Laois river flooding GAA grounds and surrounding Portlaoise district areas

A Laois GAA club beside a river is being flooded "for months" at a time, according to a Portlaoise Municipal District councillor who is asking for flood prevention works.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley tabled a motion to the January meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District, asking Laois County Council to carry out works on the Triogue River.

She named the areas of Brittas, Kilnacash and The Rock GAA grounds in particular, near Mountmellick.

"Since Christmas the land beside The Rock GAA has been flooded. I'm asking if possible that the silt banks be removed and any obstructions. I ask Laois County Council to put forward a strong case. This is affecting a sports club and farmers," she said.

Flooding at the Rock GAA club, photographed on Monday January 26 by the Leinster Express.

She says she is delighted to be told that Portlaoise Municipal District staff have carried out surveys on the River Triogue in the district.

"It is a couple of years ago since I proposed works at Brittas. Farmers and the GAA say their land is flooded for months. Do you have to talk to the National Parks and Wildlife Service?" she asked.

Engineer Wes Wilkinson said that they are compiling a list of locations to remove encroaching vegetation and debris, and the work will be carried out on priority sites in the July to September period this year.

The flooded River Triogue beside The Rock GAA grounds, on Sunday, January 25. Photo: The Leinster Express

"Some can be a quick win," he said.

He said that the surveys are going on for the past year or two. 

"We will screen out into ones we can do this year and ones that require further study, if they need more consents. it's about breaking it down to what we can achieve," Mr Wilkinson said.

Cllr Paddy Buggy seconded the motion, and noted the bottleneck point, where an historic canal aquaduct bridge crosses over the Triogue, across the road from the GAA club.

The River Triogue meeting the disused Grand Canal aquaduct at The Rock, photographed on January 25. Photo: Leinster Express

"The bridge has small arches supporting the canal. Silt is built up to an outrageous level. As a result all the land is flooding. 

"When I was a young lad they were always dredging. They stopped when things got politically correct, there were more fish them. Fish can't swim up now.

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"People are suffering. People are denied access to their own sports facility. People's houses are in danger of flooding," Cllr Buggy said.