ONE of Co Donegal’s most popular tourist attractions was badly damaged by last week’s north-west floods.
The Glenevin Waterfall at Clonmany attracts hundreds of visitors each day and is listed as the primary attraction in Inishowen by the TripAdvisor website.
However, access has been almost completely destroyed by the floods, according to Sonia McGonigle, secretary of the waterfall development committee.
“The floods washed down boulders and rocks which destroyed bridges and all the pathways around the waterfall. In some cases, the boulders blocked bridges and the river burst its banks. We’ve had to close access as it’s just far too dangerous now,” Ms McGonigle said.
In an isolated and rugged area, the waterfall was brought to wider public knowledge in the 1990s when US native Doris Russo moved to the Clonmany area.
She fell in love with the natural attraction and decided, with others, to develop access to it. Since then a park, complete with loop walks and pathways, was built up in the hills around the waterfall.
Ms Russo passed away just four days before the floods which wrecked the park.
“It’s been a devastating time for us with Doris passing away and then the floods,” Ms McGonigle said.
A GoFundMe page established to raise money to restore access to the waterfall has already attracted huge interest from around the world.
“We know that compared to the damage suffered in people’s homes and businesses this isn’t a priority. but it’s nice that people are thinking of the waterfall. So far the GoFundMe page has raised around €3,500,” she said.
The page is at www.gofundme.com/54uk6a-rebuild-glenevin-waterfall-park.
Meanwhile, a Derry businesswoman whose premises were damaged in the floods has called for more to be done to help industry.
Businesses cannot access an emergency fund set up by Derry City and Strabane District Council, with the council saying it cannot expand the scheme because the Stormont assembly is not in place.
Gail Smyth said she is still trying to repair the damage to her nail-bar in the Waterside area.
"We aren’t getting any help from anybody,” she said.
There were also renewed calls yesterday for farmers to fill in “force majeure” forms if they were affected by the floods.
Mary McCormack of the Agricultural Consultants’ Association said many farmers are only coming to terms with the devastation now.
“(The department of agriculture) want these forms completed and submitted before September 14 2017 so that payments cannot be put at jeopardy,” she said.
