The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
‘We want action to prevent another flood before winter’
RESIDENTS in Kilmoyley are worried that inaction in tackling a flooding blackspot in the Parish will consign them to more misery over the coming months.
Members of the Kilmoyley Graveyard Committee say that Kerry County Council have made previous attempts to resolve the issues but with little success.
Locals voiced their concerns at a meeting on Wednesday last, which was attended by committee members, local residents, Deputy Michael Healy Rae, and Cllr John Lucid.
Since it opened in 1994, flooding has plagued Kilmoyley Graveyard, as well as a number of nearby residences.
Michael Deenihan of the Graveyard Committee claimed there had been long held concerns over the location of the graveyard. “The church is adjacent to the graveyard and its carpet gets soaked by water coming up through the ground. When we were burying someone there for the first time, bales of straw had to be put into the grave to keep the coffin up from water.”
Another local told The Kerryman that her husband had to miss his mother-inlaw’s funeral, as he was pumping water from the grave during the Mass. Flooding also extends to a row of houses located on the same side as the graveyard, as well as to a new estate opposite, built in 2004.
David McKenna lives in the estate, and says that conditions can be miserable after heavy rain.
“You get water flowing from the road into gardens and flooding the place, as well as septic tanks backing up. There’s lots of kids living around here, and in flooding it can be a nightmare keeping an eye on them,” he said.
Mr McKenna also recalled having to wheelbarrow his kids through dirty floodwater in years gone by.
Works to improve drainage were due to take place on site last winter but were suspended due to unfavourable weather conditions. Locals have remained in contact with the council since but with no work started and with winter approaching, they’re worried that the present opportu- nity will be missed.
The report of a hydrologist – who visited the site in July and is carrying out a full review of the situation – is now awaited before any remedial works are carried out and the council says this will be released “in the coming weeks”.
“If the work doesn’t begin very soon, conditions will see work delayed for another few months,” Mr Deenihan claimed.
“Locals can’t be buried with loved ones because of the conditions, and this is 22 years after that first person was buried with bales of straw placed under their coffin.”
Meanwhile, Mr McKenna said that homeowners have been helped by the fact that a local farmer has allowed water to be pumped into his field approximately 300 yards away but said the process is costly and awkward.
“It costs up to €40 a day to run the pump, and it goes on for a fortnight or so. It’s expensive, and it’s a nuisance.”
Deputy Michael Healy Rae praised Kerry’s councillors for continuously drawing attention to the issues, and commended the locals for their “hard work and sensible approach”. He described the situation as deeply upsetting and said that conditions in the area are regularly ‘dire’.
Councillor Aoife Thornton told The Kerryman on Thursday that help for people of the area has been “subject to delay, after delay, after delay”, while Fine Gael’s Pat McCarthy said: “It’s time the locals of the area were respected”.