THE annual report of the Howth Lifeboat Station for 2013 is interesting. It was a very quiet spring for both lifeboats, with just one call-out to the end of April, followed by an exceptionally busy summer, with 39 services to mid-September. The total for the year was 48, making it the third-busiest in the station’s history.
In May, coxswain Robert Duffy retired after 39 years, having joined in 1975. He was appointed 2nd coxswain in 1983 and coxswain in 1987. Robert gave sterling service to Howth Lifeboat and in 1994 received a "Thanks of the Institution on Vellum" for the rescue of the crew MFV Vision which ran aground on Lambay Island in heavy seas.
Fred Connolly is to replace Robert as coxswain.
There is positive news regarding the pontoon berth for the All-Weather lifeboat alongside the boathouse slip. Permission has been granted and planning permission is to be applied for shortly. Installation is expected to take place during 2015.
Inshore Lifeboat launching improvements will be carried out at the same time to allow for easier launching/retrieving at low water spring tides.
Volunteers were recipients of a number of awards during the year, notably operations manager Rupert Jeffares who received a “bar” to his gold badge at an awards ceremony in the Barbican in London.
It was a tremendous year for fundraising with €141,916 raised, making it the second highest amount since 2007. Led by Rose Michael, the team worked hard, with fundraising events such as the Christmas Reindeer Run and May Day collections.
Howth is in the top five fundraising branches in the whole of the RNLI.
Pike Festival
The Lough Ree International Pike Festival returns to Co Westmeath for the sixth year from the 15th to 17th of April 2015. The festival is unique in that prizes are awarded based on the length of fish over the three days and the winner will take home €1,000, sponsored by Athlone Municipal District Council.
Entry fee is €110 per angler for three days’ fishing. Of that, €100 goes into the prize fund while €10 goes for administration and insurance. Any excess in the administration fund will be donated to the Lough Ree RNLI. With the competition limited to 80 boats (about 160 anglers) this provides a prize fund of €17,000 to be won and includes 13 daily cash prizes.
The World Cup event again coincides with the festival and is awarded to the anglers with the longest pike over the three days. This is worked out by adding the longest fish each day in the boat to determine overall length. The winner will receive the silver World Cup along with €1,000.
As last year’s competition was oversubscribed, with nearly 20 boats disappointed, it is advisable to get your entry in early. For further details including entry form, rules and provisional prize list, check athloneanglersassociation.ie or activeirishangling.com
Something cooking
Further to recent suggestions on cooking fresh mackerel, Frank Hoey said when he fished in Cork Harbour many years ago, freshly caught mackerel were cooked in the boat by coating a pan with salt and placing the fillets skin down on the heated pan for about five minutes before turning the fillets for a similar time.
The natural oil of the fish provided the cooking medium. “You will never taste anything like it,” he said.
Dave Yates remembered
The first Erne Anglers’ Memorial Match took place on the Ballyconnell Canal and Woodford River during December. Sport was not good on the river sections but plenty of small fish were caught in the canal.
In first place and winner of the Dave Yates Memorial Shield was international feeder angler Tony Kersley on the Harbour peg 2. Second place went to Bob Hulme on the canal section and junior angler Stefan Patterson took third place on the Woodford River section in Ballyconnell. It was a particularly good week for Stefan who, days earlier, was selected to represent Ireland at U-18 level in 2015.
angling@irishtimes.com
