25/10/2011 BBC Newsline

Good evening. This is BBC Newsline with Donna Traynor and Noel

Thompson. The headlines this Tuesday evening: Houses evacuated,

patients moved and river levels higher than ever before. With the

flooding latest, I'm live in Omagh. Floods in the Republic claim two

lives, including a young Garda swept away as he tried to warn

motorists about a dangerous bridge. The west has endured further spells

of heavy rain this afternoon - will there be any respite from the wet

weather? I'll have the details. The jury in the Jennifer Cardy

murder trial prepares to return its verdict on defendant Robert Black.

How a primary school is back with a spring in its step after being

failed by inspectors. Ulster rugby are welcoming back

their world cup players. Join me After more than two days of

torrents, the rain is moving away, but leaving behind a trail of

destruction and death. As people were being rescued from their homes

in Tyrone last night, an off-duty Garda officer perished when a river

overflowed in Wicklow. We'll have more on that and the death of a

woman in a flooded Dublin apartment. Right up until this afternoon,

counties Tyrone, Fermanagh, and Armagh were enduring downpours.

While the Environment minister says he will make money available to

councils to deal with the damage, there's been criticism that the

Stormont agencies haven't done enough to prevent the flooding. Our

first report is from County Tyrone where there were fears the river

Strule would overflow in Omagh. Louise Cullen is live in the town

for us. There are other is just behind me

here. It is a bit low were now but that its peak, it reached the

stretch of white concrete you can see just here. That is literally

just feet from the surface of the road. On the other side of the

other, they residents will have been watching the what a creep up

their flat defence walls. In the end, it did not actually burst its

banks. A different story last night as patients had to be removed from

the local hospital as the floodwaters threatened it. The

worst affected place in the county was this village.

After the Flood, the clean-up. Residents return after surging

waters drove them out last night. We were sleeping upstairs and had

to wait each other up. -- Wake. everyone managed to walk away.

fire brigade came down by vote and rescued us. What was that like?

Pretty scary. Just had to leave everything and go. There was a

whole range of people including disabled people and young families.

Some of the families did not want to leave their homes. I can

understand that but our difficulty was there ever was a rising so

quickly we had to guarantee the were evacuated for their own safety.

We had specialist votes to put the people in and take them to dry land.

This sports pavilion also flooded. The club build their own defence

wall after the last flood three years ago but that was not enough

for last night. We were told in 2008 that this was a once in 100

years of currency. It is not - this is the fifth time since 2008. Twice

we have been flooded and three other times, very close. Residents

were standing in their houses last night praying that the water would

not come in and fearing the worst, which then happened. They keep

telling us they are going to do something, build all, but it is all

talk. If you look at my home, I pride myself on it. It is

disgusting. There were fears today there are reversed rule would burst

its banks but it has held. -- River Strule. I have intervened in the

last 24 hours to help with the council but it is now time for the

ministers to intervene to try to resist -- reduced the very real

short-term risk of this happening again. You are in Omagh this

evening. It was bad but it could have been a lot worse. We really

get a sense of anger from the people that you talk to? Yes. As

strong sense of anger. People spoke about being afraid every time it

rains. Some say they no longer feel safe in their own homes. They would

be happy to see the houses sold and bulldozed and move elsewhere. That

is a lot of anger and concern that will be raised with the Agriculture

Minister when she visits the residents here tonight.

The rail line between Portadown and Newry has been closed since early

this afternoon due to flooding and subsidence and a bus substitution

service is in place. These fields outside Rathfriland in County Down

have completely flooded whilst outside Newry the Clanrye river has

burst its banks to leave the surrounding area well under water.

As we said earlier there's been criticism that the various agencies

were too slow off the mark to deal with flooding. As Keiron Tourish

reports, in some areas in the North-West, it was left to

residents themselves to head off disaster.

The rains near this development where unable to deal with the heavy

rain last night. The torrent of water up washed away a garden wall

and a fence and plodded several homes. It was about the height of

the back doorstep. At that stage, the wall on the far side went. We

heard the crash and the fence went and water then started to come into

the ground floor. It covered about halfway up the skirting board of

the ground floor. Then, fortunately, a lot of people turned up here. The

community is very good. In this estate, several homes were flooded

as well. A woman and her children were helped out by neighbours.

fire service, we couldn't get through to them. We couldn't get

through to the Housing Executive or the flood agency or anybody. When

we got the district council, they had no sandbags. It was all of our

neighbours that donated their own sandbags. Residents in this estate

in the Brandywell had an anxious time as water rose on the main road.

The water service had staff on duty to clear blocked drains but

residents the a long-term solution to the problem is vital. I think we

have been lucky that there has been no great damage done to anybody.

Your luck will only hold for so long. Drama of a different kind

that this Barham. The fire service will called to help during the

rescue of 43 pegs. Five other piglets drowned. You don't want to

see any of them die. -- pigs. family he also paid tribute to

their rescue services. Tributes have been paid to an off-

duty garda officer who drowned in a flood in County Wicklow as he

diverted traffic away from a dangerous bridge. The body of a

woman was found in a flooded basement in Dublin. Our reporter

Julie Kirby has more on the devastation caused when one month's

rain fell in one day. Pure destruction. Torrents of water

steaming into this upmarket shopping centre, think huge damage.

Last night, everyone from shoppers to commuters on buses to those

struggling to get home by a road or rail or on foot where affected by

the deluge. One month's worth of rain fell in the towers, claiming

lives are two people. Today, their devastation of people in this area

was clear to see. A 25-year-old officer was swept into the water as

they tried to warn others about the danger is Bridge. He was a shining

light for here since he was at 10 years of age. I do not know where

we're going to go from here. A grim discovery for the Dublin Fire

Brigade thumping out the basement of this house. The found the body

of a 35-year-old Filipino women. Elsewhere, hundreds of homes

damaged and lives disrupted. have to move out again. This is the

third time we have had to move out of this house. We have no money to

put it back. The council left us liable for this. It is thought the

clean-up may run into millions of euros. The only saving grace is

that the rain has stopped for now. The road service has an online list

of roads affected by the floods. You can find that traffic watch

update on our BBC Newsline Facebook page.

Let's get a sense now of how last night's heavy rain hit particular

places. Lindsey Armstrong has been tracking showers.

There was a brief respite from the There was a brief respite from the

rain overnight but then this system of showers developed in Dublin

which pushed up and to Northern Ireland. The weather warning from

the Met Office was a heavy showers in fair manner, armour. --

Fermanagh, Armagh. The system of wet weather moved through very

wet weather moved through very quickly. More from Lindsey later

and also to come on the programme - The wartime seaplane stranded in

Fermanagh after a tangle with a yacht.

The story of a Belfast carpenter who helped to build a grand

staircase on the Titanic. The jury in the Robert Black trial is

expected to retire to consider its verdict tomorrow morning. The judge

told them they must make their decision solely on the evidence

before them. Black is accused of abducting and killing nine-year-old

Jennifer Cardy in 1981. He is already serving life in prison for

the murders of three children. Our district journalist Gordon Adair

was in the court. Robert Black today had the judge

here say all right-thinking people would be appalled by the things you

have done in your life. As the judge stressed to the Jewish, black

is not here to be judged a his other crimes. The onus remains on

the prosecution to judge this particular case. -- jury. Point by

point, he dealt with one month's worth of evidence. Robert Black

listened impassively. A short distance away in the public gallery,

Jennifer's family were joined by a large group made up of other family

members and friends, offering their support as the trial nears its

conclusion. It is expected the summing up will lend in the morning

before the judge sends them out to consider their verdict. A primary

school with poor teaching, inadequate leadership and rock

bottom morale has reversed its fortunes and is now described as

very good. As the minister for education threatens failing schools

with closure, one school is Is his best foot forward for St

Bernard's in Glengormley after heavy criticism. It leadership and

maths and English teaching were declared as a adequate. New

managers were drafted in. 18 months ago, the report was peppered with

words like absenteeism and inadequate. Now it shows phrases

like very good and very effective. A combination of new staff and

better training have turned around the performance and the atmosphere

in the school. The morale of the staff was at a low all-time low. I

felt the whole community were in a state of shock. The inspector's

report showed up things in 2010. Teaching has improved and a drop in

pupil numbers has been reversed. However, some parents thought the

original report was too harsh. parent, I was always happy with

teaching here. Now they have been in prudence. We are very proud of

the changes which have taken place here. Where we were and where we

are now are far apart. Many schools have been put into formal

intervention in recent years. The Minister says that those which do

not improve will close. It is a radical decision, but I will make

that decision. It is the best decision to make for those pupils

who remain in those schools. I do not relish making decisions like

these, but they will be made. Bernard's is carbons in its

performance, but there is a question still hanging over those

19 schools still getting emergency health.

-- hell. Sean Gallagher has accused Sinn

Fein of ecus -- running a dirty tricks campaign against him. In an

arty debate last night, Martin McGuinness put him on the defensive

over allegations that he solicited donations from Fianna Fail three

months ago. Hugh Morgan of Morgan Fuels, the official sponsor of the

Armagh GAA team said that he had personally given a cheque for 5,000

euros to Sean Gallagher. The goalkeepers in Tipperary have

been taking money not just on horses but on presidential

contenders. They may have been tempted to pay out on the

Independent Sean Gallagher, so commanding was his lead. The final

RTE debate saw the front runner coming under attack. Having spent

much of the campaign campaigning -- complaining about the questions he

has faced about his I r a past, he turned interrogator. He accused

Sean Gallagher of collecting a 5,000 euros donation for Fianna

Fail. Did he go? Did he get a cheque for 5,000 euros? What Martin

has said is that I drove to a man's has to deliver a photograph and

that he gave me a cheque. I may well have delivered the photograph.

If he gave me an envelope... LAUGHTER If he gave me the cheque,

it was made out to Fianna Fail headquarters.

It was delivered. Today, Fianna Fail said they had

received the donation before the day -- the day before the dinner

with Brian Cowen. Sean Gallagher has fruity did not collect any

cheque. He accused Sinn Fein of carrying out a hatchet job. This is

political assassinations. It was a legitimate fundraiser. Martin

McGuinness admits he may have got some details wrong, but stands by

his charge. Sean Gallagher went to his home several days before the

fundraiser or and took away a cheque for 5,000 euros. If Sean

Gallagher loses support, it could help the other candidates.

raises important questions. All candidates should answer questions

comprehensibly. Commentators agree that Mr Gallagher's campaign has

been dented. Two days before the vote, the question is whether the

damage is too bad to -- for Sean Gallagher to come back.

We will have a reports. The pilot of a wartime flying boat

flew to County Fermanagh to take part in a county Fermanagh Seaplane

Festival and has been stranded there. They have been delays in

completing repairs. The pilot still does not know when he will be able

to fly back to Paris. Flying into Enniskillen last month

to take part in the Fermanagh Seaplane Festival, is Catalina

flying boats saw active service during the Second World War. It

sank a German U-boat in 1944. After 70 years, it has been kept flying

by volunteers who are keen to visit the old RAF base on Lough Erne.

are made to be invited to such a place. It is very historic. There

were many fine boat operations here. The significance of the RAF for

Catalina is very big. The Catalina was damaged in an accident during

the seaplane vessel when it drifted on to a yacht. An accident

investigation is under way, but for the last month, the aircraft has

been stranded here along with its pilot. I could not imagine leaving

the aircraft alone here. It needs protection and somebody to take

care of it at night when it is windy. I have stayed here and lost

my job and now I am penniless! But it will go back to Paris and try to

get a new job soon. But she is worth it. Since local people heard

of his plight to, Loic Blaise has been given accommodation and a car

so we can keep a close eye on the Catalina. He hopes that repairs

will be completed in the next two weeks and that he will then be able

to return to France with the flying boat.

There is a man who loves his work! Hope he gets back home soon.

Ulster are welcoming back their Rugby World Cup players alike.

Eight players are back from the Rugby World Cup, two from South

Africa, one from Scotland and one from Northern Ireland. They are

Paddy Wallace, Tom Court and these three. Steven Ferris, how much did

you enjoy the World Cup? It was fantastic. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

We played some good rugby. I was only disappointed we did not make

the last couple of weeks. Home a little earlier than we hoped for,

but the support you had was incredible. It was unbelievable.

Especially the game against Australia. It felt like a home game.

There were at least 25,000 Irish supporters there. The atmosphere

was unbelievable. Andrew, the World Cup's history, New Zealand were the

winners. How much are you enjoy in been back? Very much so. It was a

unique experience. You do not get to play into many World Cup's. He

did not beat Australia every day, either. Now we are back, and it is

not back. It is back with a buzz. We are having a laugh and catching

up with people. We will make that does count on Saturday. We have got

the match this weekend and a Derby the following weekend against

Connacht. Was to be back for the following weekend? I hope so. We

will have to see what the weekend brings. The medics have been good.

They have given us time to integrate and to let the buns and

bruises settle. They have not put any pressure on us. I'm sure that

will change in two weeks' time. Everything at the minute is going

quite well. It looks like we will both have some gain time next

weekend. There are a challenge is coming up in Europe. Are you

keeping a good eye on Ulster's Rovers 1 you are way? It was

disappointing that we lost points, but hopefully we will get back to

winning soon. One more player to join Ulster from the Rugby World

Cup, that his new Zealander Johann Muller. He will be here in the next

few weeks. Raring to go again Valse that. A

recently, on Newsline we talked to join his in Awlaki you are

recreating the Grand Staircase from the Titanic.

John Flynn's grandfather worked on the original. He still has some of

his tours. The sumptuous splendour of the

Grand Staircase is synonymous with the Titanic story. In baggy,

builders are making a replica for the Titanic visitor centre. When

Newsline reported that story, this man got in touch. John Flynn's

grandfather, also called John, was a joiner who put together the

original Grand Staircase. These are some of beetles that he used. You

can see his initials on this sort. -- saw. It seems to be 1906-1904 --

1940 vintage because of the crest on it. It is possible it was used

by him in his joinery work. But the joy they did not often discusses

work. On the most famous ship to sail from Belfast. He did not talk

much about it. The workers must have felt deflated and let down to

see all their craftsmanship and workmanship go to the bottom of the

sea. As we gazed down into the depths, we realise this is where

the Grand Staircase Wanstead. -- once stood. These pictures are from

the Titanic wreck six years ago. Living links to the line are

becoming a few as time passes. John is delighted to have told us his

grandfather's story. Seeing the staircase, it is very nostalgic. To

think that he worked on that and the craftsmen sheet that --

craftsmanship that was involved. That pride may last for generations

to come. We are delighted he contacted us.

It is an East West split as far as the weather is concerned today. The

West raised the brunt of the bad weather. The East had milder

conditions. Looking at the satellite pictures, this system of

rain moving through Ireland into Dublin and into Northern Ireland

brought heavy showers this afternoon. The Met Office's warning

was for Fermanagh, Tyrone and Armagh. The yellow and green here

illustrate the heaviest showers. Eastern Counties benefit from a

better day, with lots of dry and bright weather. It will be

reasonably dry overnight. They could be a touch of rain along the

eastern coastline, elsewhere it is dry. The temperatures drop to three

or four Celsius. A chilly night, and a cold start to Wednesday. The

picture improves tomorrow, and it will be a much better day than

today. A dry start for most. It will become cloudy for Fermanagh.

It would thicken during the course of the afternoon. Scattered showers

develop a fair man and in the south. As we progress into the afternoon,

there will be further showers. One or two may be sharp. They will

increase, and later on and in Wednesday and Thursday, it will

look at persistent rain. Those they will have one or two showers but

will be mainly bright. The best weather is looking like it will be

on Friday, dry and bright. The wind back increases, but it will not be

too bad. It will be wet and windy at the weekend.

at the weekend. Sunshine. We will not know

ourselves. The headlines: Torrential rain brought destruction

to many parts with tiring badly affected.

Two people were drowned in the Republic including an off-duty