It is high time there was more provision and resources for women sea anglers, and the Connaught Council of the Irish Federation of Sea Anglers is stepping up to the mark. Its hope is to encourage female Connacht sea-anglers to compete for their province at the All-Ireland Ladies Inter-provincial Shore Angling Championships by providing support and guidance for female sea-anglers in the west.
As captain for the Ladies Connacht Shore-Angling Team, Fiona McDonagh would love the opportunity to bring a full team to the All-Ireland. It does not matter what stage you are at or how experienced you are, it is just about being part of the team and competing. Five women are needed to represent the province at the shore interprovincial in February; they will compete against the other three provinces. The top province at the end of the competition wins the gold medal. Also the individual women’s scores are tabled, those with the top five scores will make the Irish team. The Irish team will be the first Irish Ladies International Team, they will then go to Wales in 2014 to take on Wales and Scotland.
Connaught Council team manager Brian Reidy explained: “If you are not already part of a club, the first step is to become a member of a Connaught Club. This will offer you an opportunity to meet other people in your area who are regularly fishing. These clubs are social, fun, and provide great support for novice anglers. Once you are part of a club and are interested in becoming part of the Connacht team we can offer coaching/tackle in preparation for interprovincial competitions. The top five ladies of the province go through. Then all you have to do is turn up with your rod and reel and be ready for a bit of fun.”
If you are interested in representing Connaught from the shore, or interested in sea-angling as a hobby sport email [email protected]
