Alien Invaders Land In Limerick

Accelerated global warming evidenced by record temperatures and rainfall levels is having a profound impact on Limerick's wildlife with increasing varieties and numbers of alien invaders landing on our shores, it has been claimed.

A new six part documentary series, due to be broadcast on TG4 later this month, features over a dozen foreign species never before featured on Irish television. ‘Coimhtíoch Gan Cuireadh’ or ‘Alien Invaders’ takes a broader look at Irish wildlife and recounts the fascinating stories of how some of Ireland’s alien species ended up in Ireland. The species include the Chinese Mitten Crab, Bank Vole, Mourning Dove, Emperor Dragonfly, Natterjack Toad, Slow Worm, Trigger Fish and Slipper Lobster.

According to Newmarket-on-Fergus resident John Murphy, Wildlife expert and Director of Waxwing Wildlife Productions, ‘The documentary features species of wildlife many people rarely if ever encounter even though they are present all around them. One such species, the Greater White-toothed Shrew (pictured left) this year most likely slipped into the country in the roots of large imported continental-sourced trees. This mammal is thriving in counties Tipperary and Limerick and will spread throughout the country like the bank vole has done.’ Mr. Murphy added, ‘some of these invaders are relative newcomers to our country, while others have been with us for some time. These Aliens take the shape of birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, plants, fish, marine life and freshwater aquatic life forms.’

He explained that increasingly extreme Mediterranean climates had resulted in a dramatic rise in the numbers of exotic species of birds and maritime fish arriving and settling in Ireland. ‘We are seeing more and more cases of alien species of birds appearing on our shores. The arrival and spread of the Collared Dove, Cattle Egrets and the melodic Blackcap are prime examples of this growing trend. Meanwhile, during filming on Inish Bofin in County Galway this year we documented the first every sighting in Ireland of a Mourning Dove, which had arrived from the USA’ commented Mr. Murphy.

Mr. Stan Nugent, Editor and Producer of ‘Alien Invaders’, stated that the documentary provided real evidence of how some foreign species were having a detrimental impact on the Irish environment and on native wildlife. He continued, ‘During filming we examined the presence of Chinese Mitten Crabs along the River Suir, which unlike the River Thames does not possess a tidal barrier to stop the invasive species from progressing hundreds of miles up stream. If left unchecked, these silent raiders will colonise our river systems to the detriment of other species. They will eat anything that comes their way including our native Crayfish and fish spawn. They put pressure on existing stocks of native fish stocks such as Brown Trout and Salmon. Mitten Crabs also live in holes, which they burrow out of the riverbank. This accelerates bank erosion.’

Mr. Nugent said that alien fish species were also appearing along Ireland’s coast in greater numbers. The Grey Triggerfish is a warm-water species with a normal range in the tropical Atlantic and the Mediterranean. However, in more recent times during summer months when the seas are at their warmest, they can be found in the waters around Ireland. The same can be said of sea creatures like the Slipper Lobster, which have only been caught in recent times in Lobster pots in the south of the country.

Meanwhile, the upcoming documentary focuses on the origins of many of Ireland’s newest wildlife species. The slow worm, which can only be found in the reclaimed meadow fringes of the Burren, where they were reportedly brought into Ireland by ‘new age hippies’ from Britain during the early 1970's. Elsewhere, it is widely believed that the Bank Vole was introduced to Ireland in the 1920s during work on the Shannon hydroelectric scheme when large machinery for this development was shipped from ports in the north of Germany to Foynes on the river Shannon and some other Irish ports.

Facts Uncovered By ‘Alien Invaders’ About Ireland’s Counties (more info available on request – see Notes To Editor below):
Antrim: Trigger Fish and other marine invaders may soon be common off the Antrim coast
Armagh: How long will it be before Little Egrets and other Mediterranean birds nest in Armagh
Carlow: Chinese Mitten Crabs could MARCH into Carlow
Cavan: The Red Grouse and Hen Harrier are threatened by the spread of Spruce plantations
Clare: Bank Voles were introduced to Clare during the construction of the Ardnacrusha Hydroelectricity Scheme
Cork: Dace, an alien species to our rivers, were accidentally introduced to the Blackwater in Cork in 1889 by an English pike angler
Derry: Trigger Fish and other marine invaders may soon be common off the Derry coast.
Donegal: Bird species like the Fulmar may disappear from County Donegal if fish stocks continue to decline
Down: How long before Alien Slipper Lobsters are caught off the Down coast
Dublin: Emperor Dragonflies may soon reach a pond near you
Fermanagh: Zebra Mussels, which are spreading throughout the Shannon-Erne waterway, originated in the Caspian Sea and came into Ireland on the hulls of pleasure boats
Galway: First ever sighting of a Mourning Dove in Ireland took place on Inish Bofin Island this year
Kerry: Ireland’s only Toad can only be found in isolated parts of Kerry
Kildare: Emperor Dragonflies may soon reach a pond near you
Kilkenny: Chinese Mitten Crabs could soon colonise the River Nore and threaten the native Crayfish
Laois: Greater White-toothed shrew, which appeared in Ireland for the first time this year, may soon be appearing in Laois
Leitrim: Alien flying insects may soon be seen around the lovely lakes of Leitrim
Limerick: The Greater White-toothed Shrew, which arrived in Ireland from the continent this year, is spreading rapidly throughout Limerick
Longford: The American Grey Squirrel was introduced to Longford and decimated its Red Squirrel population
Louth: Trigger Fish and other marine invaders may soon be common off the Louth coast
Mayo: The Great Skuas, which breed in the high Arctic, are being seen more frequently off the Mayo coast, and could become a menace to our breeding seabird colonies
Meath: Country hedgerows provide perfect breeding ground for bank voles
Monaghan: The Red Grouse may soon disappear from the countryside
Offaly: The native Pygmy Shrew is being threatened by the arrival of the Greater White-toothed shrew
Roscommon: Little Egrets making Roscommon their home
Sligo: How long before Alien Slipper Lobsters are caught off the Sligo coast
Tipperary: Ireland’s newest alien species is discovered in the Premier County
Tyrone: Emperor Dragonflies may soon reach a pond near you
Waterford: Chinese Mitten Crabs are colonising the River Suir and threatening native Irish fish
Westmeath: Snipe and Grouse disappearing from Westmeath
Wexford: Bird species like the Fulmar may disappear from the Saltee Islands if fish stocks continue to decline
Wicklow: Bank Voles could become a food source for Red Kites

‘Alien Invaders’ will be broadcast on TG4 for six weeks starting on Friday 26 September at 8.30pm. The series will culminate with a new book to be published in November. For more on ‘Alien Invaders’ see www.waxwingfilms.ie.

Limerick County Council Reveals Findings Of Severity And Impact Report Into Flooding Of Newcastle West

Limerick County Council has published the findings of a Severity and Impact report into the flooding events of August 1st 2008 in Newcastle West, County Limerick.

Details of the report, which was compiled by JBA Consulting, were revealed at a public meeting in the West Limerick town this evening. The meeting was attended by members of the local community affected by the floods, as well as representatives of the Office of Public Works and JBA Consulting, and Limerick County Council's Transport and Infrastructure, Environment and Housing sections.

Commenting on the background to the report, Mr. Gerry Behan, Deputy County Manager, Limerick County Council, stated, ‘Following the devastating flooding in Newcastle West in the early hours of the 1st August 2008, JBA Consulting was commissioned to compile a timely report to provide a basis for informed discussion and analysis between all stakeholders. The aims of the report were to assess the severity of both the rainfall event in the upstream catchment and the resulting flood in the River Arra, to provide a factual record of the impact of the flood and to identify probable ‘root causes’ of the flooding in order to make recommendations for future analysis.’

‘I would like to thank JBA Consulting for producing this detailed report. Limerick County Council, in conjunction with the Office of Public Works, now looks forward to following through on the key recommendations outlined within the report. The report will be made available in full on the Limerick County Council website at www.lcc.ie from tomorrow morning’, added Mr. Behan.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Data Collection
Two walkover surveys were undertaken; the first immediately after the flood event, and the second once water levels had dropped and the clean up had begun. Data collected included river levels and rainfall totals, weather reports and radar images and photographs and video footage. Interviews were conducted with eyewitnesses to the event, including local residents and emergency personnel, and local engineers. Questionnaires were also distributed to gather the experiences of local residents. The collation and analysis of this data is to be undertaken following this report.

Mechanisms of Flooding
The investigations followed the source-pathway-receptor model, with particular attention paid to the pathways of flooding. The pathways through the catchment above the affected area are important because flooding is not always caused by rain which falls on the location affected directly. It can be caused by rain falling on the upstream catchment which then reaches the town via the drains, rivers and overland flow. The speed with which rain is transferred through and over the ground is determined by features of the catchment such as size, gradient, permeability and wetness, as well as the intensity and duration of the rainfall.

Newcastle West and the Arra Catchment
Newcastle West lies on the downstream reach of the River Arra, which is a tributary of the River Deel. The catchment is relatively small, at 43km2, and extremely steep in its upper reaches. The ground falls from over 350 mAOD to around 80 or 90 mAOD from the summit to the foot of the mountains lying on the western margins of the catchment. The ground then slopes more gently to Newcastle West, which is at an elevation of around 45 mAOD. The underlying geology of the catchment is impermeable, and is overlain by poorly draining soils. There are three main rivers in the Arra catchment which meet in Newcastle West; the Arra, the Dooally and the Mash.

Rainfall
The weather in the days leading up to the 1st August was very wet. Persistent rainfall had resulted in a saturated catchment, revealed by the soil moisture deficit for the area as calculated by Met Éireann.

Rain gauges in the vicinity of the catchment are all daily gauges, meaning they record total rain for the previous 24 hours. Thiessens analysis of the gauge data allowed a catchment average total rainfall to be calculated for the period 09:00 GMT 31st July to 09:00 GMT 1st August. The catchment average rainfall for the period was 85.9mm.
Eyewitness accounts and rainfall radar images indicate that that rain began at around 19:30 on the 31st July and continued until approximately 01:30 on the 1st August, giving a storm duration of 6 hours. Assuming a storm duration of five to six hours, this depth of rain equates to up to a 0.15% AEP (or a return period of up to 1 in 650 years).

River Level
As there are no recording gauges on the Arra a hydraulic model will be required to calculate the exact return period. However, there are two river level recording gauges on the Deel near the Arra at Deel Bridge and Grange. The levels and severity information for the Deel gauges show that water levels were well in excess of any previously recorded event; by 600mm at the Deel Bridge and 400mm at the Grange Bridge.

Description of the Event
Eyewitness accounts and evidence gathered on the site visit were used to establish the flooding sources and pathways. The saturated catchment was unable to absorb the rain and a deluge of water ran off the steep mountain side and over-whelmed the field drains and ditches, before reaching the main watercourses through the catchment, namely the Dooally, the Mash and the Arra. Water flowed through the town, both via the channel and the roads, inundating many properties and moving debris and vehicles in its path. Water depths of up to 1.8m above road level were recorded in the town.

Impacts of the flood
A large number of properties suffered from flood damage, both internally and externally. A more detailed count of those affected will be established following analysis of the questionnaires, but initial estimates suggest over 200 properties may have suffered from some degree of flooding. Although a number of people were rescued from property or vehicles, no-one was seriously injured during the event. Power and water supplies were also affected for a time after the event. Road closures, both as a direct result of the flooding and due to subsequent land slides, remain in place in some areas.

Conclusions
The Arra catchment is very steep with a dense river network upstream of the town. Newcastle West sits at the confluence of three main rivers; the Dooally, the Arra and the Mash;
- July was an exceptionally wet month which resulted in fully saturated ground conditions prior to the storm;
- During the storm, 10% of the expected annual rainfall fell in 5-6 hours giving a rainfall return period of up to 1 in 650 years;
- Water sheeted off the upper slopes, over-whelming field drains and ditches and forming overland flow routes upstream of Newcastle West town Some properties were flooded as a result of water returning to the channel;
- In the town itself, the river channel and structures were also overwhelmed. In response to public concern, it is noted that Mill Falls Apartment and the new Bridge of Tears have greater capacity to pass flow than other structures on the channel.

RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Available data on the channel and structures should be supplemented with additional channel topographic survey and structure survey as required;
- Further detailed hydraulic analysis should be undertaken, in conjunction with the OPW, to assess the capacities of the channel and individual structures in order to identify actual risk associated with each of them. This includes in particular Cullenagh Bridge, the Bridge Street crossing, the culvert below the Bedding Store, Mill Falls Apartments, Courtenay Bridge and the Bridge of Tears (both structures);
- JBA Consulting visually recorded wrack marks throughout the whole town. It is recommended that these marks be surveyed at a later date to give a more detailed analysis of flood levels;
- Flood outlines for planning should be produced for the 1% AEP and 0.1% AEP events to align with forthcoming Government Flood Planning Policy;
- Development of a detailed Digital Elevation Model (DEM), ideally using LiDAR, to produce a detailed flood event outline;
- Compilation and analysis of questionnaires, including further interviews should they be deemed necessary.

Wettest August since records began

It was the wettest August in parts of the county in more than 170 years, according to figures released by Met Éireann.

The heavy rain last month lead to flooding in many areas and misery for those hoping to enjoy the summer sunshine.

In Shannon, a 60-minute fall of 38.4mm of rain on August 6th was the highest for any month in the station’s 63-year history. The number of wetdays (days with 1mm or more rainfall) recorded during the month was also well above normal; there were between 14 and 21 wetdays at most stations this month compared with the August average number of between 10 and 14.

Limerick Tourists Stuck in the Sun

Over 250 Irish holidaymakers were stranded in Majorca yesterday by troubled Spanish airline Spanair.

The passengers were expected to fly home to ShannonSaturday morning at 8am, but instead were grounded due to a technical hitch.Earlier this month, another Spanair jet crashed on take-off at Madrid's Barajas airport, killing more than 150 people. It too had experienced technical glitches before taking off.

They arrived into Shannon safely Saturday evening from Palma airport, according to the Sunday Mirror newspaper, after tour operator Budget Travel organised alternative flights.

Job Fears in Limerick as Poultry Producer Goes into Liquidation

Fears are growing over the future of one of Ireland's largest poultry producers.

Cappoquin Chickens, which employs 150 full-time and 100 seasonal workers, is one of the largest employers in west Waterford. RTE News has reported that the company has gone into liquidation.

Cappoquin Chickens has been operating for nearly 50 years, run by generations of the O'Connor family from Cappoquin. Along with employees from west Waterford and east Cork, the company has cold storage depots in Dublin, Galway and Limerick.

Hilton Cuts Ties With Limerick

International hotel chain Hilton has pulled out of Limerick less than 18 months after arriving in the city, it was confirmed to the Limerick Leader this Monday morning.

The group - who manage what once was the Jury's Hotel in the city, on the the Ennis Road, adjacent to the Sarsfield Bridge - have reached an agreement to hand the management onto the Strand Hotel, which will take effect from next week.

The Hilton logo will be removed from the landmark location, and The Strand Hotel will begin to operate from next Tuesday. All the staff were informed of the takeover over the weekend, and it was confirmed that no jobs will be lost.

Mid-West Project Seeks To Bridge The Digital Divide

Access to Information Communications Technologies must be made available to all members of the community if the continued digitalisation of public services is to be deemed a success.

That is according to the Mid West Regional Authority (MWRA), which is the lead partner in a European Transnational project aimed at making eGovernment services more widely accessible and socially inclusive. The CitizenFirst project seeks to reduce the digital divide that affects communities and citizens in the territories of Mid-West Region (Ireland), Eindhoven Region (Netherlands), West Flanders (Belgium) and Cambridgeshire (UK).

Among the pilot projects being rolled out across the Mid-west is an online dictionary of available and accessible cultural and recreational services, the promotion of assistive technologies in libraries and the provision of Public Internet Kiosks. The four-year project will culminate with an international conference in Ennis, County Clare on 25/26 September 2008. The event will feature a keynote address by Ms. Máire Hoctor, T.D., Minister of State with responsibility for the Elderly.

Entitled “CitizenFirst…Using Technology To Include All Citizens”, the conference is aimed at public, local and voluntary stakeholders working on providing solutions to social exclusion in local communities by exploring the benefits of ICT. According to MWRA Chairperson, Cllr. Bernard Hanrahan, “Services for citizens are increasingly being deployed by public agencies on a supply-side efficiency basis, without actually determining the needs and wishes of the citizen. This has led to low usage of the services by many citizens, especially those with special needs and/or living in rural areas.”

Ms. Marie Collins, MWRA Project Manager explained that the Authority, in conjunction with Service Providers throughout the Region, had already rolled out numerous successful pilot projects aimed at redressing this imbalance. ‘However, despite the success of the CitizenFirst project we acknowledge that some target groups remain at risk of further exclusion with the digitalisation of public services. In the last year, the project has been working closely with these target groups to further gain the participation of hard to reach, marginalised groups and people with special needs.’

The CitizenFirst Project has brought considerable investment into the region through the installation of Public Internet Kiosks located in Doolin, Kilrush, Ennistymon, Thurles, Nenagh and Limerick City, each providing access to local, regional, public and tourism information to the local resident or passing visitor. The Internet information points involved multi-agency cooperation between the Local Authorities, Shannon Development, Health Services Executive, Enterprise Boards and the Regional Authority. Five other CitizenFirst eInclusion pilots have commenced since November 2007 and are due for completion when the project ends next month.

An online dictionary called “Access Limerick” informs people with disabilities, their families and carers of the accessibility and availability of local cultural and recreational services in Limerick City centre. Each venue is assessed by a person with a disability and rated as to the level of their accessibility. Elsewhere, the MWRA has joined up with Limerick County Library to enhance the lives of their local communities by providing a promotional campaign to highlight the new Assistive Technologies available in the County’s 24 Library Branches. It also involves the loaning of laptops within each library (including the Mobile Library) to enable people to access Internet services using their Wi-Fi/3G networks.

Another Limerick-based pilot focuses on Access and Awareness raising to maximise the effective use of ICTs, and address digital exclusion within socially and economically disadvantaged communities in Limerick City, by supporting community groups to purchase install and manage the resources necessary for delivery of their services. The Limerick City Community ICT Steering Group is a network consisting representatives from the PAUL Partnership and City of Limerick VEC, as well as five community centres in socially and economically disadvantaged areas of the city.

Meanwhile, an ICT initiative in RAPID Areas, including parts of Ennis and Limerick City, is exploring the feasibility of older people using laptops and 3G broadband. The pilot aims to enhance the quality of Older Peoples’ lives through strengthening their relationships to their neighbourhood, family and community of origin by the use of ICT. The MWRA is also redeveloping its website based on Universal Design principles and General Accessibility guidelines to provide accessibility to the widest user audience, including older users and users with disabilities. The website will be the first fully accessible regional authority website in Ireland when it is launched during the upcoming CitizenFirst Final Conference.

MWRA Director Mr. Liam Conneally pointed out that much progress had been made in successfully concentrating on refocusing local and regional activities from organisation driven services to citizen centric services. “Electronic service delivery has the potential to fundamentally change the pattern of service delivery in local government. The challenge for the Mid West Regional Authority has been to ensure that the transformation of services puts the citizen first”, he added.

CitizenFirst is a European co-funded project under INTERREG IIIB North West Europe. The Mid-West Regional Authority is Lead Partner. Other partners include Cambridgeshire County Council (UK), Eindhoven Regional Government (NL) and City of Kortrijk (BE) – all public authorities. Further information on the Citizen First project or the upcoming conference is available from the CitizenFirst website: www.citizen-first.net or the MWRA website: www.mwra.ie

The MWRA can be contacted by telephone (067) 33197 or by email at info@mwra.ie.

Garda injured in Limerick RTA

A Garda has been injured in a road accident in Co. Limerick.

His motorcycle collided with a truck in Patrickswell yesterday morning. He was taken to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital where he is being treated for a broken collar bone and injuries to his leg.

Man released on bail over Limerick stabbing

A 22-year-old Limerick man has been released on bail following a stabbing incident in the city on Friday night.

The Garryowen man appeared before a special sitting of Limerick District Court yesterday afternoon. He is charged with assault causing harm to a 30-year-old man.

He was released on his own bail, on the condition that he does not have any contact with the alleged injured party.