DUNDALK’S FREE NEWSPAPER St Patrick’s Day Parade will go ahead Page 2
Focus on Louth County Council Fire & Rescue Service
Community spirit shown during Dundalk FC Clean-up Day
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Wednesday, 28th January, 2026. Vol. 19, Issue 4 • 9A, Crowe Street, Dundalk, Co. Louth Tel: 042 932 0888 | Email: editorial@dundalkleader.com; advertising@dundalkleader.com
FLOODY HELL By Paul Byrne
STORM Chandra may have only come with a yellow warning but it’s affects have caused significant disruption across the County with severe rainfall causing flooding in numerous areas as well as fallen trees and closed roads. In Dundalk Bay Estate was badly affected with severe flooding in many estates including Cluan Enda, Maple Drive, Willow Dale and Holly Drive. Louth County Council’s Operations and Fire & Rescue Team were active across the county in response to the significant rain that fell on Monday evening and most of yesterday. Council crews responded on a prioritised basis to reports of flooded roads and fallen trees. All available operational staff and resources were deployed
across the county. In Dundalk, Louth County Council Fire & Rescue Service assisted an ambulance stuck in floodwater under the Castletown Road railway bridge at approximately 6am yesterday morning. Firefighters, wearing water rescue PPE and using water rescue equipment, safely guided two ambulance crew members to dry land. The bridge reopened just before 8am. Members of the Fire & Rescue Service also removed a fallen tree on the R172 Blackrock to Dundalk Road at The Loakers shortly after 9am. Multiple areas in the town centre experienced flooding, including Cluan Enda, Greenacres, Pearse Park, McEntee Avenue, Bay Estate, Red Barns Road, St Alphonsus Road and Oakvale. Continued on Page 2
Rice’s Bridge on the Castletown Road was impassable following persistent rain throughout Monday night and early Tuesday morning.