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Displaying items by tag: Lough Muckno

Co Monaghan is hosting “the Olympics of angling” this weekend (Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 April) with the World Feeder Club Championships, as RTÉ News reports.

Lough Muckno is the venue for 28 teams representing 18 countries who will fish for the top prize in the competition hosted by the National Coarse Fishing Federation of Ireland (NCFFI).

Local anglers in the Cavan Monaghan Lakelands Feeder Club are joined by one other Irish team from Lurgan Coarse Angling Club in the international field that’s already been a hospitality boon for Castleblayney and environs.

RTÉ News has much more on the story HERE.

Published in Angling

Enterprise Minister Heather Humphreys was on hand yesterday (Monday 29 July) to help Monaghan County Council open its new €140,000 angling facility at Lough Muckno in Castleblayney.

The upgraded facility, which was funded by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) through its National Strategy for Angling Development, is hoped to attract international angling competitions and visiting anglers.

The fisheries development project saw the opening of an inaccessible angling stretch and the addition of 40 new coarse angling pegs along the shoreline which were required to cater for the lough’s growing number of anglers.

In addition, a new access point to the lough was developed for anglers incorporating 500m of road access, a vehicular access track beside the lake shore and new car parking spaces. IFI provided funding of €105,248 while Monaghan County Council contributed €35,000 to the project.

Minister Humphreys welcomed the upgrades. “Lough Muckno is a renowned angling destination and a valuable amenity to the community at large, offering significant value from both a tourism and recreational perspective. I am delighted to see investment in this facility which ensures it remains at international match standard,” she said.

The project is just one of many fisheries development schemes being delivered across the country under the National Strategy for Angling Development, which IFI touts as the first comprehensives national framework for the development of the angling resource.

The strategy provides opportunities for habitat improvement along with funding which will improve angling access and tourism development.

Cllr Seamus Coyle, Cathaoirleach of Monaghan County Council, said: “The development of this new stretch was required because of the success and popularity of the three previously developed sections on the lake.

“Because these stretches are regularly booked to capacity, it was important to provide another stretch to cater for all those who want to fish the lake and this is where South Lodge comes in.

“I have no doubt that this development will have a significant impact on the local economy and look forward to welcoming more international visitors to Castleblayney”

Dr Ciaran Byrne, IFI chief executive, added: “Lough Muckno has been extremely effective in attracting angling visitors to the town of Castleblaney over the years and this has had a positive economic impact on the area.

“It is fantastic to see rural communities engaging around the angling resource and we continue to support projects nationwide which look to support the improvement of fish habitats and remove barriers to accessing the fisheries resource.”

Published in Angling

#Angling - Three new angling bye-laws have been introduced in the Eastern River Basin District by Minister of State with responsibility for Inland Fisheries, Sean Kyne.

Conservation of Coarse Fish and Pike Dundalk District (Lough Muckno) Bye-law No 950, 2017 has been introduced for Lough Muckno, near Castleblaney in Co Monaghan.

This bye-law provides for catch and release for all coarse fish and pike on the lough. Anglers must use keep nets to hold any coarse fish or pike and all fish are to be subsequently released.

The regulations apply to Lough Muckno including Gas Lake and the waters up to Derrygreevy Bridge, the tributary up to Frankfort Bridge, County Water up to Wallace’s Bridge and the Clarebane River up to Clarebane Bridge.

On Lough Lene in Collinstown, Co Westmeath, the Annual Close Season Bye-law No 322, 2017 now applies.

This new bye-law has extended the open season such that anglers fishing for brown trout or rainbow trout can now fish from 1 March until 12 October.

On the River Vartry in Co Wicklow, the River Vartry System (Conservation Bag Limit) Bye-law No 952, 2017 has been introduced.

An angler is now permitted to take one sea trout (40cm or less) per day from the river during the open season, which runs from 1 March to 30 September. The River Vartry is closed for fishing for salmon and sea trout over 40cm.

All three bye-laws came into effect on 1 October 2017.

Inland Fisheries Ireland’s Dublin director Brian Beckett said: “These new bye-laws are designed to protect and conserve a range of fish species while supporting important angling amenity activities within the Eastern River Basin District.

“These fish populations are valuable from a number of perspectives including biological diversity and angling amenity and Inland Fisheries Ireland hope that these measures serve to reinforce the importance of protecting and conserving all our fisheries in the future.”

Published in Angling

#ANGLING - Inland Fisheries Ireland will sponsor the European Police Coarse Angling Championships on Lough Muckno in Co Monaghan from 5-6 October 2012.

According to the Irish Angling Development Alliance (IADA), delegates from around Europe met at the Glencarn Hotel in Castleblaney last week to plan the event and visit local amenities.

The organising committee commented: “The response was so good that it now looks like 22 teams of five will be in attendance in the area for a period of approximately 10 days, with many team members, spouses and friends spending a further seven days after the event.”

Contingents from the Netherlands and Italy are expected to field the greatest number of teams competing in the championships, which bring with them a massive economic benefit for the region.

The IADA has much more on the story HERE.

Published in Angling

Royal Irish Yacht Club - Frequently Asked Questions

The Royal Irish Yacht Club is situated in a central location in Dun Laoghaire Harbour with excellent access and visiting sailors can be sure of a special welcome. The clubhouse is located in the prime middle ground of the harbour in front of the town marina and it is Dun Laoghaire's oldest yacht club. 

What's a brief history of the Royal Irish Yacht Club?

The yacht club was founded in 1831, with the Marquess of Anglesey, who commanded the cavalry at the Battle of Waterloo being its first Commodore. 

John Skipton Mulvany designed the clubhouse, which still retains a number of original architectural features since being opened in 1851.

It was granted an ensign by the Admiralty of a white ensign with the Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Ireland beneath the Union Jack in canton.

Many prominent names feature among the past members of the Club. The first Duke of Wellington was elected in 1833, followed by other illustrious men including the eccentric Admiral Sir Charles Napier, Sir Dominic Corrigan the distinguished physician, Sir Thomas Lipton, novelist, George A. Birmingham, yachtsman and author, Conor O'Brien, and famous naval historian and author, Patrick O Brian. 

In the club's constitution, it was unique among yacht clubs in that it required yacht owners to provide the club's commodore with information about the coast and any deep-sea fisheries they encountered on all of their voyages.

In 1846, the club was granted permission to use the Royal prefix by Queen Victoria. The club built a new clubhouse in 1851. Despite the Republic of Ireland breaking away from the United Kingdom, the Royal Irish Yacht Club elected to retain its Royal title.

In 1848, a yachting trophy called "Her Majesty's Plate" was established by Queen Victoria to be contested at Kingstown where the Royal Irish Yacht Club is based. The Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland at the time, George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon suggested it should be contested by the Royal Irish Yacht Club and the Royal St. George Yacht Club in an annual regatta, a suggestion that was approved by both clubs with the Royal St. George hosting the first competitive regatta.

The RIYC celebrated its 185th Anniversary in 2016 with the staging of several special events in addition to being well represented afloat, both nationally and internationally. It was the year the club was also awarded Irish Yacht Club of the Year as Afloat's W M Nixon details here.

The building is now a listed structure and retains to this day all its original architectural features combined with state of the art facilities for sailors both ashore and afloat.

What is the Royal Irish Yacht Club's emblem?

The Club's emblem shows a harp with the figure of Nice, the Greek winged goddess of victory, surmounted by a crown. This emblem has remained unchanged since the foundation of the Club; a symbol of continuity and respect for the history and tradition of the Royal Irish Yacht Club.

What is the Royal Irish Yacht Club's ensign?

The RIYC's original white ensign was granted by Royal Warrant in 1831. Though the Royal Irish Yacht Club later changed the ensign to remove the St George's Cross and replace the Union Jack with the tricolour of the Republic of Ireland, the original ensign may still be used by British members of the Royal Irish Yacht Club

Who is the Commodore of the Royal Irish Yacht Club?

The current Commodore is Jerry Dowling, and the Vice-Commodore is Tim Carpenter.

The RIYC Flag Officers are: 

What reciprocal club arrangements does the Royal Irish Yacht Club have?  

As one of Ireland's leading club's, the Royal Irish Yacht Club has significant reciprocal arrangements with yacht clubs across Ireland and the UK, Europe, USA and Canada and the rest of the World. If you are visiting from another Club, please have with a letter of introduction from your Club or introduce yourself to the Club Secretary or to a member of management staff, who will show you the Club's facilities.

What car parking does the Royal Irish Yacht Club have at its Dun Laoghaire clubhouse?

The RIYC has car parking outside of its clubhouse for the use of its members. Paid public car parking is available next door to the club at the marina car park. There is also paid parking on offer within the harbour area at the Coatl Harbour (a 5-minute walk) and at an underground car park adjacent to the Royal St. George Yacht Club (a 3-minute walk). Look for parking signs. Clamping is in operation in the harbour area.

What facilities does the Royal Irish Yacht Clubhouse offer? 

The Royal Irish Yacht Club offers a relaxed, warm and welcoming atmosphere in one of the best situated and appointed clubhouses in these islands. Its prestige in yachting circles is high and its annual regatta remains one of the most attractive events in the sailing calendar. It offers both casual and formal dining with an extensive wine list and full bar facilities. The Club caters for parties, informal events, educational seminars, themed dinners and all occasions. The RIYC has a number of venues within the Club each of which provides a different ambience to match particular needs.

What are the Royal Irish Yacht Club's Boathouse facilities?

The RIYC boathouse team run the launch service to the club's swinging moorings, provide lifting for dry-sailed boats, lift and scrub boats, as well as maintaining the fabric of the deck, pontoon infrastructure, and swinging moorings. They also maintain the club crane, the only such mobile crane of the Dun Laoghaire Yacht Clubs.

What facilities are offered for junior sailing at the Royal Irish Yacht Club?

One of the missions of the Royal Irish Yacht Club is to promote sailing as a passion for life by encouraging children and young adults to learn how to sail through its summer courses and class-specific training throughout the year. 

RIYC has an active junior section. Its summer sailing courses are very popular and the club regularly has over 50 children attending courses in any week. The aim is for those children to develop lifelong friendships through sailing with other children in the club, and across the other clubs in the bay.
 
Many RIYC children go on to compete for the club at regional and national championships and some have gone on to represent Ireland at international competitions and the Olympic Regatta itself.
 
In supporting its young sailors and the wider sailing community, the RIYC regularly hosts junior sailing events including national and regional championships in classes such as the Optmist, Feva and 29er.
 
Competition is not everything though and as the club website states:  "Many of our junior sailors have gone on the become sailing instructors and enjoy teaching both in Ireland and abroad.  Ultimately, we take most pleasure from the number of junior sailors who become adult sailors and enjoy a lifetime of sailing with the club".