Connacht Tribune
Farmers dodge Shannon flood disaster
Hundreds of farmers and dwellers along the banks of the Shannon, who came within a whisker of another flooding disaster during the first week of November, are hoping that the worst may be over for them – at least for the time being.
Michael Silke, Chairman of the Save our Shannon Organisation (SOSO), told the Connacht Tribune that through the first week of November, water levels had been at a dangerously high level.
“There were a lot of very worried people during that first week of November with the water level of the river well over six feet above what it was during the summer.
“At that point it was a danger not only to farmyards and fodder storage areas but also to many dwelling houses – however, thankfully the situation stabilised,” said Michael Silke.
He added it was quite evident what happened to relieve the situation was a decision taken by the ESB to release water through the gates at the old channel, Parteen and at Ardnacrusha, which would then lower the water levels further upstream.
The Save Our Shannon Organisation, which represents all communities living alongside the river who have been adversely affected by flooding over the years, have been seeking three changes to be made as regards water management on the Shannon.
They want a single authority in charge of the Shannon; the lake levels to be reduced at Lough Allen, Lough Ree and Lough Derg; and the removal of a serious pinch points between Athlone and Meelick.
Michael Silke, who lives and farms along the banks of the Shannon at Meelick, said that local communities had been hugely disappointed at the response of politicians to their plight, both over recent years and back through the decades.
“We’ve had the politicians come and meet us many times, and on each occasion, they have promised us this, that and other, but there has been absolutely no delivery on any of the commitments.
“What we are looking for are very realistic and achievable goals: the lowering of the lake levels; one authority; and work on the pinch points, but nothing has been done,” said Michael Silke.
He said that while communities had survived the latest scare at the beginning of this month, it was completely unfair on them to put them through major worry every time the river level rose.
According to SOSO, while they accept that there will be some winter flooding of land, their main objective was to see the return of the Shannon as a free-flowing river ‘contained within its natural wetlands and referred to once again as a majestic river’.
The flooding woes of farmers and residents along the Shannon Callows go back to the flood of 1954 while in more recent times there were catastrophic flood events in December/ January 2015/2016, and in November, 2009.
Seriously heavy rainfall during October and early November sparked the latest fears of a flood disaster. During September, October and the first fortnight of November, the Athenry Met Éireann station recorded almost 400mms. (close on 8 inches) i of rainfall.
In the period from October 29 to November 6, when the Shannon water levels were at their highest over recent weeks, 73.5mms. (nearly 3 inches of rainfall) fell at the Athenry Station.
While there was some respite from the recent heavy rainfall this week, more downpours are predicted from Saturday through to Monday next. Met Éireann have forecasted rainfall totals of over 34mms. (1.3 inches) during that three-day period for parts of the Shannon area.
Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
Galway 3-18
Cork 1-10
NEW setting; new opposition; new challenge. It made no difference to the Galway minor hurlers as they chalked up a remarkable sixth consecutive double digits championship victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The final scoreline in Thurles may have been a little harsh on Cork, but there was no doubting Galway’s overall superiority in setting up only a second-ever All-Ireland showdown against Clare at the same venue on Sunday week.
Having claimed an historic Leinster title the previous weekend, Galway took a while to get going against the Rebels and also endured their first period in a match in which they were heavily outscored, but still the boys in maroon roll on.
Beating a decent Cork outfit by 14 points sums up how formidable Galway are. No team has managed to lay a glove on them so far, and though Clare might ask them questions other challengers haven’t, they are going to have to find significant improvement on their semi-final win over 14-man Kilkenny to pull off a final upset.
Galway just aren’t winning their matches; they are overpowering the teams which have stood in their way. Their level of consistency is admirable for young players starting off on the inter-county journey, while the team’s temperament appears to be bombproof, no matter what is thrown at them.
Having romped through Leinster, Galway should have been a bit rattled by being only level (0-4 each) after 20 minutes and being a little fortunate not to have been behind; or when Cork stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half by hitting 1-4 to just a solitary point in reply, but there was never any trace of panic in their ranks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
