EXTRAORDINARY DISASTER IN IRELAND.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 206, 22 October 1880, Page 4

EXTRAORDINARY DISASTER IN IRELAND.

An" extraordinary disaster has occurred in Greenoro, county Donegal. On the 15th Angupr, during the celebration of Maps, a huge ffood burst down tbe glen jn which Greenore stands and swppt into the Horrtnn Catholic Chapel. The water rose with great rapidity to the height of 10 f eet. The catastrophe -co enrred at the moment the priest was giving communion, and everything was thrown into confusion. Several of the congregation were swept away by the rush of Ihe waters, but how many persona are drowned nnnnot as yet be ascertained. Federal bodies have been discovered. Thn lives of others were saved by the exertions and presence of mind of other members of the congregation. The priest escaped by ascending to the c-'mncel window, which stnnds 14< feet above tbe level of the floor. He succeeded in getting to this place of security by placing a kneeling board to the sill of the window. The torrent continued unabated for an hour. The estimated damage to the building is £3000 The flood came upon the unfortunate people without any warning and filled the church in a moment; with a great body of water. A later account states that an appaliner peal of thunder was followed by a downpour of rain, comparable only to a >?ratersDour. In a few minutes the brook was swollen to such an extent that the arch under tbe chapel was not spacious enough to permit the rapid volume of water to pfi^s through. Tbe flood then formed into a lake on the upper or mountainside of the building. The people were engaged in their devotions, and although water was observed trickling along the floor no serious alarm appears to have been felt. The doors were fast closed, and no considerable body of water could enter the building by that means. Suddenly the increasing volume of water burst open the doors, which were about 8 feet wide, and a great wave rolled into the building. In two minutes the church was filled to a height of 12 feet from the floor, and in almost an instant men, women, seats, hats, caps, and other wearing apparel were floating about. Panic-stricken men and women straggled to reach the walls, some clung to the floating seats and thus reached the windows. Then by breaking the glass they were a v le to climb the saßhes until they were out of tbe reach of the water. Tbe windows now bear the marks of that fearful struggle, the sashes being smeared with the blood of the unfortunate people as they broke the glass in their endeavors to climb to a place of sa'ety. The Rev. Father M'Fadden, the parish priest, remained on tbe altar until the water "was up to Ins chest. He then stood on the table of the altar, but. as the water was still rising, he grasped some floating seats, and by these means he and some others were able to reach the high window behind the altar, and by breaking some of the glass to get a hold of the window saßb.es. The priest from this point advised the people to keep cool and collected, as their only chance of safety. For an hour the water continued at its full height, and then abated. The doctor of the district was promptly on the spot, and the parsonage was converted into a temporary infirmary, where those cut and bruised bad their wounds attended to. Five bodies have been received, but many more arc missing, and a great many persons are severely injured.