Something is rotten in Cork and it isn’t the aftermath of last week’s flood but rather the cause of it. Many reasons have been put forward for the near devastation of the city and its western suburbs, but at the end of the day it was the opening of the dam at Inniscarra to release the pressure that had the potential to have caused a much more serious scenario including loss of life. As a boy I remember when winters were just that and this weather wasn’t uncommon 40 years ago so, to blame the weather isn’t a just reason for last week’s flooding. To hold back the waters at the Inniscarra dam in such a way as to cause such pressure to the point, that the resulting flooding of the Lee basin which has caused so much disruption, heartache and damage, is nothing short of reckless endangerment and somebody is to blame.
The sense of community in the aftermath of this flooding tragedy is just fantastic with special tribute to the emergency services and council workers manning water stations around the city and county and gardai who have distributed water to the elderly, the shop keepers who cut the price of their bottled water and those who gave water containers away for free, to those individuals who gave of their time and resources to fill containers and go around their own communities handing out water and checking on the elderly. On the other side of the coin, shame on the unscrupulous pigs who put up the price of their bottled water and water containers and those in our community who tried to sell tap water to their fellow Corkonians in their time of need. Anyone with flood emergency enquiries should take note of the following information.
Reminder of FREEFONE Number 1800 283 034
Cork City Council wish to remind the media and the public that FREEFONE Number 1800 283 034 is also available for all flood emergency queries. This FREEFONE line is open 8am to 10pm Monday to Friday. Outside of these hours, please telephone the 24-hour emergency number 021 4966512. Members of the public should stay tuned to local and national media for further updates and also visit Cork City Council’s website www.corkcity.ie
I travelled to Mallow last Sunday for the Munster Club Intermediate Hurling Final which saw Douglas give up their domination of the game in the final minutes, to lose out by just a point. I have covered many sports events both locally, nationally and internationally down the years and while press accreditation is stringent at some levels it is much less so at local events. Indeed many sports recognise the importance of press coverage and images to promote these sports and apart from the usual band of press photographers showing up at local events, it doesn’t take much to recognise from the of equipment they carry – a bona fide photographer. However this wasn’t the case in Mallow last Sunday. I didn’t have my up to date NUJ Card with me and I was told that because I didn’t have an up to date I.D., I would not be allowed in however if I bought a ticket for the game I would. I argued my case to no avail and was actually in the process of leaving the venue when I was approached and told the situation was sorted and I could enter. My colleagues in the Examiner and Echo were treated in the same manner. There should have been an event PRO and press gate at this event to deal with press requirements – GAA take note!!!!
Our deepest sympathy goes out to the Walsh family on their recent bereavement.
Slán
George Thompson
Editor
