Brendan Downey, director Friar Tucks, Newry
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00:00 This is Breton Downey, director of Friar Tuck's restaurants. Breton, we're standing here looking at your restaurant here in Neary Town Centre.
00:09 Obviously the water has caused catastrophic damage actually. You know, it's quite clear here. This is a 50 year event. You remember this happening 50 years ago?
00:17 Early 1970s, the Clann Rye Bush that spanked with the old wall. People think the river is doing the harm here. It's the canal that's doing the harm here.
00:25 The canal is overflowed. You know what I mean?
00:30 You first got word about 10 o'clock last night?
00:32 Well, we were watching the river the whole day. We knew we were watching the river. We were afraid of the river bush and spank.
00:38 We didn't anticipate the canal coming round the corner. Like an army of people wouldn't have sorted this out.
00:44 You did initially try to use sandbags, didn't you?
00:46 We had our own sandbags for small floods, which we'd never used before. We needed lorry loads and we got lorry loads. We got 7 tonne or something.
00:57 One stays awry, but it was no good. An army wouldn't have sorted it out. Look at that there. It's on with this. Once in a lifetime flood.
01:04 You're hopeful your insurance will cover this, Breton?
01:06 That's the hope. I made a phone call this morning. It hasn't come back to me yet, but I'm hoping that I'll certainly have a cover for this.
01:12 If we don't, we're in deep trouble.
01:15 What's the general mood amongst the business community that are affected here in Uray, Breton?
01:19 Stunned. Shocked. We're still in shock. I'm numb, you know what I mean?
01:28 Yeah. Have you got any idea what sort of timescale the clear-up will be?
01:34 I think we'll be closed for months. I don't know. That's a bit long to me. We'll probably go to temporary permits this summer, you know what I mean?
01:41 OK.