TRAINER Tom Cleary is asking the racing community to support a public protest in Athlone on Saturday, February 20th. The protest is to highlight flooding caused throughout the country by the state’s negligence to maintain rivers.

Cleary was forced to move his 10 racehorses from his Athlone base to the Curragh on December 4th due to flooding and, almost two months later, his gallop remains under water. The trainer is adamant that the flooding could have been avoided had the authorities performed regular dredging of the Shannon River. “The February 20th protest in Athlone is not just for those living in the area – it’s for everyone who feels strongly about flooding,” said Cleary. “A lot of trainers have told me they are coming and anyone who would like more information can call me.”

Cleary was denied flood insurance and his application for flood relief has been rejected as, unlike shopkeepers in an urban area, he does not pay rates on his yard. Kinsale trainer Mick Winters went on 2FM this week to highlight Cleary’s plight. He said: “I’ve no doubt that trainers will rally to help Tom, and the Turf Club and Horse Racing Ireland should also do what they can.”

Sandbags managed to keep two and a half feet of water out of the Cleary home but the yard, stables and gallops were badly flooded. “When it happened in 2009 we were told it was a once-a-century occurrence but this time it was worse than before,” he said. “I am very grateful to the Curragh Racecourse for allowing me to use their stables and the gallops. I had hoped to move back to Athlone next week but the floodwaters actually rose this week, so it will probably be another 10 days.”

Asked about future plans, Cleary said: “Training is all I know, so all I can do is try to get my yard back as it was before. This is a Government problem. All the main rivers around the country have been neglected and until that problem is solved we will have flooding every year.”

Tom Cleary can be contacted on 087 2943017