The members of Kilkenny City and County Angling Club were devastated last week to find that the river bank, life buoys and picnic tables at Threecastles has been vandalised by thugs and the trout released into the river for angling purposes had been poached.
In a letter to the Kilkenny Advertiser this week, Dan Webster, honorary secretary of the club said that the fishing preserves of the club were targeted by a gang of mindless thugs and that the members of the club were devastated.
“Recently the club released several hundred trout when they hosted a juvenile angling competition and the youngsters managed to land about 50 fish on the day. However, poachers using rubber dinghys netted most of the remaining trout, threw lifebelts into the river and even set fire to the picnic tables/seats, which the club had provided along the river bank.”
He added that the gang of vandals are well known to the club.
“It is well known that these people are also responsible for decimating the Mallard duck population at Newpark Fen and along the river Nore by placing pieces of bread on hooks and operating in the early hours of the morning,” he said.
Mr Webster added that the vandals appear to be a law onto themselves.
The members of the club are currently keeping a close watch on the area and the club preserves in the hope that they will catch the criminals in the act when then they can be dealt with accordingly by the Gardai.
