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Displaying items by tag: Co Kildare

#ANGLING - Angling Times reports that an Irish angler has caught the biggest carp ever recorded in the country.

Andrew Doyle landed the 40lb 2oz monster known as Big Hole at Maynooth Fishery in Co Kildare recently.

The intrepid fisherman caught the mirror carp during a 72-hour session using a "boilie hookbait fished in conjunction with a PVA bag of freebies over a bed of hemp and corn".

Published in Angling
#ANGLING - A plaque paying tribute to the late secretary of the Dublin Salmon Anglers' Association has been inveiled at Carton Estate in Co Kildare.
Patrick 'Pat' O'Molloy, who died in November last year, was commemmorated for his pioneering work over the last 35 years in the rehabilitation and restoration of wild salmon stock in the River Liffey, The Irish Times reports.
This involved introducing micro-tagged smolts into the Rye, a tributary of the Liffey upriver of the Carton Estate weir which was impassable from further downstream.
Sadly O'Molloy died before the return of salmon to the Liffey in a year that also saw their return to the Tolka afer more than a century.
Former fisheries CEO Alan McGurdy said at the ceremony: "As you all know, Pat was an angler, a board member, environmentalist, fish farmer and most of all, a friend.
"Today is some recognition to the great man for the tremendous work he did to look after our fish."

#ANGLING - A plaque paying tribute to the late secretary of the Dublin Salmon Anglers' Association has been inveiled at Carton Estate in Co Kildare.

Patrick 'Pat' O'Molloy, who died in November last year, was commemmorated for his pioneering work over the last 35 years in the rehabilitation and restoration of wild salmon stock in the River Liffey, The Irish Times reports.

This involved introducing micro-tagged smolts into the Rye, a tributary of the Liffey upriver of the Carton Estate weir which was impassable from further downstream.

Sadly O'Molloy died before the return of salmon to the Liffey in a year that also saw their return to the Tolka afer more than a century.

Former fisheries CEO Alan McGurdy said at the ceremony: "As you all know, Pat was an angler, a board member, environmentalist, fish farmer and most of all, a friend. 

"Today is some recognition to the great man for the tremendous work he did to look after our fish."

Published in Angling
A former lock-keepers’ cottage near Celbridge, Co Kildare could prove to be a substantial bargain for waterways enthusiasts.
Bank House, on the Grand Canal near Hazelhatch, is a two-storey Victorian five-bed house with a large garden available through DNG.
When first on the market in October 2009 it was priced at €795,000, but is now for sale at €495,000.
The 167 sq m floor area includes an integrated garage, two reception rooms and a sizeable kitchen.
The property - which is in need of updating - comes with well-tended gardens and plenty of off-street parking, with Hazelhatch train station within walking distance.
The Irish Times has more on this property including images HERE.

A former lock-keepers’ cottage near Celbridge, Co Kildare could prove to be a substantial bargain for waterways enthusiasts.

Bank House, on the Grand Canal near Hazelhatch, is a two-storey Victorian five-bed house with a large garden available through DNG.

When first on the market in October 2009 it was priced at €795,000, but is now for sale at €495,000.
The 167 sq m floor area includes an integrated garage, two reception rooms and a sizeable kitchen. 

The property - which is in need of updating - comes with well-tended gardens and plenty of off-street parking, with Hazelhatch train station within walking distance.

The Irish Times has more on this property including images HERE.

Published in Waterfront Property

National Watersports Campus, Dun Laoghaire

Dun Laoghaire Harbour Stakeholders combined forces in 2019 to promote a project to improve the Harbour’s infrastructure resulting in improved access, job creation and greater tourism potential. 

A grant application to government made by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council (DLRCoCo) assisted by stakeholders was successful with the announcement of a €400k feasibility study grant from the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) in January 2020.

It meant plans for the €8m National Watersports Campus at Dun Laoghaire Harbour got the green light from Government and came a step closer to reality.

The project recognises deficits in the current set up in the harbour, proposing the construction of an all-tide publicly-accessible slipway (none currently in the Greater Dublin Area) as well as a marine services facility, providing a much-needed home for the supporting industry. 

The campus also seeks to provide a marketing framework to make boating more accessible to the general public.

The benefits of such an increase might be obvious for the Dun Laoghaire waterfront but there are other spin-offs for the harbour town in the creation of the sort of jobs that cannot be shipped abroad.

Centre for Community Watersports activity and public slipway

  • High-Performance coaching centre
  • Flexible Event Space for hosting national and international events
  • Multipurpose Building
  • Campus Marketing and Promotional Centre
  • Accommodation for Irish Sailing and Irish Underwater Council
  • Shared NGB Facility
  • Education Centre for schools, community groups and clubs
  • Proposed site – Carlisle Pier

Watersports Campus FAQs

Similar to the National Sports Campus in Abbotstown, the watersports campus will provide quality, public, recreational and high-performance facilities for the many watersports participants. The Campus will considerably enhance the services currently provided by more than 30 clubs and activity centres to over 50,000 annual users of the harbour.

The passing of control of the harbour to DLRCC, the public appetite for a community benefitting project and the capital funding for sports infrastructure in the Project 2040 National Plan have aligned to create an opportunity to deliver this proposal.

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) and the Irish Sailing Association (Irish Sailing) are the project leads, endorsed by the National Governing Bodies of other Irish watersports and clubs and activity providers.

The National Sports Policy, published in 2018, established the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) to provide Exchequer support for sports facility projects. In some cases, these may be projects where the primary objective will be to increase active participation in sport. In other cases, these may be venues where the focus is more related to high-performance sport.

Government has allocated at least €100m over the term to 2027 to successful applicant projects.

The Watersports Campus was one of seven successful applicants for Stream 1 funding allowing planning to commence on the project design and feasibility. €442,000 has been granted in this phase.

NThe project will provide for a municipally-owned public access facility to include a small craft slipway that is accessible at all stages of the tide (currently none in public ownership in the greater Dublin area), storage and lock-up resources, watersports event management space, a high-performance centre and NGB accommodation.

The project aims to enhance the profile of Dun Laoghaire as a major international venue for maritime events, shows and conferences. Establish Dun Laoghaire as the 'go-to place' for anything marine – generating revenues Create employment in the county - attract businesses, visitors and events. Grow the market for watersports Promote the services of activity providers to the public. Complement the plan to develop Dun Laoghaire as a 'destination.'

As of January 1 2021, The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has approved the applicant project and DLRCC are expected to appoint a team to further advance the project.

©Afloat 2020