoon and this evening, Wexford County Council has deployed road sweepers in many parts of the county to help remove debris from roads and footpaths in the worst affected areas.
The Council’s Environment Department has also issued an appeal to farmers whose slurry tanks may have filled with surface water to avoid the temptation to spread slurry on already waterlogged fields, as the resulting runoff can have a devastating polluting impact on neighbouring rivers and streams.
Over the coming days Wexford County Council staff will carry out a comprehensive survey of the county’s road network to fully assess the scale of the damage caused and put a repair plan in place. While it is still too early to put an estimate on the repair bill, the Council says that significant government funding will be required to remediate the huge damage caused by the unprecedented flooding.
Anybody wishing to report incidents to Wexford County Council can contact the Council’s Out-of Hours Emergency Number 1890 666 777.
Christmas flooding across Co. Wexford is expected to cost millions of euro after numerous bridges have either collapsed or being swept away and road surfaces have been torn apart. Many roads are still closed.
Enniscorthy is under water today. There is single passage through Enniscorthy with the areas of Island Road, Templeshannon, Templeshannon Quay, Abbey Quay and The Promenade all under water. Advice to roadusers is to avoid Enniscorthy town centre at all costs.
Cathaoirleach of Enniscorthy Municipal District Council, Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy was visiting flood damage in the district including Enniscorthy. “It is devastating with bridges down, roads closed, it will cost millions of euro. The entire county is destroyed,” she told WexfordLocal.com
Staff from Wexford County Council are directing traffic at Enniscorthy and roadusers are urged to obey ‘closed’ signs and to avoid travel unless the journey is necessary.
Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council CLLR BARBARA-ANNE MURPHY inspecting the flooding at Enniscorthy this morning.
Overnight bridges have collapsed at Kilcarbery and Wilton. Yesterday, bridges at Chapel, near Clonroche, and Courtown are completely gone.
Roads are closed at Clohamon, Ballycarney and Edermine. The condition of hundreds of other bridges are precarious and safety reviews will be necessary and some may be closed for months.
AUDIO ADDITION – CLLR BARBARA-ANNE MURPHY speaking to WexfordLocal.com at Enniscorthy this morning.
Fianna Fáil Cllr Lisa McDonald in the Rosslare Municipal District, is calling for the immediate opening of emergency humanitarian aid schemes following yesterday’s significant flooding across the District.
“This morning I’m joining the call from Minister James Browne for the opening of emergency humanitarian aid schemes following yesterday’s horrendous flooding in the Rosslare District,” said Cllr. McDonald.
“The Emergency Humanitarian Aid Scheme from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment provides urgent funding of up to €20,000 to small businesses, sports clubs, community and voluntary organisations that could not secure flood insurance and have premises that have been damaged.”
Fethard RNLI Lifeboat crew assisting people get out of their homes on Main Street, Bridgetown. (Pic Cian Cassidy)
“The Department of Social Protection may activate the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme. This income-tested scheme provides emergency financial assistance to households who are not able to meet costs for essential needs immediately following flooding. The scheme aims to provide financial support to people who have suffered damage to their home.”
“It is incumbent on Minister’s Leo Varadkar and Heather Humphreys to open these schemes with immediate effect. The damages to homes and businesses across the district are significant and the least these people deserve at this traumatic and stressful time is financial aid,” she concluded.
The next few hours are ‘batten down the hatches’ time in Enniscorthy as the river Slaney has burst its banks on both sides.
A spokesperson for Wexford County Council told WexfordLocal.com that the next few hours is crucial, and the high tide will reach Enniscorthy around 11pm.
There is some optimism that the water may not flow over the Seamus Rafter bridge and allow passage between two sides of the town. Measurement levels in Wexford show the fast-moving water has not risen significantly in the last few hours. Weather conditions are mild for the time of year with no wind to contend with.
A submerged seat and flood waters on Templeshannon Quay at 8.30pm . The street is closed to traffic.
Templeshannon Quay and The Promenade are flooded and closed off since earlier this evening, but in the last hour Abbey Quay and Templeshannon are also closed. Residents of Island Road have the sandbags out and are prepared for an anxious Christmas night and the threat of damage to their homes. These areas are under water. Traffic should avoid the town. Diversions are in place. Premises have used sandbags to ease the potential flood damage.
The River Slaney flowing towards the Seamus Rafter Bridge at 8.30pm tonight as the town prepares for overnight floods.
Wexford County Council, the Gardaí, the fire service and Co. Wexford Search and Rescue will remain at the scene overnight.
Emergency services are monitoring the rising flood waters of the River Slaney at Enniscorthy where high tide happens at 10.12pm.
Templeshannon Quay is already in flood and is closed to traffic. Sandbags have been deployed.
The message from the Gardaí and Wexford County Council is to avoid Enniscorthy overnight unless the journey is necessary. Diversions are in place.
The River Slaney at Eniscorthy at 6pm. Templeshannon Quay on the eastern side of the river is flooded and closed to traffic tonight.
Torrential rain fell overnight and into the afternoon causing considerable road flooding and in many instances road surfaces have been washed away or are in a dangerous condition. Roadusers should take extra care or avoid travel altogether until the damage is investigated and roads are made safe.
There was considerable flooding in the Enniscorthy district at Carley’s Bridge, The Still Pond overflowed onto the road, Davidstown, Ballybrennan, Kilcarbery, Edermine and Borodale. Roads along the Rivers Boro and Urrin was particularly badly affected.
A small bridge being washed away at Chapel, near Clonroche, on the road from Adamstown to Ballymackessy.
Roadusers beware. There are reports of a stone peer and a stone wall washed onto the centre of the road at Ballybrennan, on the Ballymackessy to Killurin-Wexford road.
Reports also that many roads were badly damaged and flooded in the Bridgetown area of south Wexford and Search and Rescue Helicopter 117 answered a call in the Kilmore Quay where a person was trapped in a car.
Our special image for Christmas 2021 is this traditional crib in Oylegate village on the busy road leading to the M11 constructed by the community.
It is that special time of year again and WexfordLocal.com wishes all our loyal readers and followers a HAPPY CHRISTMAS.
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