2 minute read
Inland Fisheries Ireland New Book Brings ‘Long-Lost Treasure’ of Irish Angling to New Generations Worldwide
‘Fiery Brown’ from the Letterkenny district, tied by M Rogan ‘Jock Scott’ from the Dublin district, tied by Flint & Co
‘Blue Grey & Brown Coiner’ from the Cork district, tied by W Haynes & Sons ‘Cinnamon Fly’ from the Sligo district, tied by M Rogan and Son
‘Black Macaw Wing’ from the Limerick district, tied by John Enright & Sons ‘Black Purple’ from the Wexford district, tied by O Donohoe
Expert fly-tyer Peter Kealey with Suzanne Campion & Shane O'Reilly of Inland Fisheries Ireland
The manager of the project, Shane O’Reilly of Inland Fisheries Ireland, said: “This new book offers a unique glimpse into Ireland’s past, showcasing the detail and beauty of traditional Irish salmon flies and the wide range of materials and techniques used by Irish fly dressers at the time. Many of those fly dressers are now revered around the world for the quality of their craft, so this collection is of significant cultural importance too, and is now available for the next generation to discover.”
Over a hundred years after the Cork International Exhibition took place, interest in the collection was reignited by angling author, the late E.J. ‘Ted’ Malone, who described the collection as a “long lost treasure of Irish Angling”. Malone worked alongside Peter Kealey and Peter Dunne, all fly-tying experts, to meticulously examine, photograph and record the various fly dressings. Sadly, Ted Malone passed away in 2017 and the book is dedicated to his memory.
380 individual salmon flies, such as the ‘Fiery Brown,’, the ‘Golden Olive’ and the ‘Thunder and Lightning’ have been catalogued for this project, representing twenty fishery districts such as Galway, Ballina, Killarney, Dublin, Lismore, Ballyshannon and Coleraine. These flies were often ‘dressed’ for use on specific rivers or lakes, with subtle differences in hue and colour to reflect what was believed to be the best pattern on that fishery, at a particular time of year.
Suzanne Campion, Head of Business Development with Inland Fisheries Ireland said: “As a species, wild salmon have very strong cultural connections to Ireland, featuring in Irish folklore, myth and legend. These flies remind us of the importance of salmon stocks socially, economically and particularly as part of our natural heritage and biodiversity. A hundred and twenty years after they were first displayed in Cork, Inland Fisheries Ireland together with anglers and local communities, continue to work to protect and conserve Ireland’s precious wild salmon and their habitats for the benefit of future generations.”
Inland Fisheries Ireland is exploring ways of putting the original collection on display once more and members of the public are being encouraged to contact the state agency with any suggestions they may have.
Where to view the book
‘The 1902 Cork Collection of Salmon Flies’ is now available to view from the Inland Fisheries Ireland website at www.fisheriesireland.ieand from the Fishing in Ireland website at www.fishinginireland.info
