A WOMAN who lives in rural Fermanagh has said the “fear of God is in me” after she was trapped in her own home as her road was impassable and the authorities refused to help.
Bridget Fitzpatrick, 65, lives on her own on the Mullynaburtlan Road, in the Knocks.
Ms Fitzpatrick’s has been unable to leave her home as her icy road was not salted or gritted.
“It’s been terrible. I was refused help and even when I explained that I am not in good health and I couldn’t get to the chemist, they wouldn’t help me,” she told the ‘Herald.
The grandmother had to bring her son, daughter-in-law and four-year-old grandchild to the bus depot early in the morning to return to America, and her ordeal on the road left her traumatised.
“We had to leave the house at 4am and the fear of God was in me and the fear of God was also in my granddaughter, attempting to drive on the roads,” Ms Fitzpatrick said.
“The grit piles were there, but I was unable to get out of the car in fear it would run away.”
This isn’t the first time that Ms Fitzpatrick has been stuck in her own home during the winter time.
She fears that some rural residents in Fermanagh are not getting the support that they need. “Ballagh Cross isn’t five minutes away from me and it’s been gritted and so has Gola Road. The Council said that Mullynaburtlan isn’t on the list and I can’t understand why,” Ms Fitzpatrick said.
“Bread doesn’t grow in the garden and I can’t get to the shops when it’s bad weather. What happens if I need to go to a hospital appointment or the ambulance has to come to my house?”
The woman is now starting a petition to secure better support for her local area.
The Council said the responsibility lies with the Department for Infrastructure.
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