Farming
Floods return to Galway as storms roll in
TENS of thousands of acres of Galway farmland lie under water this week as farmers and families brace themselves for another weekend of wind and rain.
The Shannon Callows is within ‘one inch’ of potential catastrophe for farmers, according to local farmer Michael Silke, who is also National Chairman of the IFA’s Flood Project Team.
“At the end of the day, the human suffering aspect of what people have gone through in the Shannon Callows area is never factored in by the politicians and I would have to say that OPW Minister, Brian Hayes, has been a total disaster for us.
“This man (Hayes) doesn’t seem to have any grasp of the situation that’s once again unfolding for thousands of householders in the Shannon Callows area – the only words we ever hear are ‘cost benefit analysis’ from the Minister. He is just turning a blind eye to what’s going on,” said Michael Silke.
Michael Silke said that relatively straight forward dredging maintenance work on key bottleneck sections of the Shannon that were silting over, could make a huge difference to absorbing the flood waters that were causing so much hardship.
“If for example, the channel was widened from Shannonbridge to Athlone – a stretch of waterway only about 12 or 13 miles long – the impact would be enormous. This is not rocket science but Ministers sitting in cosy offices in Dublin just don’t tune into this,” said Michael Silke.
Thousands of acres of land are now under water in a large tranche of South Galway through Gort, Peterswell, Ardrahan and Ballinderreen.
Long time campaigner for flood relief in South Galway, Mattie Hallinan, said that what was really heartbreaking for many people, especially in the Ardrahan and Ballinderreen areas, was that there was a ready solution to the flooding problem if channels to the sea were widened and properly maintained.
“It’s every bit as bad – if not worse – than the situation that applied in 2009. Water levels are rising through the week and with more rain on the way this weekend we are really looking at a crisis situation,” said Mattie Hallinan.
Another local flood campaigner, Pat Greene, said that the flood problems in the area had seriously worsened in the past week with several roads flooded, houses under threat and farmyards also at high risk of flooding.
Galway IFA Chairman, Michael Flynn said that farmers in the South and East Galway areas were most under threat as flood waters continued to rise.
“The flood problem has been highlighted year after year with different Governments but nothing seems to happen – it gets bogged down in red tape.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
THE fact that over 20,000 farmers have applied for inclusion in the new suckler cow scheme is a positive indication for a farming sector that’s considered to be one of the main bedrocks of agriculture in the West of Ireland, according to Galway’s IFA Livestock representative, Micheál Haverty.
He said that since 2018, there had been a 12% to 14% decrease in Irish suckler cow numbers across the county mainly due to the tight margins and the labour intensive nature of in the enterprise.
“The fact that over 20,000 farmers have applied for inclusion in the new SCEP scheme is a step in the right direction. Without a viable suckler cow sector across the country, and especially in the West of Ireland, the viability of the country’s multi-billion euro beef sector would be in doubt,” Micheál Haverty told the Farming Tribune.
He also called for no time lag to follow with the introduction of the new BEEP-S scheme which would be an additional financial supplement to the SCEP payments. “The Minister [Charlie McConalogue] has committed to introducing the new BEEP-S scheme as quickly as possible – we are expecting confirmation of this over the next week or two,” said Micheál Haverty.
Galway tops the county ‘league table’ in terms of SCEP (Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme) applications (which closed on May 22 last) with 2,428 farmers from the county applying, followed by Mayo on 1,886, Clare on 1,791, Cork (1,537), Roscommon (1,196), Donegal (1,067) and Kerry (1,050).
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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Galway farmer Blátnaid Gallagher knows first-hand how open space and being around animals can help someone’s sense of well-being.
The former member of the Defence Forces recalls how, as a young girl growing up in Renmore, Galway City, regular visits to her uncle’s farm offered its own kind of therapy.
“Nothing compared to spending time on the farm,” said Blátnaid. “Breathing in the fresh air after being let loose in the fields, being surrounded by animals . . . and getting up to all kinds of divilment,” she laughed.
From an early age, Blátnaid appreciated the land and formed a lasting connection to nature.
Blátnaid and her husband Niall inherited her uncle PJ Murray’s 100-acre farm in 2016.
Nestled in the rolling hills of Killoran, Co Galway, near the historical village of Aughrim in East Galway, Murray Meadows is a family-run farm transitioning to organic farming – home to geese, hens, ponies, donkeys and Blátnaid’s flock of pedigree Galway sheep, producing organic lamb and Galway wool.
Since last year, Blátnaid and Niall have been diversifying into social farming – proving a fruitful collaboration with Social Farming Ireland (SFI).
Social farming is a service delivered by farmers as an innovative use of agriculture to promote therapy, rehabilitation, social inclusion, education and social services in rural areas.
The service allows people with challenges to engage in everyday activities on ordinary working farms in their local community.
Blátnaid explained that social farming provides a structure around a working day that people may not have had the chance to experience elsewhere.
“Opening up the farm was a no-brainer,” said Blátnaid. “On a farm, you get to connect with nature and animals. It’s a wonderful place to be.
“I describe it as the best prescription to increase self-esteem and improve health and well-being.”
An open day on Blátnaid’s farm, held earlier this week, offered an opportunity to showcase what social farming is all about.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
A SUBSTANTIAL holding of land in east Galway – described as one of the finest to come to the market in recent years – has been sold after auction for almost €12,200 an acre.
The holding, extending to almost 107 acres at Carrownafinnoge, Fahy, Eyrecourt, went under the hammer but actually wasn’t sold in the auction room.
However, following behind the scenes negotiations involving auctioneer Niamh Madden of Sherry FitzGerald Madden in Loughrea and two interested parties, the guide price of €1.3 million was eventually achieved.
The main block of just over 101 acres was purchased by purchased by former rugby player and successful dairy farmer Shane Morkham who had been leasing the land for years.
The smaller portion of 5.3 acres, just a couple of hundred yards away, was acquired by another local dairy farmer following the intense negotiations.
Auctioneer Niamh Madden told Farming Tribune that there was always good demand for quality agricultural land and she described this holding as “one of the finest” in east Galway.
“In the lead-up to the auction, we had a considerable number of inquiries but the two individuals who acquired the property know it well having grazed the lands for years.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
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