People living on the shores of Lough Funshinagh in Co Roscommon who gathered as workmen prepared to demolish a neighbour’s home “felt almost as if they were at a funeral”, a local representative has said.
Cllr Laurence Fallon, a farmer who has himself lost land due to flooding related to the lough, said the mood as about 30 people gathered at the site was “sad because we have lost a family”.
Workmen started removing slates and timber on Monday from the former home of Mary and Rory O’Meara, who were rehoused in Athlone after their home became the first to be permanently evacuated because of the lake’s flood waters.
Remedial works undertaken by Roscommon County Council, which had intended to pipe excess water from Lough Funshinagh into the river Shannon, were halted after a successful High Court challenge by Friends of the Irish Environment. The group argued that the council had used legislation from 1949 to bypass proper planning procedures to carry out the works at what is a special area of conservation.
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Among those who gathered outside the house, which is expected to be completely demolished this week, was the O’Mearas’ next-door neighbour Padraig Beattie, who said his family home would be next in line should the flood waters rise again.
“It is very sad and it will be worse when it is completely knocked because you will see the emptiness,” said the 30-year-old farmer. “We could be in the same position in a few years’ time.”
Many of those present complained of a lack of action since the High Court proceedings and said some resolution must be found to make people feel safe in their homes.
Geraldine Murray, secretary of the Lough Funshinagh Crisis Committee, said her family has been living close to the lake for 200 years.
“The lough was 2 kilometres from the house before 2016, but last year the water came within 200 metres of the door,” she said.
Ms Murray said a sense of doom and gloom was evident as locals watched the house being dismantled.
“It is absolutely heartbreaking. It is not just the house. It is the people,” she said. “Mary [O’Meara] did not come out here today because she is so upset.”
She said the coming winter would see more nights where people go to bed wondering how close the water would be to their homes by morning.
Tommy Carney said he had lost 60 acres to flood waters and has had to reduce his herd as a result.
“I dread every winter,” he said. “You are constantly watching the forecast and the water levels rising. And you are helpless.”
Mr Fallon said 90 people had for months been involved in an effort to pump water away from the house which is being demolished.
Farmers had for 50 years been doing their utmost to protect the Special Area of Conservation, by taking out stock at certain times of the year and liaising with State agencies, he added.
“But now everything is dead because of the floods. The trees are dead. We used to get whooper swans grazing on my farm every winter but last year I counted only 27,″ he said.
“We have lost one family already. Mary’s family lived here for generations and she still comes here two or three times a week to see her neighbours. But we can identify the next two houses which will be lost if something is not done.”
Roscommon County Council said in a statement that it was not involved in the demolition of the house, which “relates to a previous voluntary homeowner relocation scheme between the property owner and the Office of Public Works”.
Regarding the lough’s flood waters, the council said it “has continued to adhere to the High Court order including the remediation of the site and is continuing to work with the OPW on possible solutions to the ongoing challenges”.
