Communities around Lough Funshinagh are living in fear

The communities around Lough Funshinagh are living in fear and have again urged a solution to be found to the risk of flooding at the South Roscommon lake.

Properties at Ballagh Cross and elsewhere are at risk of flooding, causing huge concern locally.

Last week, Roscommon County Council said that the water level at “Lough Funshinagh is extremely high for this time of year”.

“This is especially concerning when considering that peak levels are typically seen in early spring which is still several months away,” the council said.

“The council is fully committed to providing whatever flood protection measures can be provided and is in regular communication with local residents and public representatives."

The council said that due to a High Court order, such measures were limited to localised flood defences and pumping in the immediate vicinity of the affected properties.

“These measures have been relatively effective so far this winter; however, there is a growing concern that as levels continue to rise due to climate change and unprecedented amounts of rainfall, we may reach a point at which such measures will no longer be adequate.” It added it will continue to work in partnership with the OPW to identify an acceptable long-term solution for Lough Funshinagh, and that the hydro-ecological field studies required should be completed before the end of 2024.

Speaking to the Herald, Matthew Beattie of the Lough Funshinagh Flood Crisis Committee said that action was needed urgently.

“At a public meeting in 2016 the community highlighted the issue facing them around the lake and the potential for flooding. It was pointed out to the authorities and politicians at the time that Ballagh would be under 3 ft of water within a few years if action was not taken. The response from the people that had the power to act at that time was ‘the lake is within the natural occurring range’,” he said. “Despite subsequent bad winters, this continued to be the stance - so essentially telling us move on, nothing to see here. And here we are now this winter with the high likelihood that a number of families will have to evacuate their homes in the coming weeks, some of them for the second time in as many years.

“Failure to do the right thing always has negative consequences and can often be the case that the vulnerable suffer. It is just not acceptable. Even now there are huge concerns locally with the pace of progress on a permanent solution with much time being lost at every juncture. What we do not have is time.” He said it was “incredible” it had gotten to the stage that elderly people could not be “left in peace at this point in their lives”.

“It is beyond cruel the threat that now stands over locals, that they may have to shut the door on their life long homes. The atmosphere and mood has changed significantly in the village in recent years,” Mr Beattie said. “While the strong community spirit still remains, a dark cloud and sense of worry hangs over people’s heads. What was once a beautiful village is now totally destroyed and everyone around is living in constant fear from October to April each year, not knowing what the winter will bring.” His father Edward John Beattie, who with his wife was forced to evacuate his home in 2021 for months due to flooding risk, said he was worried sick about the lake.

“I am in my eighties. I have worked hard all my life farming and trying to improve the place, building walls and sheds and trying to have the place look respectable like so many other farmers around me,” he said. “This is not how I imagined I would be spending my elderly years, worrying sick about water coming in to meet me at the foot of my bed. It is one of the worst feelings in the world.

“Water came up the footpath to the house between Christmas and the New Year and we did not get much sleep that night or indeed the next. People have suffered enough and we just want peace and quiet at this point in our lives and to be left alone in our homes.”