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WEXFORD BUSINESS OWNERS are picking up the pieces in the aftermath of the havoc caused by Storm Chandra yesterday.
Around 20 businesses and 30 to 40 houses and apartments were affected between Enniscorthy and the surrounding areas, according to Wexford County Council.
Conor Swaine saw three of his coffee shops hit by the intense flooding — two in Enniscorthy and another, some 12 miles away in Bunclody, also got caught up in the disaster.
His B27 coffee shops in Enniscorthy, which Swaine runs with his parents, are on either side of the River Slaney off the town centre, with one seeing up to “five feet of water” at its worst yesterday.
Swaine told The Journal that friends and staff have offered to help with the cleanup of the properties, but they’re still waiting for the water to clear so they can find out the level of damage done.
“We need to get in there and see what is salvageable in terms of equipment,” he said.
“Some coffee machines were moved beforehand, but there are water pumps that will need to be replaced, and there’s the stock too that won’t keep. We’ll see over the next couple of days.”
Like many others in the area, Swaine is not able to get flood insurance cover for the properties.
The Government has confirmed today that a Community Flooding Support Scheme – which supports business, community and voluntary organisations affected by flooding who cannot obtain flood insurance – will be activated where needed.
The Department of Social Protection has also announced that the Emergency Response Payment (formerly the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme) is now available to provide support to those living in properties directly affected by the storm.
Parts of Enniscorthy remain underwater today after yesterday’s severe flooding.
— Eoghan Dalton (@EoghanDalton) January 28, 2026
Today is seeing business owners pick up the pieces while crews are working to clear Irish Rail tracks
- @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/skmHtjHmp8
His B27 coffee shop in nearby Bunclody was also affected by the flood, although no damage has been found so far. “The water came right up into the car park and luckily didn’t quite get inside, so thank God for that,” Swaine added.
The 38-year-old praised Wexford County Council for working “through the night” on Monday and Tuesday to hand out sandbags, and to volunteers in the Slaney Search and Rescue group who helped bring trapped people to safety throughout yesterday.
“Without them, I’d hate to see what the place would be like,” Swaine said.
Another couple — Greg and Michaela — saw two of their local shops wrecked in the flood.
They told The Journal they saw water reach up to a metre at their food and grocery shop off the flooded promenade beside the overflowing River Slaney, destroying hundreds of items of stock in the process.
The couple, who are from Poland and Romania, set up business in Enniscorthy after moving to the town six years ago.
“This was our life,” Michaela said, as she pointed at the flooded floor of their grocery store.
It’s five years of work, from Monday to Sunday 9 to 7. I came here pregnant at nine months and I worked. And in three hours everything was done.
They opened a cake and decorations shop six months ago nearby, but that too has been damaged in the flood.
“We lost boxes of chocolate worth almost €200,” Greg said.
Their grocery shop has eight freezers that were damaged due to the flood, with one getting upturned by the rapidly rising water levels.
Even as businesses and residents are reeling, Met Éireann has warned that more rain is on the way.
A Status Yellow warning has been issued for Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wicklow to take effect at midnight. It will not expire until midnight Friday morning.
Because the ground is already saturated due to weeks of heavy rainfall, the Status Yellow may result in more flooding, according to Met Éireann.
The flooding in Enniscorthy has reignited a long-running debate in the locality over its flood defences, with a plan for a scheme worth more than €50 million stalled due to concerns about knock-on effects for freshwater pearl mussel.
Swaine said it was critical that a solution be found as he warned that severe flood events have become the norm in the town.
“We need the proper flood protection system in place. The reality of it is that this will happen again; it could be a month’s time or in a year’s time, but it will happen again.”
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