Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Displaying items by tag: fly fishing

Fly fishing enthusiasts will converge on Galway next month as the city hosts the first annual Irish Fly Fair.

Some of the world's top fly tyers will be on hand to show off their craft, and professional casters will demonstrate how to make the most of your lure for catching trout, salmon and others.

The fair will also feature a marketplace where tackle suppliers and other dealers will be sure to offer great bargains for Christmas, while seafood dishes are definitely on the menu for visitors.

Those new to the sport can try their hand on a range of fly fishing simulators, and Galway Aquarium will introduce visitors to the wide range of wildlife in our coastal waters.

The two-day fair takes place at the Galway Bay Hotel in Salthill from 13-14 November. For details visit www.irishflyfair.com

Published in Angling
Page 2 of 2

Forty Foot Swimming Spot on Dublin Bay

The 'Forty Foot' is a rocky outcrop located at the southern tip of Dublin Bay at Sandycove, County Dublin from which people have been swimming in the Irish Sea all year round for 300 years or more. It is popular because it is one of few spots between Dublin city and Greystones in County Wicklow that allows for swimming at all stages of the tide, subject to the sea state.

Forty Foot History

Traditionally, the bathing spot was exclusively a men's bathing spot and the gentlemen's swimming club was established to help conserve the area.

Owing to its relative isolation and gender-specific nature it became a popular spot for nudists, but in the 1970s, during the women's liberation movement, a group of female equal-rights activists plunged into the waters and now it is also open to everyone and it is in the control of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

Many people believe that swimming in extremely cold water is healthy and good for the immune system.

Is it safe to swim at the Forty Foot?

The Forty-Foot is a great place to swim because there is always enough water to get a dip but like all sea swimming, there are always hazards you need to be aware of.   For example, a lot of people like to dive into to the pool at the Forty-foot but there are submerged rocks that can be hazardous especially at low water.  The Council have erected signs to warn people of the underwater dangers. Other hazards include slippy granite cut stone steps that can often be covered with seaweed and of course marine wildlife including jellyfish that make their presence felt in the summer months as do an inquisitive nearby Sandycove seal colony.

The Forty-foot Christmas Day swim

A Dublin institution that brings people from across Dublin and beyond for a dip in the chilly winter sea. Bathers arrive in the dark from 6 am and by noon the entire forty foot is a sea of red Santa hats!