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‘Some big polluter is breathing sigh of relief’: Questions remain over Blackwater fish kill

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At 9.10am on last August 12th, an angler made a call to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to report a large number of dead and ailing fish on the Blackwater river close to Mallow, Co Cork.

Almost simultaneously, Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) also contacted the agency to raise the alert.

The EPA dispatched inspectors to three sites on the river within the hour, kick-starting an investigation that would ultimately involve multiple government departments, public bodies and scientific, environmental and health agencies.

But it was too late. Around 42,000 fish were dead or dying. Already the trail that might have led to the cause had gone cold.

The distress that the deaths of so many fish, mostly highly valued salmon and trout, caused among anglers, environmentalists and the wider community has turned to anger and frustration since.

It seems improbable that a multi-agency investigation with experienced personnel, good local knowledge and access to sophisticated laboratory services has been unable to pinpoint the cause of death.

Yet that is the conclusion of the final report on the incident published on Thursday evening.

[ ‘We took out 450 fish in an hour’: Blackwater pollution highlights decade of poor environmental compliance ]

“The pollutant or the source that caused the fish mortalities has not been identified,” it says.

Tom Ryan, EPA director of enforcement, said afterwards: “Nobody wants to see what happened here.

“This is a terrible, devastating event in a protected water and it is intolerable.

“If we could find the culprit for this, if it’s in our jurisdiction, we certainly would be holding them to account.”

The “culprit”, he believes, could be “something one-off, possible sinister or criminal in nature – or reckless”.

He was thinking of something dumped, washed out or allowed to spill into the river. It was fast-acting and, unfortunately for testers, equally fast to disappear.

The chances of identifying it were already slim when the investigation began.

Marine Institute analysis points to the fish encountering some sort of pollutant on August 5th or 6th – yet no testing of water, fish or potential industrial or wastewater pollution sources was organised before August 12th.

Dead fish were spotted on August 9th, but Inland Fisheries Ireland, the EPA, Uisce Éireann and Cork County Council say they were only notified between August 11th-12th.

There is no single point of contact for a member of the public to call so all relevant agencies can hear and respond.

“Can all these arrangements be improved? Can we learn from this? Of course,” Dr Ryan said. “But reaction is one thing, prevention is what’s key.”

Responsibility for pollution prevention resides in different jurisdictions, however.

The EPA licences large industries and wastewater facilities and polices the pollution they can legally undertake.

County councils permit smaller businesses and are responsible for farm inspections.

Water quality monitoring comes under multiple agencies. Enforcement of standards and regulations is convoluted.

Several licensed operators were non-compliant at the time of the fish kill, including repeat offender, North Cork Creameries, although their breaches were found not to have caused the incident.

Dr Elaine McGoff of the Sustainable Water Network said a shake-up in regulatory authorities was needed.

“There should at least be a 24-hour emergency hotline that gets inspectors on the ground immediately something happens,” she said. “Some big polluter is out there breathing a big sigh of relief.”

Bob Seward of the Angling Council of Ireland said the final report could not be last word on the issue.

“It’s not finished as far as we are concerned. There needs to be lessons learned. There needs to be an evaluation of the processes – for protection and response. This is fire brigade stuff.”

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Pedestrian hit by SUV in Monaghan three weeks ago dies in hospital

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27 September 2025

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A pedestrian seriously injured in a collision three weeks ago has died in hospital.

The road traffic collision with an SUV occurred on Broad Road, Monaghan in the early hours of Saturday, September 6th.

The 47-year-old man was brought to Our Lady of Lourdes hospital in Drogheda.

The local coroner has been notified.

Gardaí continue to investigate the circumstances of the collision and are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the incident to come forward. Road users who were in the area at the time and may have camera footage (including dashcam) are asked to make it available to the investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Monaghan Garda station on 047 77 200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.

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Dozens killed in stampede at political rally in India

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27 September 2025

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At least 36 people were killed and more than 50 injured in a stampede at a rally in Tamil Nadu in India held by actor Vijay, who is campaigning for election, the chief minister of Tamil Nadu said.

Chief Minister MK Stalin said eight children and 16 women were among the 36 people who died in the district of Karur in Tamil Nadu during a political rally by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, Vijay’s party.

Earlier, state lawmaker Senthil Balaji told reporters that 58 people were hospitalised.

Vijay, one of Tamil cinema’s most bankable actors for three decades, has drawn massive crowds to his public meetings since launching his political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, in 2024, which has targeted both the state ruling party DMK and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.

He is campaigning ahead of state elections that are to be held in early 2026.

Videos from local media show thousands of people surrounding a large campaign vehicle on top of which Vijay is seen standing and speaking.

During the rally, visuals showed Vijay throwing water bottles from the top of the vehicle to fainting supporters and calling for police help when the crowd became uncontrollable.

“My heart is broken; I am in unbearable, indescribable pain and sorrow,” Vijay wrote on X.

“I express my deepest sympathies and condolences to the families of my dear brothers and sisters who lost their lives in Karur. I pray for a speedy recovery for those who are undergoing treatment in the hospital.”

At least 44 doctors from the nearby districts of Tiruchirappalli and Salem were sent to Karur, media reports said.

Mr Stalin has announced 1 million Indian rupees (€9,600) each to the families of the victims who died in the incident and set up an inquiry panel.

This is not the first time Vijay’s rallies have faced safety concerns. At least six deaths were reported by media following the first meeting of his political party when it was launched in October last year.

Despite police-imposed restrictions, including limits on convoy size and venue changes, the sheer scale of public turnout has repeatedly overwhelmed local infrastructure.

“The unfortunate incident during a political rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, is deeply saddening,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X.

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At least 36 people killed at rally for Indian actor Vijay

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2 hours ago

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27 September 2025

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At least 36 people have been killed and dozens injured during a stampede at a rally for actor-turned-politician Vijay – a huge star in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Ma Subramanian, the state’s health minister, said at least 40 people were injured at the event, and that the death toll included eight children.

Vijay, one of Tamil cinema’s biggest actors for three decades, has drawn massive crowds to his public meetings since launching his political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, in 2024.

Indian media reports, quoting local officials, said the stampede was triggered when a group of Vijay’s supporters and fans fell while trying to get close to his bus.

Footage also showed Vijay throwing water bottles from the top of the vehicle to fainting supporters during the rally, and calling for police help when the crowd became uncontrollable.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X: “The unfortunate incident during a political rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, is deeply saddening.”

In a post on social media at 6.45pm UK time, Vijay said “my heart is shattered” after the incident.

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“I extend my deepest condolences and sympathies to the families of my dear brothers and sisters who lost their lives in Karur,” he added.

“I pray for the swift recovery of those receiving treatment in the hospital.”

Stampedes are relatively common in India when large crowds gather. In June, at least 11 people died after a crush outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium after the team won their first IPL title.

It is also not the first time Vijay’s rallies have faced safety concerns, with at least six deaths reported after the first meeting of his political party when it was launched in October last year.

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