Frank McNally recently told us the story of the River Finn monster, an enthralling tale of a northern denizen of the deep that bears comparison with any of the fabled accounts of Irish lough monsters. Sadly, like that of its Scottish cousin, it was a case of another one that got away.
Here is the story of one that didn’t get away.
On the morning of May 9th, 1862, two local anglers, Patrick Sheehy and John Naughton, went trolling for pike in the Killaloe area. Lough Derg had the reputation of harbouring monster pike and the anglers were prepared for this eventuality: their lure was a shoe lift, or shoe horn, hooks attached, and tied to stout line. They were to need it, as the enfolding account shows, recorded by John Sheehy (Patrick’s father) in the Limerick Chronicle of May 13th, 1862…….
Irish Times 29/10/2013 Read the article ‘The catching of a monster pike – Heritage’
