SportAngling Notes

Angling notes: top prize for Something Fishy

Donegal’s Gartan National School wins first prize in Inland Fisheries Ireland’s national art competition

An Inland Fisheries Ireland fishery officer speaking with Gartan National School students
An Inland Fisheries Ireland fishery officer speaking with Gartan National School students
Derek Evans
Tue Jun 11 2024 - 11:44

A Donegal school has won first prize in Inland Fisheries Ireland’s (IFI) national ‘Something Fishy’ competition. Students at Gartan National School created the winning project and won €500 voucher to be used for educational purposes.

After completing the programme, students created projects that illustrated the theme of ‘fish on the move’, and submitted these projects to the Something Fishy competition.

Gartan National School has a track record of success with Something Fishy, having won first prize in 2017. Dr Cathal Gallagher, Deputy CEO of IFI, said: “All the students’ efforts in putting together a wonderful and engaging project clearly demonstrates the awareness and appreciation the children have for their natural environment. “Building on the classroom visit of fishery officers, Tommy Mooney and Hugh Mooney, the students created a fantastic project that incorporates all aspects of the curriculum. “Winning the overall national award is a reflection of the great support of the director of Donegal Education Centre, Kieran McTaggart and his staff, and of the hard work of the class teacher, Claire Murray.” Something Fishy is an educational initiative of IFI, in partnership with Blackrock Education Centre. Donegal Education Centre runs the programme in the Donegal area. Further details on the course are available at www.somethingfishy.ie.

Blackwater success

The 67th Fermoy Coarse Angling Association Spring Festival on the River Blackwater in the southern region was a great success with Tommy Lawton, saying “Probably the longest running festival in Ireland”.

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Overall winners for the festival were Simon Heaton (53lb); Martyn Highe (48lb 02oz) and Ken Pacey (45lb).

Separately and within the supervision of the spring festival, the John Whitehouse Memorial Shield Pairs was won by Ken Pacey and Nigel Hirst. The overall winners of the 2-day match went to W Swinscoe (18lb 2oz); D Wray (16lb 10oz; A Treadwell/T Moroz (15lb 6oz). The two-day Inniscarra match went to N Richards (83.540lb); J Opladen (43.660lb); N Hirst (35.660lb).

Fermoy CAA would like to thank the land and fishery owners, sponsors and Chris O’Donovan for use of his wheelie boat.