Fears over ‘lethal’ slipway in Garrykennedy

The public slipway used for launching boats in the scenic village of Garrykennedy is a potential deathtrap, according to locals, who have raised concerns about the number of vehicles ending up submerged in Lough Derg while using the facility.

A number of residents of the village spoke to The Guardian following the latest incident on Thursday of last week, which occurred when an individual was attempting to launch a boat from a trailer. As with a number of previous incidents, the car slid from the slipway and into the deep waters of the lake as efforts were being made to launch the boat from the trailer.

Local resident Brian Maloney said he had seen a number of similar incidents occur over the last decade or so. He said he and other residents feared people were going to end up being drowned unless something was done about the slipway.

“There are cars slipping on the slipway and going into the lake there every year,” said Brian. “It’s only a matter of time before someone is drowned. If someone is in a car launching a boat and the car slips back into the deep water the pressure of the water on the doors and windows will prevent them from getting out.

“People here have been complaining about it for years. That slipway is just not built correctly. There is no grip on the concrete surface of the slipway and it is very slippery. The angle and the grip on the facility are just not right.”

HAZARDOUS

Another resident Jim Ryan said the slipway, supposedly upgraded about 15 years ago, is hazardous. “There is no traction on it and it is quite steep,” he said. “The old one that was there, built by the local boat club, was perfect,  but then a big upgrade was done and it has been a disaster. If a car slipped off it into the water with a child in it you would not be able to open the doors or windows in the panic. It has the potential to be very serious.”

Resident Simon Ryan, who lives just 20 metres from the slipway, said a number of vehicles had ended up in deep water after boat owners experienced difficulty getting their vessels off trailers. Shunting manouvres made to launch boats had resulted in vehicles slipping back into the deep water.

He said there was also a drop-off into the natural bed of the lake beyond the concrete base of the slipway and drivers who reversed too far ended up with the wheels of their trailer falling down the drop, dragging the car into the deep water. “Huge amounts of gravel were brought in to try to address this hazard years ago but it has all been washed away,” said Mr Ryan, who added that there had been “lots” of accidents with vehicles there over the years. “It is a dangerous area and the algae surface makes conditions slippery, and it can be hazardous launching boats in a north wind because the slipway faces directly north right onto the open lake.”

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

One man who had a personal experience with the hazards posed by the slipway is Liam Maloney, who happens to be the Deputy Launching Officer at the RNLI Lifeboat Station at Dromineer. He revealed that while launching a sailing boat from the slipway a few years back, his jeep slipped and could have ended up being submerged in the deep water.

Mr Moloney said it was fortunate for him that as the occupant of the vehicle it was a four-wheel drive, which allowed him to drive it out of relatively shallow to safety before it slid back into deeper water.

“It’s a lethal place alright,” said Mr Moloney. “Only for the four-wheel drive I would be in trouble. The slipway is very steep, the surface is very smooth, and then it gets algae on it, which makes it very slippery. The danger is that someone could end up drowning there.”

Cllr John Carroll said he had been made aware of the dangers posed by the slipway. He said great care needed to be used when using the facility as there were obvious dangers. He said Waterways Ireland should look at introducing a code of practice for use of the slipway.