Waterways Ireland Pike Challenge 2008

Cross-Border Fishing Competition – Biggest in Ireland

Date: April 7th, 2008


The Waterways Ireland Pike Challenge, fished in Leitrim over last weekend, had the biggest prize fund of any fishing competition ever held in Ireland before – the winner of the event was Ken Whelan of Dublin with a fish of 10 kgs 500. In all €24,000 was distributed in prizes among the 180 anglers from around the world who fished on two of Leitrim’s best known lakes over the weekend – Lough Garadice near Ballinamore and Lough Boderg near Dromod.

The Pike Challenge was part of the Fermanagh/Leitrim Cross Border Angling Project, part-financed to the tune of €300,000 by the European Union through the Interreg IIIA Programme managed for the Special EU Programmes Body by the ICBAN Partnership. The project which has been ongoing for the past three years, was engaged in fisheries research, development and the marketing of angling both in Fermanagh and Leitrim.
The weather conditions were uncompromising throughout with a biting northerly wind blowing – particularly on Sunday when at times the strong winds carried a mix of hailstones, sleet and snow. But the pike people were not for turning and by the end of the two days fishing over 200 pike were landed, weighed and returned again to the water.
The presentation on Sunday brought the project to a conclusion and was, according to Eddie McGovern, Tourism Officer with Fermanagh and District Council “an outstanding success” in terms of what can be achieved in tourism when two Council areas such as Fermanagh and Leitrim work together.

The project also brought together fishery organisations from both sides of the border i.e. Shannon Regional Fisheries Board in Leitrim and Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in Fermanagh. Both fishery groups worked together over the period of the project sharing staff , resources and equipment and it is hoped this co-operation between all the cross-border parties will bode well for similar future projects.

Overall winner of Waterways Ireland Pike Challenge was Ken Whelan, Dublin

Section Winners

Section A & B, Lough Boderg & Dromod. Day 1, 5th April
Position Angler Name From Kg Grams
1 Joe McDermott Longford 6 700
1 Ger Fogarty Ballinamore 6 700
3 Damien Mc Dermott Longford 6 400
4 David Boyle Longford 5 400
5 Tony Gallagher Ballinamore 4 500
6 Ger Casey Athlone 4 400
7 Ger Fogarty Ballinamore 3 900
8 Peter Hughes Belleek 3 600
9 Willie Heasley Duleek 3 500
10 Peter Hughes Belleek 3 300


Section C & D, Lough Garadice. Day 1, 5th April.
Position Angler Name From Kg Grams

1 Barry Darby Mullingar 10 0
2 Anthony Scally Mullingar 8 300
3 Pat Healy Mohill 8 100
4 Simon Langan Galway 6 0
5 John Corcoran Mullingar 4 700
5 Finian Darby Mullingar 4 700
7 Anthony Scally Mullingar 4 200
8 Kelvin Ashley Dublin 4 100
9 Keith Mooney Dublin 4 0
9 Larry Mulvany Kells 4 0
9 Mick McGirl Rooskey 4 0

Section A & B Dromod & Derrycarne Forestry, Lough Boderg. Day 2, 6th April
Angler Name From Kg Grams
1 Barry Darby Mullingar 6 400
2 John Tobin Limerick 6 300
3 Michael Dalton Mullingar 6 0
4 Padraig Jennings Newry 5 800
5 Brendan Magennis Keady 5 300
6 David Leonard Killeshandra 3 700
7 Barry Darby Mullingar 3 600
8 Larry Mulvany Kells 3 300
9 David Leonard Killeshandra 3 0
10 Thomas Maguire Ballyconnell 2 800


Section C & D, Lough Garadice. Day 2, 6th April.
Angler Name From Kg Grams
1 Damien Mc Dermott Longford 5 200
2 Tony Egan Mohill 5 0
3 Paul Holohan Mullingar 4 900
4 Derek Murphy Mullingar 4 500
5 Frank Leonard Drogheda 4 400
6 Con Hope Mullingar 4 300
6 Joe McDermott Longford 4 300
8 Paul Beck Mohill 4 200
9 Paul Holohan Mullingar 4 0
10 Stuart Lear Ballyconnell 3 600
10 Anthony Egan Mohill 3 600

 

Who to contact

Leitrim Tourism 

Tel: +353 (0) 71 962 0170

Angling Enquiries: gofishing@anglingireland.net  

General Enquiries:  info@leitrimtourism.com

Web:  http://www.leitrimtourism.com

BBI Travel 

Tel:  +315 (0) 3182561

Email:  vanberkoi@bbi-travel.nl

Web: http://www.bbi-travel.nl