Dirty Old River

The recent inclement weather and the water levels that it brought with it may have receded somewhat, but given the history of ebb and flow weather conditions there is no cause of optimism.






Back in August 1986 Hurricane Charly (Charlie) caused a heavy overnight rainfall which saw severe flooding in the Donnybrook/Ballsbridge areas of Dublin. In a period of just 12 hours it was stated that 8 inches of rain had fallen. The Dodder,long regarded as a "Flashy" river, burst its banks and caused great hardship to families in the 300 or so homes which were flooded. Council workers and the Fire Brigades did their best to try and alleviate some of the problems by removing debris and pumping out some of the homes affected.

Note: "Flashy" is a term given to a river which is prone to flooding as a result of heavy or sustained rainfall.

Dodder bursts its banks in 1986

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GUBU for sure

A fatal plane crash earlier this month in a San Francisco airport has led to bout of behaviour on a US television news programme which can best be described in terms once coined by Taoiseach Charles Haughey in response to a controversy which generated much controversy. Haughey referred to the arrest of the killer in the house of the country's Attorney General as Grotesque, Unbelievable, Bizarre, Unprecedented. A political opponent and writer immediatelty coined the acronym GUBU and it as rapidly entered the political lexicon.

In a post crash news report 'Oakland TV station KTVU broadcast four erroneous names for the pilots of Flight 214 after a National Transportation Safety Board intern mistakenly confirmed them as being correct.'

The airline is now to sue the broadcasters.

Fianna Fail leader Charles Haughey addressing the party at its annual Árd Fheis at the Simmonscourt, RDS, Dublin, 19th April 1986.

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