FINAL STRAW AS FERMOY BAR FLOODS AGAIN
This week’s flooding in Fermoy marked a step towards the final straw for Avondhu Bar proprietor, Richard O’Flynn. The well known premises, severely battered and damaged by the November flood, was under water once again, just one week after renovations were completed to repair damage from the last occurrence.
Richard gave The Avondhu access to his premises on Wednesday morning, just as the floodwaters were reaching their peak. It presented a surreal sight with water everywhere, seeping through every crevice. Richard was tired and disillusioned. The future, all of a sudden, looked uncertain and somewhat bleak.
“It is very depressing to have this happen again after 14 months of hard work. My family and I put in a hard effort to get this up and running and, now, this is happening.”
“I don’t know what the future holds the way things are going. We have to keep our heads down. We have to keep trying until we are at the breaking point, but it is the breaking point now.
"I’ll keep going as long as I can, but I’m in danger at this stage. I’ve applied for grant aid, but I haven’t heard one word yet. The damage was in excess of €10,000 after the last flood. Now it’s back to square one,” he said.
Once the water recedes the dampness will seep through the walls and they will take a long time to dry up especially in the cold weather; they will blacken and they will need to be dried out again.
The floor tiles are likely to swell. Richard and his family again face the prospect of many weeks hard work to put the place back together. They say a kick in the butt can be a step forward.
However, for Richard O’Flynn this might be just one kick too many. By the same token, his resilience and determination could yet again win the day.
Published:
Thursday 14th January 5:53pm
