Croke Park open for qualifiers despite flash flooding yesterday

The three GAA football qualifiers in Croke Park today will go ahead as planned despite flash flooding which deluged Jones Road yesterday.

Dramatic photographs taken yesterday afternoon show the road just after a torrential downpour, which rendered it impassable for several hours.

According to the rain gauge at Croke Park, 50mm (two inches) fell yesterday afternoon at around 5.30pm.

However, the flash flooding receded yesterday evening and the flood was gone by 7.30pm.

It is the third time Jones Road has been flooded in the last five years.

The first of three qualifiers gets underway today at 3pm when London take on Cavan. It will be followed by Cork v Galway at 5pm and Meath v Tyrone at 7pm.

Croke Park manager Peter McKenna said there are no restrictions today. He added: “We have a contingency ready in the event of a repeat of yesterday.”

Ronan Gilligan of AA Roadwatch said flash flooding affected traffic in many parts of the capital yesterday.

A lightning strike struck the Luas at Beechwood led to suspended services between Beechwood and St Stephen’s Green.

There was also flooding problems in Templeogue village and near the Docklands train station.

Donegal experienced the worst of the flooding yesterday which caused the evacuation of Letterkenny accident and emergency department.

Forecast

The forecast is for the warm humid weather to continue with thundery showers in many places.

Connacht and many parts of Ulster will experience the worst of the weather while the eastern half of the country will stay dry, though there is a risk of thundery showers later.

There is a risk of spot flooding everywhere tomorrow with scattered thunderstorms.

The pattern is expected to continue for the foreseeable future with above average temperatures and rainfall.