This might be the last of the Giant Pike stories, as it offers a possible - just possible - solution to tales of 10 foot monsters seen lurking in dark waters but never landed. It comes from Jim Leonard, formerly of Meath, now living in Tramore. His letter, incidentally, is a marvel of penmanship, beautifully laid out and every single letter perfect. Anyway, there was plenty of water about in Meath: lake and river, but the Dee was a prime goal for its many large pools. "Rivers were considered dangerous (which of course they are) but young bloods did not see it that way. Our trips were secret, but we had been warned that the Dee was populated by giant pike which could break an arm or a leg with a single bite. A sharp look-out was kept, but was never rewarded by a sighting or punished by a biting."
Now he comes to the real news. Some years later he did see a big one, in the flesh, in Carrick-on-Shannon. It was in a pub belonging then (maybe half-a-century ago) to a notable citizen named Ging Duignan. Ging's father, who was a well-known fisherman landed a real whopper of a pike, which was put on show in the pub. It was strung up to the ceiling in the bar area. The ceiling was low there, probably about 8 ft 6 ins or so. In position the fish's nose was tight to the ceiling, while its tail was touching the floor. "Surprisingly, the weight was only 29 1/2 pounds. It was suggested that it must have suffered from some parasite, such as tapeworm, which kept it from putting on weight." And our friend adds: "And a creature of that length, viewed through the magnifying medium of water, could easily be regarded as 15 to 20 feet long." (Especially, he might have added, if you happened to be in the water with it, swimming or snorkelling or whatever.) He ends: "Of such sightings, I suppose, legendary monsters are born."
He saw the fish himself and admits that if the ceiling wasn't exactly eight foot and a half, it must have been nearly so. He is quite sure that nose and tail touched, respectively the ceiling and the floor. No, he doesn't think the bar owner had the fish preserved in any way. It would have been a great curiosity for the pub and the town if he had. Our friend supposes it was got rid of when it began to smell. It's a fine story. Was a photograph taken? Did the local newspaper carry a story about this monster? Anyway, here it is in print and Jim Leonard of Tivoli Terrace, Tramore, Co Waterford remembers it well. Y