Clonmany gets its name from the Irish word ‘Cluan’ meaning ‘meadow’ and probably refers to the extensive floodplain below the bridge (the Cross) in the centre of the village. The landscape in the Clonmany area is mountainous and there are many tributaries that join the main Clonmany River and carry rain off the surrounding hillsides. As many people know, the area is prone to landslides from these hills and there have been a number of recorded floods. Although the key flood events have been recorded by the OPW (OPW, Flood Risk Management Plan) for the North West, it does not include information for the Clonmany area.

As part of our communication with the community when completing this project, some members of the community recounted their memories of past floods or notably rainfall events. We have recorded these and with a little bit of online research, found articles and radio interviews recounting details of these events. No doubt there is more to discover but the table below gives an overview of the information we have collated as part of the ‘On the Ground’ project. If you have any further information or photographs, please Contact Us as this information can form an important part of how we can protect the area from future floods.

For many people in Inishowen the flood on 22 August 2017 was the biggest and most devastating flood in living memory. As the tail end of Hurricane Gert hit Inishowen on that day, many people suffered losses and damage to their homes. To capture a record of the memories of this flood, the Inishowen Rivers Trust interviewed a number of people about the events of that night and the aftermath. This video features a number of local Clonmany residents. Watch it here – The Night of the Big Flood – Oíche na Tuile Móire.