1897-] 'P'SiA.'EG'E'R.^Bog-durs^s — Recent Disaster, Co. Kerry. 143 



Ownacree or Quagmire river. Checked, as it encountered 

 the opposing side of this valley, the flood rose along its 

 middle line, where its velocity was greatest, 8 feet above its 

 sides. A small cottage stands near by, and its floor is 5 feet 

 below the maximum height of the flood. It owes its escape 

 to the fact that it is situated about 100 yards on one side of 

 the middle line of the flow. After entering the main valley, 

 the flood continued its career for a mile and a half to Annagh 

 Bridge, where the Ownacree meanders through flat bog and 

 meadows. These, and the road which crosses the bridge, 

 were inundated, and the muddy fluid broadened out into a 

 black lake, half a mile in length by 600 yards in breadth. A 

 breach was made in the road close beside the bridge. On the 

 margin of the submerged flat stands the cottage of Jeremiah 

 Lyne ; he and his family had a narrow escape. The flood, in 

 its downward course, encountered the back of the cottage, 

 and rose against it 5 feet, sweeping two haycocks, which 

 stood behind the house, round to the gable. The family were 

 awakened by water pouring in. They were unable to unbar 

 the door owing to the pressure of 3 feet of fluid, and escaped 

 by climbing through the window and wading to higher 

 ground. 



Below Annagh Bridge, the force of the flood was less felt. 

 At Barradufi" Bridge, '* Six-mile Bridge " of the Ordnance map, 

 where the Ownacree joins the Beheenagh river, the Ownacree 

 is 20 feet wide, and the flood rose 8 feet ; below the junction 

 the stream is 30 to 50 feet wide, and the flood rose 6 feet ; at 

 Six-mile Bridge it rose to the top of the arches, 10 feet 

 above its normal level ; at the bridge two miles below Head- 

 ford, the level of the flood was about 4 feet above the stream, 

 and finally at Flesk Bridge, near the Lake of Killarney, one 

 foot. 



The flood attained its maximum height during its first great 

 outburst in the dark hours of Monday morning. At daybreak, 

 the roaring flood of black fluid, bearing on its surface huge 

 masses of the lighter crust of the bog, had already become 

 confined to the central portions of the valley, but still ran 

 across the road and over the site of Donnelly's house. The 

 flow, which continued with constantly diminishing violence 

 for the whole of Monday, was not regular, but intermittent, 



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