FURTHER HEAVY downpours have been forecast for the bank holiday weekend as parts of the country continue a clean-up from flash floods which caused millions of euro worth of damage.
Residents and businesses in Newcastlewest, Co Limerick, and Mallow, Co Cork, were the worst affected by heavy rains which marked the end of July, after local rivers burst their banks yesterday morning.
Met Éireann said the Newcastlewest area experienced the equivalent of four weeks' rain in the five hours up to midnight on Thursday.
While this was exceptional, widespread rain and showers in the final days of the month ensured July was wetter than normal in almost all parts of the State.
The east and south fared worse than other regions, experiencing rainfall totals which were more than twice the normal levels for July. The weather station at Belmullet, Co Mayo, was the only one to record lower-than-normal rainfall for July.
While this amounted to a "very wet and dull" month overall, Met Éireann pointed out that a wet summer was an "integral part" of the Irish climate.
Those hoping for respite during the holiday weekend are likely to be disappointed, although a "bright and sunny" start to today was being forecast. However, heavy showers are expected to spread from the west to all parts of the country by this afternoon.
Tonight and tomorrow would bring further showers, Met Éireann said, some of them "heavy and prolonged". Conditions are expected to improve on Monday, when a good deal of bright, dry weather is anticipated.
That news will be welcomed in particular in areas affected by severe flooding which damaged homes and businesses in counties Limerick and Cork.
In Newcastlewest, Co Limerick, some 2,500 homes were left without electricity after the river Arra burst its banks, causing the worst flooding in the town in living memory.
Limerick county manager Ned Gleeson said a "freak rainfall" had hit the area "with a vengeance".
"Ultimately nobody could deal with an act of nature like this but we will be reviewing the services that are in place and when we assess the whole cost to the county council, and it's going to be a very substantial figure, we will be seeking special funding from the Minister for the Environment," he said.
At the peak of the flood up to six feet of water flowed through the town and into buildings, while a number of cars, beer barrels and gas cylinders could be seen floating.
A boil notice affecting hundreds of households in the Newcastlewest area was issued by Limerick County Council last night.
The production of water at the town's treatment plant was "severely restricted" due to the flooding and water in the service reservoirs was "almost exhausted" last night, said Donal Brennan of the council's water services. The council said it was working to restore full production.
The affected areas included Newcastle West, Coolcappagh, Rathcahill, as well as the Ballyine, Dually, Reens Kilscannell, Old Mill Road, Killoughteen and Killeline Group Water Supply Schemes.In Mallow, Co Cork, business owners began to put out sandbags at lunchtime after the river Blackwater burst its banks. By 4pm the town's Park Road was submerged. Flood relief works have been ongoing in the town for the past six months but are not due to be completed for another year and a half.
Flood waters continued down the Blackwater to Killavullen last night, and residents of Fermoy in north Cork were warned that a flood was likely to hit the town by midnight.