Irish Festivals update
WEBSITE UPDATE
SENDER; TONY KERSLEY
It’s that time of the year again when many anglers thoughts turn to the fast approaching Irish festival season. 2007 yet again saw good numbers of English and Irish match anglers taking part in one or more of the fifty plus matches that take place across the country between Easter and November with many of them helping themselves to a share of the rich pickings.
This year , all the usual festivals are going ahead with a good variety of venues offering sometimes challenging but very often rewarding fishing with some serious money up for grabs. There have been a few changes to dates this year , the main one to watch out for is Irelands biggest match , the 250 peg Waterways Ireland Classic held at Enniskillen in County Fermanagh. It has been moved forward by two weeks to April 28th to try and time the fishing with the annual roach migration into the town sections . Last years match saw Enniskillens town sections almost devoid of fish , so they were left out , although Ross-on-Wye angler Richard Hoskins didn’t complain after helping himself to more than £5,000 in prize money thanks mainly to a first day 139lb 1oz catch of bream from one of the substitute venues! This years Classic has the added attraction of an increase in the first overall prize to a massive £5,000 that will ensure the winner will go home with £7,000 if they enter all the pools.
After the Classic , there are a few matches that attract over 100 anglers , Mahons on the Erne in May ,the excellent Gowna in August , Arva and Cootehill in September, but still classed as the second most prestigious title in Ireland is the September King of Clubs. This match has undergone a few changes in recent years to try and bring it back to its former glory days , sadly that may never happen , but with a first prize of £3,000 , and fierce competition from some very good anglers , try telling me this isn’t worth winning. Milo angler Simon Willsmore needed a five day 178lb 6oz total of mainly roach and small skimmers caught almost exclusively on the pole to win last years match
Away from the Erne, Gowna and Cootehill there are plenty of other well organised productive festivals including an excellent series of matches on the skimmer filled Inniscarra Reservoir in Cork,some great river fishing on the Shannon at Carrick, Portumna and Banagher as well as at Fermoy on the Blackwater. For Canal enthusiasts there are festivals on the Grand Canal at Prosperous and Edenderry.
Another match that has undergone slight changes this year is at Carrigallen where the man who got this match up and running in the first place and who has done a superb job of it for the past few years , Tony East , has decided to take a break and let the Carrigallen committee take over. The only real change this year is that deposits for this match must be in by July 1st to ensure participation , apart from that , I am sure it will continue to be a success
All in all there is something for everyone from small friendly thirty peggers to the bigger matches , as ever they will all have a great atmosphere , quite often there will be plenty of fish and there is always a winner! Don’t forget , during the busy festival season this site will be updated regularly with full coverage of all of the Irish festivals as well as the usual Irish match results.
IRISH FESTIVALS 2008
Anyone who fancies going on any Irish festival I can organise it for you, The Classic is the biggest so if you want to tag along with us please send me a PM.
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