Hon. Secretary's Reports
Ballymore Eustace Trout and Salmon Anglers’ Association
Annual General Meeting
To be Held in Phil Murphy’s Lounge, Ballymore Eustace on
Wednesday 9th February, 2011 at 8pm
COMMITTEE FOR 2010 (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, F. Byrne, P. Dunworth, S. Goulding, D. Butler, E. Kelly, F. Smith, T. Winder.
AGENDA
1. PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS
2. MINUTES OF A.G.M HELD ON 10th FEB, 2010
3. MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES
4. HON. TREASURER’S REPORT FOR 2010
5. HON. SECRETARY’S REPORT FOR 2010
6. NOTICE OF MOTIONS
7. ELECTION OF HON. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
8. OTHER BUSINESS
Members are reminded that nominations for the committee and notice of motions must be with the Hon. Secretary by Sunday 6th February, 2011.
NB. 2011 MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL FORM ENCLOSED WITH REPORT.
HON. SECRETARY’S REPORT FOR 2010.
MR. PRESIDENT AND FELLOW MEMBERS
The year 2010 was another very successful and active year for our Association. Angling on our stretches of the Liffey was excellent and after a sleepy start Golden Falls Lake also provided decent sport. From an average of about 700 for the previous five years, this year’s count of 2,000 (1,000 either side of the Dam at Leixlip) shows that things might be looking up for our salmon run too, but in an effort to further improve our stocks, angling for salmon is again prohibited on the River Liffey for the upcoming season and Inland Fisheries Ireland (formerly 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 336 for the year 2010. The breakdown is as follows: 206 Adults, 63 Juniors, 41 O.A.P, 21 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, 2011. 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 2010 and to Phil Murphy, Janet Deegan and Staff (Village Store) and the Staff of 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 Poulaphouca Reservoir for the price of one permit. Since 2005, members of the Association have also enjoyed fishing rights on the Liffey at Lucan Demesne. A number of members fished this water in 2010 and report some fine trout landed. Indeed it was decided at the Committee meeting of December last year to add another competition to our list, to be fished exclusively on this stretch. It is provisionally entitled the Lucan Demesne Competition and will be fished on the 17th April 2011.
May I take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks and gratitude to our Riparian 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 offer a sincere thanks to our Water Keepers for taking on the onerous and thankless task of protecting our fishery.
MEETINGS
A total of 12 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. Again, I’d like to make an appeal to our younger members to take an 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 hospitality during the year.
RESTOCKING
Golden Falls Lake was restocked twice during the 2010 season. On Wednesday 7th April, 1,000 brown trout were introduced and on Tuesday, 3rd August, 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 all the members who helped with the restocking.
ANGLING COMPETITIONS
Angling on our waters in 2010 was great and our competition results were excellent.
The winner of the Angler of the Year Award 2010, decided on a points system allocated for club angling competitions, was Trevor Winder.
The heaviest trout landed during a club competition weighed in at 2lbs 1.3oz and was caught by Martin Keogh who receives the Heaviest Trout of the Year Award 2010.
SUMMARY OF RESULTS
Adult Junior
Competition Date Winner R-Up Winner
Jimmy Evans Cup 21/3/10 T. Nugent F. Byrne -
J. & K, Murray Cup 11/4/10 M. Keogh J. Winder -
Punchestown Trophy 18/4/10 G. Doody M. Keogh -
Tony McKnight Trophy 09/5/10 M. McCaffrey T. Winder -
Committee Perpetual Cup 21/5/10 O. Keogh J. Winder -
Mick Murphy Shield 11/6/10 D. Tyrell T. Winder -
Sonny Cowley Shield 25/6/10 T. Winder O. Keogh -
Local Perpetual Trophy 09/7/10 F. Smith J. Winder -
Eddie Gordon Trophy 06/8/10 T. Winder T. Daly -
Guinness Trophy 29/8/10 M. Keogh M. Reynolds -
Anvil Bar Shield 26/9/10 T. Francis T. Winter -
Pike Competition 05/12/10 P. Dunworth M. Keogh -
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 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.
OUR WATERS
Although last season provided decent sport for most anglers, it must be particularly annoying, especially for those more senior members with years of experience in the club, that certain problems seem to take their time to become resolved. These, and more positive aspects, are dealt with in the following points which I hope will help explain, (or give excuses), why we have good and bad days on our Association’s waters.
* As it was last year, so too at the beginning of this season our algae bloom was a problem. It is as a result of nutrients in the water but it is the provenance of these nutrients that worries us. In April , our Association contacted the EPA highlighting our concerns. The Eastern Regional Fisheries Board also became involved through its CEO Mr. Pat Doherty as a member of his staff visited our area and also expressed concerns about the algae. As a result, officials from both Kildare and Wicklow County Councils were to meet and discuss pollution of both Golden Falls and the Liffey. We received in October of last year assurances from Kildare County Council that Wicklow County Council had told them all was well. Thanks. To seek further clarification, our Association, in November of last year, sought figures from Wicklow County Council on the total phosphorous and molybdate reactive phosphate concentrations in Golden Falls Lake, figures showing the residual levels of aluminium in the effluent that is discharged into the same lake and figures from Dublin City Council, Wicklow County Council or Kildare County Council showing the levels of molybdate reactive phosphate in Poulaphuca Reservoir. We await results.
(Note to AGM not in Hon. Sec Report
The following email was sent on the 29th January 2011
"Attn: Bryan Doyle, Director of Services, Water and Environmental Services, Wicklow County Council.
I would be obliged if Wicklow County Council would furnish me with the following:
(a) All analytical water quality data for Golden Falls Lake for the years 2009 and 2010.
(b) All analytical water quality data for Poulaphouca Reservoir for the years 2009 and 2010.
(c) All analytical data for the effluent from Blessington Waste Water Treatment Plant for 2009 and 2010 to include composition of aqueous and solid fractions.
(d) All analytical data for the effluents from Kilbride, Ballynockan, Lacken and Tulfarris villages waste water treatment plants 2009 and 2010.")
(A copy of this email was sent to Director of Services Kildare County Council and he in turn requested a copy of the data from Wicklow County Council)
* Your fishing was also affected at the tail end of the season with the mini-flooding that went on and which continued into the opening weeks of October. This was due to a technical problem with the Generator (G4) at Golden Falls which resulted in ESB having to spill water through one of the gates in the Dam at Golden Falls.
* In last years AGM report, I stated that our Association was still seeking on input with the relevant authorities into the monitoring arrangements for both quantum of water abstracted from the Liffey and the volume and quality of the treated filtrate and supernatent wastewater discharges from Dublin City Council’s sludge treatment plant to the Liffey. In a letter dated 16th October 2010 we received a copy of Dublin City Council’s monitoring report for December 2009. We have been assured that the follow-on reports will be submitted as soon as possible.
* On a tentatively more positive note, on the 19th April, 2010 the Minister for the Environment, Mr. John Gormley published the Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012. A total of €3,540,000 was allocated to the Ballymore Eustace Wastewater Treatment Plant under the old Service Land Initiative. At a subsequent meeting with Kildare County Council, we learned that 40% of this figure would have to be raised by them. In November of last year we were assured by Kildare County Council that they are actively progressing this project with a view to commencing work on site in Q4 of 2011. Again, the senior members of the club have been here before but even to get to this point would not have happened without the enormous effort of amongst others, Mr. Jack Wall T.D. and Mr. Tommy Deegan.
(The following up-date not in Hon. Sec Report was given to the AGM. This information was obtained in an email from Kildare County Council date 7th February 2011
"The proposed programme for delivery of Ballymore WWTP and Network is as follows;
Tender Stage : Q2 2011
Construction Period: Q2 2012
Commissioning of WWTP: Q2 2013
The scheme proceeding is subject to the availability of Local and Department of Environment Funding in 2011 and 2012.")
* If it were to happen, the cleaner water would be much appreciated by those fish availing of our trout habitat enhancement scheme. Of the five connecting streams to the Liffey that we looked at, work began in early September 2010 on the main stream in the old Factory. Mini-diggers, small dumper trucks, boulders, gravel, chain saws and elbow grease were all used. These fish better appreciate it. The main stream has now been cleared, adapted and connected by a fish weir to possible new spawning grounds also lovingly cleared. Many thanks must go to Mr. Fergal Caffrey of the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board for his assistance in this matter, to Tommy, Des, Dave and Messrs Brosnan, Niall and Barry for the clean up work and to Joe and Myles for their work on the well.
Good health and tight lines for 2011.
Gary Bolger,
Honorary Secretary.
www.kildare.ie/ballymoreanglers
Ballymore Eustace Trout and Salmon Anglers’ Association
Annual General Meeting
To be Held in Phil Murphy’s Lounge, Ballymore Eustace on
Wednesday 10th February, 2010 at 8pm
COMMITTEE FOR 2009 (Outgoing)
PRESIDENT: Mr. D. Tyrell VICE PRESIDENT: Mr. T. Nugent
HON. TREASURER: Mr. T. Deegan HON. SECRETARY: Mr. G. Bolger
Messrs. D. Butler, M. Byrne, F. Byrne, D. Cowley, P. Dunworth, S. Goulding, E. Kelly, J. McGrath, F. Smith, T. Winder.
AGENDA
1. PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS 2. MINUTES OF A.G.M HELD ON 11th FEB, 2009
3. MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES 4. HON. TREAS. REPORT FOR 2009
5. HON. SECRETARY’S REPORT FOR 2009 6. NOTICE OF MOTIONS
7. ELECTION OF HON. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE 8. OTHER BUSINESS
Members are reminded that nominations for the committee and notice of motions must be with the Honorary Secretary by Sunday 7th February, 2010.
NB. 2010 MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL FORM ENCLOSED WITH REPORT.
HON. SECRETARY’S REPORT FOR 2009.
MR. PRESIDENT AND FELLOW MEMBERS
The year 2009 was another very successful and active year for our Association. Angling on our stretches of the Liffey was excellent and after a sleepy start Golden Falls Lake also provided decent sport. With two salmon inadvertently hooked and returned early on in our 2009 season, things might be looking up for our salmon run too, but 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 362 for the year 2009. The breakdown is as follows: 242 Adults, 73 Juniors, 42 O.A.P, 7 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, 2010. 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 2009 and to Phil Murphy, Janet Deegan and Staff (Village Store) and Eleanor Dowling 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 Poulaphouca 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 2009 and report some fine trout landed.
May I take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks and gratitude to our Riparian 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 offer 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. Again, I’d like to make an 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 2009 season. On Friday, 17th April, 1,000 brown trout were introduced and on Thursday 30th 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 all the members who helped with the restocking.
Salmon stocking also took place during the 2009 season. On Saturday, 11th April, 10,000 unfed salmon fry, Liffey Strain from Islandbridge 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.
ANGLING COMPETITIONS
Angling on our waters in 2009 was a great year and our competition results were excellent.
The winner of the Angler of the Year Award 2009, decided on a points system allocated for club angling competitions, was Trevor Winder.
The heaviest trout landed during a club competition weighed in at 1.42kg (3lbs 2 oz) and was caught by Mick Mooney who receives the Heaviest Trout of the Year Award 2009.
Barry Winder landed the heaviest trout in junior competitions at 9 oz and he receives the Junior Heaviest Trout of the Year Award 2009
SUMMARY OF RESULTS
Adult Junior
Competion Date Winner R-Up Winner R-Up
Jimmy Evans Cup 15/3/09 B. O’Brien T. Winder - -
J. & K, Murray Cup 05/4/09 B. O’Brien J. Winder - -
Punchestown Trophy 26/4/09 G. Doody B. O’Brien - -
Tony McKnight Trophy 10/5/09 T. Winder G. Doody - -
Committee Cup 22/5/09 T. Winder B. O’Brien B. Winder -
Mick Murphy Shield 05/6/09 F. Byrne B. Rigney S. Ellis -
Sonny Cowley Shield 19/6/09 P. Dunworth N. Brosnan - -
Eddie Gordon Trophy 07/8/09 M. Mooney T. Winder - -
Guinness Trophy 30/8/09 P. Dunworth M. Keogh - -
Anvil Bar Shield 27/9/09 M. Keogh M. Francis - -
Pike Competition 06/12/09 M. Francis S. Goulding - -
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 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.
OUR WATERS
Still finding my feet in this job, I realise that last years AGM Report resembled more the Encylopedia Brittanica than a simple statement on just what it means to fish our Association’s waters. With that in mind, and in the interest of forest preservation, here are a number of points in no particular order which I hope will help explain our occasional blank days, black knots, treed flies and tall tales in 2009.
• I will start on a positive note. In January 2009 our Association learned that the Eastern River Basin District is to spend €136,703,929 in its efforts to achieve on the Liffey “good ecological potential” by 2015.
• Then there was our algae bloom. Following a number of complaints about the polluted state of the Liffey at our angling competition on Sunday 5th April 2009, we contacted the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board. At a subsequent visit to the affected areas, representatives of the Board informed us that the algae was a result of nutrients in the water. They did not think that it was doing any harm to the spawning gravels or fly life and believed that it would disappear in about a month. Our Association was worried that these nutrients would be coming from certain discharges into Golden Falls lake. On the 12th May 2009 at the Public Consultation and Information Day about the Eastern River Basin District Management Plan, we were informed that all the problems associated with Golden Falls would be addressed as part of the Upper Liffey Catchment Pilot Study which will be carried out as part of the Management Plan by South Dublin County Council, Wicklow County Council and Kildare County Council. No more slime in your Hare’s Ear.
• No new sewage treatment plant for Ballymore. The more experienced committee members are well used to such disappointments but it is hard to take. I wont go into the plethora of correspondence which took place during the year between our club and numerous parties but will leave the platform to the Minister for the Environment, Mr. John Gormley T.D in May of 2009. “The Ballymore Eustace Wastewater Treatment Plant was included for funding in my Department, Water Services Investment Programme 2007 – 2009 under the Services Land Iniative. Last month, my Department, following a review of the Services Land Iniative in light of the developments in the economy at large, and in the housing market in particular in 2008, and having regard to the oversupply of housing in some areas, informed all Local Authorities that the initiative was being discontinued. All existing scheme improvals under the Initiative, for which contracts had not been signed or letters of intent had not issued, were withdrawn. However, Local Authorities werew also informed that where they are of the opinion that the continuation of a scheme is necessary for the proper development of an area, it is open to the relative authority to make a case to the Department by 29th May, 2009 for the scheme to progress. My Department will consider any case that Kildare County Council may make within the specified time limit in respect of this project”. Letters have continued to flow back and forth but we are still in the dark. I would like however, to offer sincere thanks to Mr. Jack Wall T.D. who has been of enormous help to our club in trying to wrestle with this problem.
• From one plant to another, this time sludge. The Association is still working hard seeking an imput with the relevant authorities into the monitoring arrangements for both quantum of water abstracted from the Liffey and the volume and quality of the treated filtrate and supernatent wastewater discharges to the Liffey.
• On a more positive note, the club is soon, we hope, to receive funding for our proposed habitat enhancement scheme. New 5-Star accommodation for brown trout. Looking at five connecting streams to the Liffey in total, we think we can increase the wild stock in the main channel of the river. Many thanks to Mr. Fergal Caffrey of the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board for his assistance in this matter.
Good health and tight lines for 2010.
Gary Bolger, Honarary Secretary.
www.kildare.ie/ballymoreanglers.
BALLYMORE EUSTACE TROUT AND SALMON ANGLERS' ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
IN PHIL MURPHY'S LOUNGE, BALLYMORE EUSTACE
WEDNESDAY 11TH FEBRUARY 2009
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, J. McGrath, F. Smith, T. Winder.
AGENDA
1. PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS 2. MINUTES OF A.G.M HELD ON 6TH FEB. 2008
3. MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES 4. HON. TREASURER’S REPORT FOR 2008 5. HON. SECRETARY’S REPORT FOR 2008 6. NOTICE OF MOTIONS
7. ELECTION OF HON. OFFICERS AND 8. OTHER BUSINESS
COMMITTEE
Members are reminded that nominations for the committee and notice of motions must be with the Hon. Secretary by Sunday 8th February, 2009.
NB. 2009 MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL FORM ENCLOSED WITH REPORT.
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 Golden Falls Lake however proving somewhat trickier. After a season’s water flow, the work undertaken in 2007 on the Ballymore stretches to facilitate salmon spawning, has settled in and assumed a more natural look. The salmon count for this year (only 400 through Leixlip) 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.
