Fullerton Dam to host Martin McGuinness fishing competition

Late Deputy First Minister Martin Mc Guinness was a keen angler with a particular affinity to fishing in Donegal, where the competition is due to be held on Sunday, September 23.

Gareth Stewart manager of Gasyard Féile stated: “Martin was renowned for his love of fly fishing, he regularly wrote about it and beautiful Donegal.

“This year Féile felt it was important to launch the inaugural Martin Mc Guinness Perpetual Fish Fishing Competition in honour of Martin.

“We choose The Eddie Fullerton Dam as Martin was first a conservationist in terms of Ireland’s wild trout and salmon rivers, he had a massive affinity and family ties in the Illies, and he also had a very close friendship to Eddie Fullerton.

“Martin actually penned a poem centring around all of these aspects of his life.”

The competition will be strictly fly fishing from a boat, with a maximum of three people per boat, there will be ten boats available for the competition and anglers are asked to register through the Féile email address.

Gareth Stewart continued: “The competition will be held on Sunday September 23 and we would ask anyone looking to participate in the Martin Mc Guinness Memorial Fly Fishing competition to register by emailing us at [email protected] or by ringing us on 028 71262812.

“There are limited places available, so it will be on a first come first served basis.

“Registration and instruction will begin at 11.00am and fishing will begin at 12 noon until 5.00pm.

“This will be all overseen by the Buncrana Anglers, whose competition terms and conditions we will be following, and we thank Buncrana Anglers for their assistance in the competition.”

Following the fishing the organisers will host presentations and a barbecue.

Martin McGuinness passed away in March 2017.

His poem, ‘Fullerton Dam’ was read out at his Month’s Mind Mass at St Columba’s Church Long Tower.

Sinn Fein Donegal Councillor Eddie Fullerton from Buncrana was killed by the UDA IN 1991.

Mr McGuinness’ poem reads:

‘Purple heathered hillsides clothe the peaty bogs leaching streams of water swimming pools for frogs.

‘Down along the glenside a rich brown vein does run to meet and greet another beneath the rising sun.

‘Here below twin bridges the Crana springs to life amid kamikaze midges where father found his wife.

‘At castle gates salmon waits out in the Swilly blue for destiny and a leaper’s spate to bring her home so true.

‘A creator with an earthy face decreed his plan would make this valley the perfect place to gather raindrops in a lake.”