Bright cloud in Kerry’s rainfall woes as vital flood relief scheme opened

By Alastair Tibbs, The Kerryman

A Kerry town’s €2m flood relief scheme was officially opened on Friday as flooding remains a major challenge to the area.

The ribbon was cut in front of the football-pitch sized drainage system in Clieveragh, Listowel by junior minister Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, surrounded by Kerry TDs and local councillors.

“Today is a good day for Listowel,” declared Minister Moran.

“I know full well the problems that flooding poses to homes and businesses, but particularly to the mental health of people. I know the stress that can cause. Today here in Clieveragh there’s a sense that that can be lifted.”

The scheme provides an overflow pond in the event of exceptional rainfall, allowing storm water from nearby drains to flow into the hollow and be released in a controlled manner to downstream water ways.

The Clieveragh area has experienced numerous and significant flooding events since 2009 with water breaching residential properties and damaging nearby businesses.

Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council, Councillor Michael Foley, welcomed the investment but acknowledged there was still work to do.

“This investment will provide greater protection for homes and businesses, safeguard our local economy and strengthen the resilience of our town,” he said.

“The Clieveragh Flood Relief Scheme represents a significant investment in the future of Listowel and we’re all aware of the need for additional flood defences in the area which will require further funding.”

Michael Guerin, chairman of the Clieveragh-Bedford Residents Association, welcomed the project but argued that it didn’t address the main infrastructural problems of the area.

He claimed residents on Clieveragh Road were still having to “wade” through water on the road during adverse weather. While he accepted the works would help the local drainage issues, he said it would not attenuate flooding of the road.

“All the councillors and all the TDs know about this problem,” he said, “it’s been going on for years but no progress has been made or any planning in regard to infrastructure in the Clieveragh-Bedford area. It’s the most neglected area in Listowel.”

In October, planning permission was refused for a residential development in Clieveragh over fears the development would exacerbate flooding in the area. Homeland DAL Ltd’s bid to build 12 three-bedroom houses at Cashen Court in Dun Alainn was turned down after an appeal to An Coimisiúm Pleanála who stipulated that more advanced storm-water measures were needed before the development could go ahead.

Other places in north Kerry, such as The Meadows estate in Listowel, experienced major flooding last year following the rapid thawing of significant snowfall.

While flood defences were recently installed in Listowel Town Park to protect vulnerable parts of the town, places such as Killocrim, which experienced devastating flooding in November 2024, are heading into the new year without defence improvements.

At the Clieveragh opening ceremony, Minister Michael Healy-Rae called on elected representatives and the public to stay positive and he assured afflicted residents that the government was working hard to solve the area’s water management issues.

“It’s a positive day for our county…every time we have investment in our county its positive and we have to keep driving that home that we’re doing our best at all times to delivery for the county,” he said.