Over 30 young people participated in the annual Sean McMorrow Memorial fishing competition held by Inland Fisheries Ireland’s (IFI) Dublin Angling Initiative earlier this week.
This year’s venue on Tuesday 29 October was the Angling for All facility in Aughrim, Co Wicklow with the boys’ team from the Killinarden Angling Initiative in Tallaght winning on the day.
Young people from a range of youth groups and services took part in the competition, including the WAY project in Wicklow; Sphere 17 in Darndale and Priorswood; Whitechurch youth project; Jobstown Action for Youth (JAY) in Dublin 24; and James St CBS in Dublin’s South Inner Cit.
All competitors have participated in the Dublin Angling Initiative’s courses, which cover different types of fishing and enable participants to learn angling skills, many of them for the first time.
IFI runs the annual Sean McMorrow Memorial as a way for young people to come together and showcase their new skills and compete for fun. The young people were mentored by a team of IFI staff and Dublin Angling Initiative volunteers, who were able to ensure all fish were released back into the water.
Speaking about the competition, Brian Beckett, director of the Eastern River Basin District, said: “We run this competition as a highlight for the young people who have taken part in the fishing programme throughout the summer. It’s something we all look forward to as its great fun on the day and everyone enjoys themselves.
“The Dublin Angling Initiative gives participants the chance to take up a fishing rod and experience what fishing is all about and this event really showcases the experience which we want to create.”
The Dublin Angling Initiative is an outreach and educational fishing programme which aims to promote and develop angling among young people in the greater Dublin area. It caters for anyone interested in angling, from the complete novice to the more advanced angler, and trains them in different types of fishing.
Young people who take part in the initiative are educated in the various species of fish, their habitats, the importance of catch and release of our fish species and broader conservation.
IFI’s Dublin Angling Initiative has seen thousands of young people participate in the programme since it was founded over 20 years ago. The initiative has resulted in many of these young people setting up their own fishing clubs.
This year, the youth programme is operating throughout the autumn months and interested youth groups, schools and angling clubs are invited to apply.
To find out more, contact Dublin Angling Initiative co-ordinator Rory Keatinge at [email protected] or call 087 614 2906. All requests will be subject to availability as places are limited.
