Floods a case of ‘when not if’

Midleton feels exactly as vulnerable this year as it did when devastating floods hit the town last October, one of the worst affected residents has said.

Speaking to the Cork Independent, Midleton and East Cork Flood Protection Group spokesperson Caroline Leahy said the anniversary of last year’s flooding is looming over the town.

She said: “There's an element where you think, okay, that was so bad, that can't happen again.

“To be facing into it again in this moment of time, is a terrifying prospect,” added Ms Leahy.

The Tír Cluain estate resident’s home was one of the worst hit when Storm Babet caused the Owenacurra River near Midleton to burst its banks on 18 October, sending torrents of water into the town resulting in hundreds of millions of euros worth of damage.

As it stands, planning submission for permanent flood defences for Midleton have been pushed back from 2025 to 2026.

Ms Leahy said: “It is a case of when, not if, unfortunately. Lots of people try to say, 'be positive', but it's very hard when you've gone through it and you know there's nothing been done to stop it happening again.”

Ms Leahy was recently added to the Midleton Flood relief Committee, which includes local councillors, Cork County Council engineers, and OPW representatives.

She continued: “We're being told that there's a lot to happen in next couple of weeks. We're trying to be very positive on that and hope that it all delivers, but there's always that little hesitation. We would like to see shovels in the ground before we breathe that little sigh of relief.”

Ms Leahy only finished works to repair her home last month and now fears that any investment she makes could end up being destroyed again.

She said: “We still have a lot to do. We've tried to future proof it to the best of our ability to try to limit what we have to replace next time.”

“When you're going to get all of these bits, in our situation, is heartbreaking because you're putting all of this money into stuff that essentially could end up in the skip,” she added.

Ms Leahy’s words follow a public meeting in Midleton on Tuesday discussing the potential for natural flood defences in East Cork. The proposed defences would incorporate catchment-based ‘soft’ engineering measures, working with land use to build up flood resilience around towns and villages, employing a concept known as “slow the flow”.

Local Social Democrats Cllr Liam Quaide, who has been vocal in his support for such measures, said: “I've been urging Cork County Council since last October to explore the potential for natural flood defences in East Cork.

“Nature-based solutions are most effective with smaller, frequent floods than with the type of event that caused devastation in Midleton last October. However, they can significantly add to the overall flood resilience of a catchment,” added Mr Quaide.

Commenting on the measures spoken about at Tuesday’s meeting, Ms Leahy said: “If there's an expert out there that can even help even one house, then grab them with both hands.

“Whatever can be done to save anyone must be done because there is a risk to life,” she concluded.