Persistent rainfall on Monday, caused severe flooding in Clonegal, Co Carlow and brothers Alex and Harry Robertson, and brothers James and Martin Gray, had to take emergency action to rescue sheep.

Brothers Alex and Harry Robertson, and brothers James and Martin Gray all from Clonegal, Co. Carlow.

Brothers Alex and Harry Robertson, and brothers James and Martin Gray

“After the very heavy rain on Monday night we woke to find that some ewes and lambs had been unable to get away from the River Derry overnight and they were marooned on an island,” Alex Robertson told the Irish Farmers Journal.

Brothers Alex and Harry Robertson, and brothers James and Martin Gray all from Clonegal, Co. Carlow.

“That field often floods, but the river rises gradually but the way the river came up so quickly, the sheep didn’t have a chance to get away.”

Alex Robertson, throws a sheep to Martin Gray from Clonegal, Co. Carlow

Alex Robertson, throws a sheep to Martin Gray from Clonegal, Co. Carlow

“With the river rapidly rising we managed to get across and gently pen them up with hurdles, we then took out the lambs one by one and threw them over one of the river channels to safety before we took out the ewes out one by one and swam them back over to dry ground. - we managed to rescue them all!”

Brothers Alex and Harry Robertson, and brothers James and Martin Gray all from Clonegal, Co. Carlow.

In total, the brothers managed to rescue eight ewes and 16 lambs from the flood.

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