The vagaries of the Irish weather are plain to see this weekend as some farmer cut corn while others are left to pick up the pieces after devastating floods.

Corn is being cut and silage baled in the south and east of the country over the weekend, but cattle are housed and land poached in the west and northwest.

Farmers further north in Donegal, Tyrone and Derry had their land destroyed by flash flooding and will not be able to return it to production for some time.

Silt, stones, rocks and other flood debris have left fields un-grazeable, while other farmers have been completely cut off from their land due to public roads, bridges and farm roadways being washed away.

In Donegal, farmers Gavin and Jacinta McCarron had the access road to their farm in Owenbuoy, Drumfries, Clonmany, washed away.

The access road to the McCarron farm in Owenbuoy, Drumfries, Clonmany, was washed away.

“Our farm has been more or less destroyed,” Jacinta told the Irish Farmers Journal. “The access road is washed away, new wiring, posts, gates, pillars – everything washed away.”

Before and after: new fencing was swept away in the floodwaters and the field is covered in silt and debris.

Describing it as “every farmer’s nightmare”, she added that their fields have been left in total disrepair.

“We all know the long hours work and dedication put in by the farming community and to have everything wiped out in a matter of hours is heartbreaking,” said Jacinta. “But we are luckier than those who have lost their homes.

“Please God if we can get some assurance from the Department of Agriculture that help will be available it will make things a little bit easier.”

This graphic from Met Éireann shows the dramatic difference in rainfall levels across Ireland last week.

Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed said his department is working closely with Teagasc staff, who are also making themselves available to all affected farmers to provide the most appropriate advice on how to manage their situations.

At the opposite end of the country, farmers were making silage and cutting corn in counties Cork, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Wexford and more.

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