We here at Angling Ireland were deeply saddened to hear of the loss of Derek Evans, who for many years wrote a weekly angling column in the Irish Times. Derek passed away on Tuesday, a day after his 80th birthday, although truth be told, he looked and sounded far younger.
Derek grew up off Oxmantown Road in Arbour Hill, Dublin 7. He emigrated to London as a young man and developed his love of angling from fishing in the rivers, lakes and canals around the city. He returned to Ireland and got a job as a printer with The Irish Times. Evans worked at the newspaper for more than 20 years before becoming angling correspondent. The family settled in Swords, where they became a big part of the local community and Church of Ireland parish.
Derek was familiar to anglers all over Ireland, as he fished in many competitions himself, and attended many more events to report on the angling. He had many friends around the country, and his phone calls for reports were always welcome, never short, and full of craic. I met Derek many times, particularly at the World Cup trout competition on Lough Mask, which he loved to attend and fish in every year, and he was regularly on the phone looking for information for his column in the Irish Times. I will certainly miss his phone calls and easy wit. Derek was one of life’s gentlemen.
He is survived by his wife Marjorie, sons Mark, Peter, Simon and David, daughter Racheal and 13 grandchildren. We express our sincere condolences to them on his loss as he is laid to rest today.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam
