Galway braced for worst of weather

FARMERS and householders in the Shannon Callows area of East Galway and surrounding counties are ‘hoping and praying’ that the heavy rainfall predicted for this weekend won’t come to pass.

Local Shannon Callows farmer and long-time IFA campaigner for flood relief measures to be put in place on the Shannon, Michael Silke, said that the point was fast approaching where houses and farmyards would be under threat.

He told the Connacht Tribune that hundreds of people living in the Shannon Callows area had now seen water levels on the river reaching dangerously high points following the heavy rains of last weekend.

“This takes us back to the early days of January, 2016, when this whole area suffered terribly after a very wet winter.

“Unfortunately, little if anything has been done since to put in place any meaningful flood relief measures – now all we can do is hope and pray that the rains won’t be as bad as predicted in the forecasts,” said Michael Silke.

He added that serious questions had to be asked of bodies like the ESB, the OPW (Office of Public Works) and Waterways Ireland in terms of water management on the Shannon and especially as regards the lakes.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale this Thursday.

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