The flooding in Blackrock was a reminder that flood events here are rare but not random.What mattered most wasn’t just rainfall — it was timing. A high tide, onshore winds and rain overlapped in a short window, limiting drainage and causing water to build up quickly.

The key lesson is flood awareness. Flooding in coastal towns like Blackrock often comes from specific combinations of conditions, not single extreme events. Understanding those patterns — and combining real time data — helps communities prepare, respond faster and reduce impact next time.

Floodwatch is a new tool being piloted here along with LouthCoco notifications, Local Councillors and Community groups all communicating. Barriers up, sandbags down, cars moved, traffic stopped and shops closed for a while are all things we need to get used to for the future.
Blackrock has seen storms and rain a plenty over the years. But we need to adapt and change for sustainable low carbon way of living.

Find out more about flood notifications on https://www.visitblackrock.ie/floodwatch
Instagram Post – @LouthCoCo

Photo – Enya Markey