The accompanying video was filmed in December 2023 and completed in January 2024 by the Save Our Shannon Organisation. The last part of the video was filmed when the level of the water in the Shannon was similar to the level in July/August 2023.
Using a drone facility it was possible to capture unquestionably the utter devastation caused in the Callow regions of River Shannon, Suck, Brosna and Little Brosna from Athlone to Meelick/Lusmagh.
The site is designated as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). However, there is little left to conserve due to continual summer flooding. The area is submerged under flood water and polluted by effluent from the towns it flows through. Not only is humankind impacted by summer flooding. The destruction of wildlife, flora and fauna is evident. The impact of Shannon flooding affects not only the above categories but also impacts on recreational activities like fishing and boating. Mooring in the villages along the river have seen a 60% decrease in income due to the inability of boats to harbour safely due to increased water levels.
This video shows the destruction of farms which were, and currently are, under flood water for all of the year 2023 with the exception of 6 weeks (mid-May – to June). The impact of this destruction is immeasurable both financially and psychologically.
On Wednesday 8 November 2023 three members of the Save Our Shannon Organisation (SOSO), Michael Silke, Liam Broderick and John Ryan, attended a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine to discuss the topic “Concerns for sourcing winter animal feed in the Shannon Callows area” and to draw attention to the devastation suffered by the farmers and residents living in the Shannon Callows area stretching from Athlone to Meelick.
We had an interesting visit on Tuesday 5 Sept. Those people are very
concerned with environment matters and the devastation caused by the
flooding. They asked to visit the area. As members of Save Our
Shannon Organisation (SOSO) they contacted us to act as guides. It
was a revelation to them to experience first-hand the cruelty and
devastation visited on the farming and residential community through
lack of input by the different government agencies down the years.
Names left to right: Michael Silke, Chairperson SOSO, Conor Dowling,
SF, Local Rep, Emily Young, Sec SOSO, Darren O’Rourke SF. TD
Spokesperson on Environment and climate action, James Nevin, SOSO,
John Curley PRO, SOSO. Missing from the pictures Peter Donaghey,
SF, spokesperson Environment and climate action
The Save Our Shannon Organisation represents all communities of people who live along the River Shannon and who have suffered cruelly and inhumanely as a consequence of government failure over many decades.
Our organisation is dedicated to improving the lives of all those who are suffereing immensely as a result of major Winter and Summer flooding over a significant number of years. While we fully accept that there will always be normal Winter flooding our main objective is to see the Shannon returned to a free-flowing river, contained within its natural wetlands and referred to once again as a majestic river.
Then, and only then, will householders, businesses, farming communities, fishermen, boating activities and wildlife be able to co-exist in harmony with each other.
At present, the Shannon is choked-up with siltation, silt-islands, overhanging trees, weeds and vegetation.
Constrictions and Pinch points have greatly slowed the natural flow of the river and caused floodwaters to spread far and wide over lands adjoining the river.
Currently floodwaters are entering dwelling houses and farmyards that were built far away from the banks of the Shannon over two centuries ago. Over the years the Irish Government, through its various state bodies, has failed miserably to maintain and manage our greatest river. Our organisation is deeply concerned with this blatant failure.
Originally our organisation was called The Mid-Shannon Flood Relief Group and was formed in April 2016 after the highest ever recorded flood in the Shannon in January of that year. In more recent years it has become very clear to our organisation that the horrifying flood events being continuously experienced by our communities in the mid-Shannon area is now being replicated in communities north of Athlone as far upriver as Drumshambo, Co Leitrim and south of Meelick as far down as Limerick City. Our organisation embraces all of these affected communities.
We are gravely concerned with all of the following issues:
a) The continuously rising flood levels in the Shannon both in Summer and Winter time.
b) The destruction of the habitats of our wading bird population which has already led to the extinction of the much-loved Corncrake and the massive reduction in the number of Curlew, Redshank, Lapwing and Snipe population in our Callows.
c) The huge fodder losses suffered by farmers and the destruction of summer grazing alongside the damage done to farmyards.
d) The continuous flooding of private homes during Winter months and extending to older dwellings that are hundreds of years in existence.
e) The pressure flooding is causing physically, mentally and financially to the farming communities, private householders, businesses, tourism, fishermen and boating activities is inestimable.
f) The pollution and contamination of water and lands due to sewage plants being flooded.
After the horrifying flood event of November/December 2009, our Government and its agencies continuously assured us that this was a “one in 150 years event, it was a once off event, and it would not happen again”.
The OPW. were appointed as the lead agency to deal with flooding. The CFRAM study was put in place with assurances that it would embrace all problems along the River Shannon. Sadly. for rural communities living along the river nothing has been done to alleviate this very serious flooding issue. The truth is, the flooding in both Summer and Winter has become progressively worse.
In December/January 2015/2016 the most frightening flood event that has ever been witnessed devastated communities living adjacent to the River Shannon. This event was again almost replicated in February 2020 and still nothing has been done to resolve these frightening catastrophes. Major urbanised areas have in the main had flood barriers erected but in rural areas nothing whatsoever has been done to resolve these issues.
Since the major flood event of 2015/2016 many meetings has taken place with all public representatives in constituencies along the River Shannon. We have presented these TDs, Councillors and Senators with copies of our main objectives which are as follows:
1. The creation of a single authority with total responsibility for management and maintenance of the River Shannon
2. The removal of pinch points between Athlone and Meelick.
3. The lowering of water levels in our 3 lakes by one (1) metre.
We absolutely believe that if these 3 objectives were fully implemented and with proper management of water levels alongside an ongoing maintenance programme of our river that:
1. Summer flooding would be a rarity
2. Major Winter floods events, as occurred in November/December 2009, December/January 2015/2016, and February 2020 would never occur again.
We are demanding that rural communities along the River Shanon stretching from Drumshambo, Co Leitrim to Cloonlara/Springfield and Castleconell, Co Limerick be protected in the same manner as communities in our major urbanised areas have already been protected.
We have found that the vast majority of politicians are in agreement with our objectives but so far nothing of any significance has been done to implement them and our communities in the river catchment area continue to suffer the effects of these torturous events.
