Fundraiser launched for mother and three children forced to leave home due to flooding in Roscommon

A fundraising campaign has been launched for a mother and her three children who were forced to leave their home due to ongoing flooding from Lough Funshinagh.

Flooding at Lough Funshinagh in County Roscommon has reached critical levels in recent weeks with residents forced to leave their homes, a farmland left in an unworkable condition, and three roads closed in the area.

In just two days over the weekend, Lough Funshinagh rose by five inches and is expected to rise further in the coming weeks.

Ellie McLaughlin and her three children is one of the families that have been forced to uproot their lives due to the ongoing flooding from the Lough.

They do not know when or if they will be able to return to their family home while they also had to leave some of their belongings behind as it was unsafe to be in the house.

Although a fundraiser was only created on Tuesday, almost €3,000 of a €10,000 target has been raised for Ellie Mc Laughlin and her three children.

The Go Fund Me page was set up by Ellie’s brother Barry who said the money will be used to help get the family back on their feet.

He said, “Last Friday, my sister Ellie and her beautiful children had to be evacuated from their home due to a devastating flood.

“They have no idea when or if ever they will be able to return to their home.

“Ellie has spent all of her working life helping others.

“She worked and saved for years to buy and renovate her precious cottage, only to watch her home become uninhabitable due to this flood.

“This has absolutely broken her heart and that of her children.

“We have retrieved some of her belongings but had to leave a lot behind as it was unsafe to continue to enter the house.

“Any help would be greatly appreciated to help Ellie and her children get back on their feet,” said Barry.

Lough Funshinagh is a lake and former Turlough is South Roscommon.

The lake has recently become a serious flood threat to the surrounding community in recent years.

The community is demanding that measures to prevent further flooding are installed to address this now annual flooding event.

To donate, visit the GoFundMe page at gofundme.com/f/house-flood-family-evacuated.

Get ahead of the day with the morning headlines at 7.30am and Fionnán Sheahan’s exclusive take on the day’s news every afternoon, with our free daily newsletter.