Ciaran O’Keeffe from Ireland’s Coarse Fishing was out and about this weekend and tells us about the fun at Paddy’s Mac’s Lake:
On a weekend that brought the FA premiership to a dramatic finale for soccer fans all over the country, there were many other sports fans that opted for a quieter and more peaceful form of recreation, one where the roar of a highly charged football stadium was replaced with the gentle sound of moving water and the referees whistle was substituted by the birds singing in the trees, as Fisheries Awareness Week 2012 got underway across the nation.
Designed to promote recreational angling and conservation in Ireland, whether it be coarse, game or sea fishing, FAW has grown in popularity, with this year boasting an impressive 70 events spread across 22 counties throughout the week, running from 12th – 20th of May. This substantial undertaking made possible by the sterling work of Inland Fisheries Ireland with the support of numerous respective local angling clubs.
On Sunday the 13th of May I attended my local event at Paddy Macs Lake in O Briens Bridge, Co Clare, the theme of which was to promote and raise awareness of the joys of angling to the younger generation, following a school visit campaign by IFI amongst other initiatives to raise awareness of the occasion. The event included a live display tank of various freshwater fish species and insect life which are indigenous to Irish water systems with members of IFI on hand to share information and answer questions relating to fishing in Ireland. Angling demonstrations on feeder and pole fishing were also provided by members of Munster Coarse Anglers Club.
The day came to a close with the participating budding young anglers receiving medals for their attendance, having displayed a keen interest in the future of angling and conservation as a whole. I would recommend these events to anybody interested in the sport of fishing in Ireland and with the hope that many more will discover the pleasures of angling for many years to come.
A list of further upcoming events and additional information can be found at www.faw.ie.
Ciaran O’Keeffe
http://www.irelandscoarsefishing.com/fisheries-awareness-week-munster-cac/