Ballymore Eustace Trout and Salmon Anglers’ Association

Annual General Meeting

Held in Phil Murphy’s Lounge on Wednesday 11th February

COMMITTEE FOR 2008 (Outgoing)

PRESIDENT: Mr. D. Tyrell VICE PRESIDENT: Mr. T. Nugent
HON. TREASURER: Mr. T. Deegan HON. SECRETARY: Mr. G. Bolger

Messrs. M. Byrne, D. Cowley, J. Deegan, P. Dunworth, S. Goulding, S. Gunshenan, E. Kelly, F. Smith, T. Winder.

HON. SECRETARY’S REPORT FOR 2008.

MR. PRESIDENT AND FELLOW MEMBERS
The year 2008 was another very successful and active year for our Association. Angling on our water of the Liffey was excellent, with the fish in Gold Falls Lake however proving somewhat trickier. After a season’s water flow the work undertaken on the Ballymore stretches to facilitate salmon spayning has settled in and assumed a more natural look. The salmon count for this year might not have been what was hoped for, but in the first couple of weeks in December, it was pleasing to stand on the bridge and watch the salmon moving. In an effort to further improve our stocks, angling for salmon is again prohibited on the River Liffey for the upcoming season and the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board (ERFB) upholds its bye-law whereby downstream of Golden Falls Dam Anglers can only fish using single barbless hooks, whether spinning or flyfishing. Bait fishing too, is gone.

MEMBERSHIP
The Association had a total membership of 397 for the year 2008. The breakdown is as follows: 232 Adults, 94 Juniors, 39 O.A.P, 27 new members and 5 honorary members. It is vital that all members are easily recognizable on Association waters by the wearing of the Association badges. This makes the task of our Water Keepers easier and allows Riparian Owners and members to easily distinguish non-members and trespassers.

Again, it will be necessary for all existing members to renew their membership before 31st March, 2009. Any member who has not renewed membership by that date will be considered to have resigned from the Association and a new applicant will be accepted to fill the vacancy.

A special thanks to our Membership Secretary Fintan Smith, for the huge amount of time and effort involved in the issuing of membership cards and badges for 2008 and to Phil Murphy, Janet Deegan and Staff (Daybreak) and Grainne Clancy and Staff (Costcutters) for selling day permits.


FISHING RIGHTS
The Association enjoys the fishing rights of Golden Falls Lake, by permission of the E.S.B. and both banks of the River Liffey from Driver’s Ford, Golden Falls, to the upper reaches of Beaumount Estate, Harristown, Kilcullen. We also have an agreement with the E.S.B. whereby members of the Association can purchase both game and coarse angling permits on Poulaphuca Reservoir for the price of one permit. Since 2005, members of the Association have also enjoyed fishing rights on the Liffey at Lucan Demense. A number of members fished this water in 2008 and report some fine trout landed.
May I take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks and gratitude to our Reparian owners for allowing us access to, and the pleasure of fishing these waters. Once again, may I emphasize that our gratitude can best be expressed by respecting their property, by using stiles where they are provided, by not damaging stock, crops or fences, by not leaving gates open and when departing the river or lake, by taking home our litter. May I also take this opportunity to say a sincere thanks to our Water Keepers to taking on the onerous and thankless task of protecting our fishery.

MEETINGS
A total of 11 committee meetings were held since last year’s A.G.M., usually on the last Wednesday of each month. Thanks to all the committee members for continuing to put in the effort to attend these meetings. Here i’ll echo Mr. T. Deegan, the previous Hon. Secretary by making an urgent appeal to our younger members to take on active interest in the Association and become involved at committee level. Those who are interested in joining the committee should give their name to any of the existing committee members before the A.G.M. I wish to thank Phil Murphy for facilitating our meetings every month, free of charge, in the comfort of her lounge and for her help and hospitality during the year.

RESTOCKING
Golden Falls Lake was restocked twice during the 2008 season. On Thursday 8th May, 1,000 brown trout were introduced and on Tuesday 29th July, a further 1,000 brown trout, some up to 2lbs in weight, were added to the lake. All fish were supplied and delivered free of charge by E.S.B. and on behalf of the Association, I wish to thank them for their generosity. A special thanks to E.S.B.’s man on the lake, Mr. Peadar Moran, E.S.B. Amenity Officer, Liffey Stations for his help and advice during restocking operations on Golden Galls. Thanks to Golden Falls Water Ski Club for the use of their facilities and thanks also to al the members who helped with the restocking.
Salmon stocking also took place on two occasions during the 2008 season. On Friday 28th March, 12,000 unfed salmon fry, Liffey Strain from Islandbridge were introduced to the Donode stream at the Coughlanstown entrance while a further 18,000 were introduced to the little river at Ardenode. Thanks to Mr. Pat O’Molloy for supplying the fry. The whole operation was undertaken by the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board as a result of the salmon count of the previous season.

LIFFEY HABITAT ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMME
The work carried out by the Association to improve salmon spawning grounds on our stretches of the Liffey was highly praised by the E.R.F.B. at their River Liffey workshop held at Carton House on 4th September 2008, so the committee was delighted to learn that further improvements are proposed for the Liffey, amongst other waters, by the Eastern River Basin District. A draft River Basin Management Plan was launched on Monday 22nd December 2008. This is to be followed by a six month public consultation process until 22nd June 2009 and the final River Basin Management Plan will be unveiled on the 22nd October 2009. Because of dams at Poulaphuca, Golden Falls, Leixlip and flood defences in Dublin, the Liffey is designated a Heavily Modified Water Body. Heavily Modified Waters must achieve “good ecological potential” by 2015. A programme of measures recommends that all existing Irish and European legislation with regards to water quality, habitats and areas of conservation etc. are implemented.
The draft River Basin Management Plan and Programme of Measures can be viewed on the Eastern River Basin District Website www.erbd.ie.

ANGLING COMPETITIONS
Angling on our waters was one of the best years yet and our competition results were excellent.
Pat Dunworth represented the Association at the National on L. Conn on Saturday 26th April 2008.
Tom Nugent, Trevor Winder, Pat Dunworth and Ed Goulding fished the Corcoran Cup on our behalf on L. Owel on 8th June. Trevor Winder, Pat Dunworth and Eamonn Kelly represented us at the Leinster Qualifier for the 2009 National of L. Ennell on Saturday 27th September 2008.
Results were varied and with our weather this year, suntans were not to be had but of course it’s the taking part that counts.
Closer to home, the winner of the Angler of the Year Award 2008, decided on a points system allocated for club angling competitions, was Martin Keogh. The Junior Angler of the Year Award 2008 goes to Troy Francis.
The heaviest trout landed during a club competition weighed in at 1.68kg (3lbs 11.2 oz) and was caught by Mick Mooney who receives the Heaviest Trout of the Year Award 2008.
Patrick Langan landed the heaviest trout in junior competitions at 531g (1lb 2.7oz) and he receives the Junior Heaviest Trout of the Year Award 2008.

SUMMARY OF RESULTS

Adult Junior
Competion Date Winner R-Up Winner R-Up
Jimmy Evans Cup 16/3/08 M. Keogh S. Goulding - -
J. & K, Murray Cup 06/4/08 L. Cox P. McGlynn - -
Punchestown Fest. Trophy 20/4/08 S. Goulding T. Winder P. Langan -
Tony McKnight Perpetual Trophy 11/5/08 M. Francis T. Winder T. Francis -
Committee Perpetual Cup 23/5/08 G. Bolger M. Keogh S. Ellis E.Lyons
Mick Murphy Perpetual Shield 06/6/08 D. Tyrell M. Keogh T. Francis E.Lyons
Sonny Cowley Perpetual Shield 20/6/08 O. Keogh S. Goulding T. Francis -
Local Perpetual Shield 11/7/08 P. McGlynn L. Stenson T. Francis -
Ed. Gordon Trophy 08/8/08 J. Winder M. Keogh C. Walsh -
Guinness Trophy 31/8/08 M. McCaffrey T. Nugent - -
Anvil Bar Shield 28/9/08 M. Mooney M. Francis - -
Pike Competition 7/12/08 F. Byrne - - -

For many years now, Eamonn Kelly has been purchasing all the prizes that are won and presented at our various angling competitions and on behalf of the Association I wish to thank Eamonn. We are also very grateful to all the people and business’s who sponsor prizes and to the E.S.B. Turlough Hill who facilitate us with low water on the Liffey for our competitions.

COMMITTEE 2009
Nominations were invited from the attendance and outgoing committees members were re-elected; members Jim Deegan and Sean Gunshenan resigned with Fergus Byrne and David Butler elected in their place.