Callows farmers want 'freedom from flooding and freedom to farm'

Farmers affected by flooding along the Shannon Callows packed out the function room in Luker’s Bar in Shannonbridge on Monday night, to voice their concerns over fodder losses and their exclusion from a support scheme.

High waters on the callows around the rivers Shannon, Suck, Brosna and Little Brosna from July last year, meant that farmers suffered the loss of thousands of bales of silage and hay, as well as grazing ground.

Describing the “very serious situation”, Michael Silke, farmer and member of the Save Our Shannon Organisation, said that by the middle of July last year the callows were flooded and remained flooded right through the summer.

“If we can’t get something done about the water levels, both the manner in which it is being managed and the lack of maintenance, there’s no future for any of us on the callows,” he said.

Anger

There was widespread anger at the meeting over how the Department of Agriculture surveyed farmers’ lands and how eligibility was considered for the Shannon Callows Flood Scheme (€325/ha, maximum 15ha).

Lorna Murray-Fahy, a farmer from Banagher who lost the chance to make 300 bales from the callows last year, said that the biggest insult was being told initially by the Department that none of her land was under water.

“I did get a partial payment, but it was not a reflection of everything that went under water. For me, they’re taking precedence from an IT system rather than the farmer’s word.

System

“It’s a case that the system is not really functioning. It’s scandalous, I think, what’s happening.”

Dominic Glynn from Lusmagh argued that despite a number of farmers in his area being along the Shannon, none of them received “any money”.

Other farmers argued that the maintenance along the Shannon needs to be upped and dredging needs to be carried out “desperately”, in order to allow a better flow of water.

Others maintained that Ardnacrusha is the problem and that the levels of water being held there are too high.

The group is currently compiling drone footage of all callows land which is under water and plans to present it to the Department of Agriculture.