A chara, – It was sobering to see the fine heroes of the civil defence come to our rescue in Ennis after what was a frightening weekend. Of course we have competent gardaí and inspiring firemen, but these people show us the best of volunteerism and most of them are under 25. It’s very humbling. – Is mise,
Madam, – Discussion seems to have focused on urban flood defences and on channel clearance. Is anyone looking at measuring the effect of forested hillsides on slowing down run-off? Would an enhanced forestry premium on selected high-altitude catchment areas perhaps be a good national investment? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – As a former lecturer at University College Cork, I am alarmed to read that its fine Glucksman Gallery is “severely damaged”. This flood disaster is not a “once in 800 years” event, nor does that absurd phrase imply “it won’t happen for 800 years”. When the crisis has passed, UCC must explain why recent buildings were erected on the Lee flood plain. A study of 227 Cork floods by Dr Kieran Hickey, now lecturer at NUI Galway, reports that nine feet of water covered the nearby Mardyke in 1853, and six feet in 1875.
The Irish Timesarchives report that UCC's Lower Grounds were flooded in 1892 (November 22nd, 1892) and the Donovans Road bridge, near the Glucksman, was destroyed in 1916 (November 20th, 1916). Given this, why was the art storage area reportedly located in the basement? Flooding at the Western Gateway Building, on the former Cork Greyhound Stadium, is also worrying.
The Stadium was flooded in 1941 (November 11th, 1941) and again in 1964, when the Inniscarra Dam had to be opened (December 14th, 1964). Why was this building not erected on pillars, which would have created a piazza-campus, and raised its vital electrics to safety?
Dr Hickey is a Cork graduate. He began publishing with UCC colleagues in 1991, and his findings can be read in the excellent Atlas of Cork City, published by Cork University Press in 2005. Did UCC take account of research by its own in planning these buildings? Was the world-class expertise of UCC academic staff consulted to assess the risks? The college art collection forms part of Munster's cultural heritage. UCC must clarify the extent of the damage, and explain why it would appear to have ignored the lessons of six floods in 150 years. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – A few years ago the country was awash with money. Thanks to the chancers elected to govern, it is now broke. Today the country is simply awash, but the same incompetent shower has ensured it is a case of “Water, water everywhere, Nor any drop to drink”. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Why, oh why? The ESB had to release a large volume of water from its dam at Inniscarra into an already flooded city eight miles downstream. Surely there should be an alternative route for the excess waters when flooding is already a problem? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Water is a very valuable natural resource, scarce in many parts of the world. We in Ireland have traditionally seen rain water as a nuisance, spending time and money trying to divert it into the sea. We need a new approach to water management with the development of new lakes and reservoirs, not on the scale of the Three Gorges Dam in China, but the mindset needs to be changed.
Ireland should be on course to becoming a major exporter of water and energy in 15 to 20 years’ time. The Saudis do not divert their natural resources into the sea; we should be managing our surplus water, using its power for energy and exporting drinking water to the rest of the world.
Building banks may give short-term relief to the unfortunate victims of flooding, but this money would benefit the entire community by creating new reservoirs and hydro power. These would not only give long-term flood relief but also increase our energy independence while boosting export income. Instead of dreading the winter rains, we could be looking forward to a good water harvest. – Yours, etc,