The annual Westport Skate Festival, hosted by Vinny Keogh and his family from the Helm in Westport Quay, was held over the weekend, with over 100 anglers taking part in what is by now, an unmissable event for many. The event is held on a catch-and-release basis, with points per fish, but the main prize and the one all the competitors seek is that for the largest skate caught. The Common Skate (not so common) is a trophy fish that provides a stern test of an angler’s skill and endurance. When a skate is caught during the festival, the boat skipper measures it with a piece of string, which is cut and placed in an envelope. At the finale of the festival, on Sunday night, Vinny opens the envelopes and each string is measured, so the winner is not known until the very end.
This year, the lucky angler with the biggest skate was Dave Bennett, from the UK, where many of the competitors come from every year for the festival. He beat Dublin angler Phil Skinner into second place (I’m sure Phil didn’t mind too much after the Dubs win over Mayo!) and in third place was David McDermott from Mullingar. Many thanks to John O’Connor for the photos.
