Already, in three previous books, Peter O'Reilly has introduced would-be anglers to the rivers and loughs of Ireland and the flies most likely to interest trout or salmon. Now, in this fourth book, with over 50 years' experience of flyfishing in all its forms, he gives comprehensive guidance on how, as well as where and when, it is best to fish, with much lore on the life cycles of fish and their natural food supply. The beautiful photography will delight nature lovers in general. Occasionally, however, an angler may ruefully conclude that those well-dressed flies are more attractive to human sight than to the fish.
In his sequence of books, Peter O'Reilly has brought Irish angling out of the "anecdotal mists" into clearer light, without sacrifice of mystery or fascination. He is the Hugh Falkus of Ireland.
Robert Louis Stevenson's saying that "to travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive" has a relevance to angling. Much of the pleasure lies in ritual preparations during the winter months - the aesthetic tying of flies, the inspection and care of line, reel and rod, tinkering with the boat, or just clumsily trying out new knots.
It is sad that, as the human population of Ireland grows, and more young people are taking an interest in fishing, the best sporting fish, the salmon and sea trout, have become much scarcer without, as yet, adequate official action to reverse the decline.
There is much to learn from Peter O'Reilly's clear and instinctively helpful exposition and anglers will be eager to present tempting flies in promising locations. But there should be no illusions about avidly expectant shoals of fish. Average "catch per unit of effort" will be modest despite this book, but less so than without it. Flyfishing in Ireland is a splendidly produced manual that every angler should have, whether through direct purchase or the kind perceptiveness of a friend.
T.K. Whitaker is DETAILS TO COME