This article is from page 30 of the 2007-08-07 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 30 JPG
HUNDREDS of angling enthusiast have flocked to north Clare this week to take part in the Annual Interna- tional Angling Competition.
The competition, which has been organised annually by the Lisdoon- varna/Fanore Sea Angling Club ro- tates location between Ballyreen and Blackhead in Fanore.
The week long competition, which attracts competitors from a number of countries, has been ongoing since RY
‘People come from the Isle of Man and from Scotland mostly. We do get
people from other parts of the UK and Germans who live in Doolin, and a lot of locals of course,’ said James Linnane, of the Lisdoonvarna/ Fanore Sea Angling Club.
“We would normally get about 50 anglers each day. We would get dif- ferent groups of anglers, some would come for the first few days and others people would dip in and out through- out the week.
‘There have been some people com- ing here from more than 25 years and never ever miss a year.”
Anglers take a rest day today, but competition will recommence in Ballyreen on Wednesday from 12pm
to 4pm, and in Blackhead on Thurs- Cr MA
After a rest day on Friday the final day of competition will take place on Saturday in Ballyreen from Ipm to Spm.
“There is a great facility for an- gling up the north Clare coast. It’s not being used to it’s potential. Most angling clubs in the country fish off of the beach.
‘The thing about north Clare is that you are fishing off rocks, which is rare, and that means that the water you are fishing in 1s quite deep,” he continued.
‘There is a lot of fish in that water.
Each year we get a lot of numbers and a good weight of fish. The water there is very clean.
While the amount of people who are angling has not grown greatly over the the last few decades, num- bers have held steady at a time where new sports and pastimes are being offered to the public all the time.
“It’s not declining anyway. There are still a lot of people who are an- eling. You tend to get a lot of young- er kids and older people who get into it. People often go away from it in middle-age and come back to it when they get older,’ continued James.