COUNTRY singing favourites Daniel O’Donnell and Nathan Carter are joining forces for a benefit gig for victims of last week’s north west floods.
The singers will be joined by other country and western stars, including Declan Nearney for Flood Aid for Inishowen in Letterkenny next Sunday.
Families were left homeless and millions of pounds worth of damage was caused when floods swept through Derry and Inishowen.
In a post on social media, Donegal singing star, O’Donnell said he hoped fans would organise coaches to bring people to the Aura Centre for next Sunday’s gig.
He said: “I’m sure, like myself, you are all shocked and horrified but, thank God, nobody lost their lives.”
Money raised at the concert will be given to the Irish Red Cross to help victims in the Inishowen area.
“The very fact that there’s a large number of people who are turning out and gathering together, it’ll give the people of Inishowen and further afield great hope that things are being done and to make their plight heard,” the singer said.
As the area continues to count the cost of the floods, there serious concern that the River Faughan could have suffered major environmental damage.
The river, which supplies most of Derry’s drinking water, burst its banks onto a huge illegal landfill on Tuesday night. Former People before Profit assembly member, Eamonn McCann said there was no doubt that toxic material from the illegal Mobuoy dump, uncovered in 2014, had leaked into the Faughan. Mr McCann accused the main political parties of ignoring the risk of environmental damage.
A spokesman for NI Water said it stopped taking water from the Faughan when its pumping station became damaged on Tuesday night. He said alternative water supplies were used for Derry and water checks were continuing to ensure the Mobuoy landfill did not contaminate the region’s drinking water.
Derry City and Strabane District Council has also revealed that £270,000 in flood aid has been paid out since Tuesday with more than 560 requests for help received.
A council spokeswoman said statutory and voluntary agencies worked throughout the bank holiday weekend to maintain support those worst affected.
Meanwhile, it has been revealed that a pregnant Donegal mother, who had to be rescued from last Tuesday’s floods by tractor, has given birth.
Farmer Nathan Noone came to the rescue of Edel Kerin (35) from Clonmany and her family who was due to give birth on the day of the floods. Mrs Kerin’s husband, Damien (38) revealed his wife gave birth to a healthy baby boy at lunch time on Thursday.
A delighted Mr Kerin also revealed that when it came to naming his new son, they couldn’t resist calling him Noah.
