National Inland Fisheries Forum

The National Inland Fisheries Forum has been established in compliance with Section 7(4)(A) of the Inland Fisheries Act 2010. The act provides of the establishment and management of a forum to facilitate stakeholder input into policy formation.

The role of the Forum is to provide advice on general policy issues relevant to the inland fisheries service both from sectoral and geographic perspectives.  The Forum, which will meet at least twice annually, is made up of 60 members drawn from various stakeholder groups throughout Ireland. The selection process was conducted by the Public Appointments Service.  Membership of the Forum is voluntary and attracts no fees or expenses.

Membership of the National Inland Fisheries Forum

Biographies of NIFF Members

Adley, Dr Catherine

Dr Catherine Adley is Head of Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences, University of Limerick. She is a graduate of NUI Galway and has worked in academia in the UK at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of Surrey and in the USA in Boston University and Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory also in France at the Institute Pasteur. Her interests are in biodiversity presentation and food safety. She served on the Scientific Committee of the Food Safety Authority for six years sand is presently on the Board of Management of the RDS.

Bass, Dr Neil

Dr Neil Bass has an academic background in the natural sciences. He achieved this PhD in estuarine biology at the University of London in 1970. Neil’s career has centred on aquaculture. He now has over 40 years’ experience in the field, from pioneering the cultivation of exotic species, primarily salmonids, in both land-based and net pen systems.
Neil has lived and worked in Ireland since 1978, initially in salmonid farming and, since 1994, as a freshwater and marine biologist and environmental consultant, mainly serving the aquaculture industry and the state sector, at home and abroad. Services commissioned have included river, lake and marine environmental assessments, environmental impact statements, licence applications, hydrography and carrying capacity studies, feasibility studies, business plans and expert witness work. Neil has served as a member of the Minister’s Sea Trout Working Group from 1992.

Biggins, Mr. Michael

Profile to follow.

Buckley, Mr. John

John Buckley is a native of Killarney in Co Kerry. He is a director of Emerger Tackle a wholesale company specialising in the design, manufacture and distribution of fishing tackle. John is a keen competition angler and has represented Ireland in both world and European Fly Fishing Championships 6 times as a competitor and team captain and was All Ireland River Champion in 2007.
John has campaigned with various federations for the protection of angler’s rights for a number of years. He is a former member of the National Salmon Commission. John is a founding member and currently vice chairman of the Kerry Angling Federation. He is currently national chairman of the Trout Anglers Federation of Ireland (TAFI) and former chairman of the Munster Trout Angling Council. He is a former chairman and currently a committee member of Lough Lein Anglers Association in Killarney.

Butler, Mr. Paul

Paul Butler lives in Raheny and is currently employed as Sales Manager for a Steel Stockholding Firm in Galway. He has been an avid angler since the age of 15 and has fished all over Ireland and travelled on numerous occasions to Norway to pursue his passion for angling. He is currently a member of Boat Angling Ireland and is involved in the Tope Tagging Programme with Inland Fisheries Ireland. He owns a 20ft Sea Fox Boat which is moored in Howth.

Byrne, Frankie

Profile to follow.

Byrne, Mr. Paddy

Paddy Byrne is a retired teacher living in Tralee. He has enjoyed a lifelong involvement in angling and angling organisation/management and has written extensively on these subjects. He was Hon. Secretary of North Kildare Trout and Salmon Anglers Association for thirty years. He enjoyed unbroken membership of the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board for eighteen years and served as its chairman for eleven of those years. He was a member of the Central Fisheries Board intermittently for eleven years and continuously for another ten years. He was a member of the Irish Specimen Committee for twenty seven years. He was Secretary/Registrar of the Eastern Fisheries Development Society for eighteen years. He served on the Salmon Management Task Force for its duration and on the National Salmon Commission for its duration.
He is currently Hon. Secretary of Recreational Angling Ireland and is fully occupied in the work of introducing young people to the sport of angling at events throughout Ireland. His publications through the aegis of RAI include “RAI Handbook of Angling Club Organisation” and “RAI Guidelines on Angling Event Management”

Cahill, Mr. Colin

Colin was born and lives in Mullingar working as an electrician. He has been fishing for over 20 years. He has represented Ireland in international competitions at junior and senior levels and is currently the team coach of the Irish Youth Flyfishing Team. He is involved in Loughs Owel, Lene, Ennell, Derravarragh, Sheelin and Bane Angling Clubs and is actively involved in improving angling in these clubs through stream enhancement and encouraging the practice of Catch and Release of wild fish.

Callaghan, Mr. Michael

Michael Callaghan is a retired secondary school principal living in Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan. He was a member and chairman of the former Shannon Regional Fisheries Board. He is a former member and was the first chairman of the Upper Shannon Fishery Development Society. Currently, he is a committee member and former Secretary of the Lough Sheelin Trout Protection Association and is also Secretary of the Irish Trout Fly Fishing Association (ITFFA). Michael is also the Treasurer of the National Anglers Representative Association (N.A.R.A). He has recently been appointed to the new Pike Review Committee.

Carr, Mr. Noel

Noel Carr’s professional background is in community based craft industry having worked as Export Marketing Manager with Donegal Woollen Products since 1981. He emigrated to Belgium in 1985, where he developed the textile markets for a selection of Irish craft producers in conjunction with Irish Export Board or Coras Trachtala. On his return to Ireland in 1989 he got involved in community development fishery programmes with success establishing angling projects that still thrive to date.

He is Honorary Secretary and a former Chairman of FISSTA (Federation of Irish Salmon and Seatrout Anglers) the premier salmon angling body which was awarded the prestigious Order of the Salmon by the Icelandic President in 2008 for their work in conservation. FISSTA are one of the founding members of the North Atlantic Salmon Fund – a body that leads the way in conservation of the salmon. His marine and fisheries experience includes 5 years’ service as a Director of Arramara Teo (semi-state company - seaweed processing) and has also served on the National Salmon Commission for four years to 2007.

Cleere, Mr. Patrick

Patrick Cleere has over 37 years’ experience in the recreational angling business. His career began in Garnett & Keegan’s in Dublin, which was at that time Ireland’s leading retail tackle shop. He worked there for 13 years and during this time gained experience in the angling trade and valuable knowledge working alongside J.R. Harris famous author of “An Angler’s Entomology”.
Patrick established his own retail tackle shop in 1987 and has run it successfully initially in Dublin and is now located in Clane, Co. Kildare. He is also a qualified Hardy Fly Casting Instructor both in double handed and single handed casting. Patrick has not only fished for salmon and trout in Ireland, he has fished in many countries including Norway, Iceland and many of Scotland’s top rivers. He has also organised fishing trips for groups for salmon fishing to these countries. Patrick has also had the opportunity to fish in various destinations in the Caribbean over the past 10 years.

Comber, Mr. Philip

Philip lives in Clonbur, County Galway, and is a self-employed landscape gardener. He graduated from NUI Galway in 1992 with a BSc. in Environmental Science. He is a keen angler and has been actively involved with a number of angling clubs where his main interest is the protection and enhancement of salmonid spawning and nursery habitat.
Philip is currently chairman of the Lough Corrib Angling Federation and was very proactive in setting up Cairde Loch Coiribe, the development fund for the Corrib system. He lived in Ruan, County Clare for a number of years where he was instrumental in the securing of numerous grants for the promotion, protection and enhancement of the River Fergus system with the Ennis Anglers. For their work on the River Fergus the club won the top Conservation Award for an Amateur Group from the UK based Wild Trout Trust in 2006. He was also a representative on the Ennis Town Council Special Policy Committee on the environment.

Cotter, Mr. William

Willie Cotter grew up in Cork City close to the Lough where he started his lifelong passion for angling. Following an accountancy apprenticeship he emigrated to London in 1966 where he worked with multinational companies until his return to Ireland (Dublin) in 1962 to join The Investment Bank of Ireland (IBI) in their Corporate Finance Department. In 1977/1978 he attended Stanford Business School where he obtained a Masters in Management Science degree. In 1984 he transferred to the Investment Management Department of IBI and ran the Investment Services Division of Bank of Ireland Group for 17 years until he retired in 2003.
Since retirement he has joined the boards of various companies and not for profit organisations, including a period as a member of The National Salmon Commission. He fishes for trout & salmon in Ireland's rivers and lakes. He has also fished in many of the notable overseas fishing locations over the past 20 years.

Crudden, Mr. John

John Crudden was educated at St. Patrick’s College, Cavan and then Dublin Institute of Technology, Bolton Street. He worked for the Irish Naval Service from 1970 to 1978 and then moved to Ordinance Survey Ireland where he continues to work, with a view to retiring in 2012.
John has been a member of the Executive Committee of the Irish Federation of Pike Angling Clubs since 1992, having held positions of Secretary for 8 years and Environment Officer for 5 years. He was Treasurer of the Eastern Fisheries Development Society from 1999 to 2010 and has been a delegate to the Angling Council of Ireland since 2004 and has held the position of Treasurer since 2009. John is a delegate to the European Anglers Alliance (EAA) since 2002, and is a member of the Board of EAA since 2004 with responsibility for all Maritime matters. He is due to take up the position of Manager of the EAA office in Brussels on a part time basis from January 2012.

Dardis, Mr. John

John Dardis has lived all his life on the banks of the Liffey in County Kildare, where he farmed. He holds a degree in Agriculture from University College Dublin and was Arable Editor of the Irish Farmers’ Journal for 21 years before becoming a Senator in 1989. He is former Agricultural Journalist of the Year. John was a member of Kildare County Council from 1991 to 2003 and served for ten years as Deputy Leader of Seanad Eireann where he was actively invoiced in the campaign to ban drift netting for salmon. He is currently chairman of Safefood a North-South body, but is otherwise retired.
He has fished since childhood for trout and salmon throughout Ireland and overseas. John is a trustee and former chairman of North Kildare Anglers and a member of Oughterard Anglers and Glenisland Co-op (Lough Beltra). He keeps a boat on Lough Corrib.

Dowling, Mr. Jerome

Jerome Dowling is a native of Castlegregory, County Kerry and has worked in the Engineering Department of the Institute of Technology Tralee for the last thirty years. He has an interest in all country sports, but is actively involved in hunting and fishing. He focussed on trialling spaniels for a number of years making up two Field Trial Champions but new his time is divided between hunting and fly fishing in Kerry and the key issues that affect both disciplines.
Jerome is a former chairman of the Laune Salmon and Trout Anglers Association, and is a founding member and former chairman of the Kerry Angling Association. He is a former Honorary Secretary of the Federation of Irish Salmon and Sea Trout Anglers and is currently chairman of the Lough Gill Trout Anglers Association. He is a former member of the National Salmon Commission and is a current member of the Kerry Regional Game Council.

Doyle, Mr. James

James Doyle lives in Beaufort, Killarney, County Kerry, and has served the farming community within the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) both locally and at a national level. He was a founding member of Kerry Co-op and has served on various committees within the Co-op. He represented the IFA on the former South Western Regional Fisheries Board and also served as chairman of the Audit Committee on that board. James also chaired the Catchment Committee of the Rivers Laune and Flesk. He is now a retired fisheries owner and has a keen interest in the development and potential of Ireland’ fishing resource.

Foley, Mr. Patrick

Pat Foley is a retired member of An Garda Siochana and lives in Ballinode, County Monaghan. He is a Life Member of the Inland Fisheries Trust and is currently President of Monaghan Anglers Association and vice chairman of Lough Sheelin Trout Protection Association. Patrick was a former member and chairman of the former Northern Regional Fisheries Board. He is currently an executive member of the Bangor Erris Angling Club and the Emy & District Anglers Association. He is also a member of the Cavan, Belturbet and Butlersbridge Angling Clubs.

Greene, Mr. Niall

Niall Greene is chair of the board of Salmon Watch Ireland. He is a member of the Shannon, Mulkear and District Anglers Association and of the Tralee and District Anglers Association and is a former member of the executive of the Federation of Irish Salmon and Sea Trout Anglers. He was instrumental in bringing together the three national game anglers federations to form Stop Salmon Drifts Nets Now in 2004 and chaired the board during the successful 2004/7 campaign. He has been a regular member, representing Salmon Watch Ireland, of the NGO observer group at North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation conferences. His main current salmon conservation focus is on the introduction of an effective regime for the licencing, siting and management of salmon farms.

Guilfoyle, Mr. Fergal

Fergal Guilfoyle is a qualified marine biologist, having completed a Bachelors of Science degree in Zoology from Trinity College and then a Master’s degree in Fisheries and Marine Science from Aberdeen University. He has worked for Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) and the Marine Institute in a variety of research and development roles. Most recently he was working as an Aquaculture Development Office for BIM, based in Mayo. He is currently running an oyster farm producing oysters for the French market. He is an environmental consultant mainly working with marine and transitional waters, appropriate assessments, EIAs and license applications. He is also starting an internet trading business, based in the Innovation Centre in GMIT, Castlebar, Co Mayo.

Hallinan, Mr. Edward

Edward Hallinan is originally from Middleton in County Cork and was educated in England where he worked before returning to Ireland in 1962 to work as Director of Ranks Ireland Limited. He also worked as a director for IFG Limited from 1989 to 2006.
Edward is vice chairman and co-founder of the Blackwater River Trust representing over 60 riparian salmon fishing owner on the Blackwater River. He is a syndicate member of the Ballyhooly and Kilmurray beats on the Blackwater River. He has fished for salmon also on the River Slaney, Rivers Tweed and Spey in Scotland and in Alaska. He is currently on the Quotas and Catch Committee for the South Eastern River Basin District of IFI.

Hayden, Mr. Ashley

An all-round angler of some forty years standing, Ashley Hayden has developed and maintains the popular marine conservation and angling information website, www.anirishanglersworld.com. Having worked in tourism angling promotion with the former Eastern Regional Fisheries Board, Ashley continues to promote Irish rod and line fishing through various media to include his website, a weekly angling column published by the People Newspaper Group, and monthly articles in the Irish Anglers Digest.

Hayes, Ms. Betty

Betty Hayes grew up close to the River Liffey in County Kildare and inherited her enthusiasm for all aspects of angling from her parents who were lifelong angling partners. She feels fortunate to be able to travel widely to fish and uses every opportunity to promote Ireland as an angling destination. She has represented Ireland at International fly fishing twelve times winning a gold medal in 2009. She has demonstrated fly tying in Holland, Denmark, Britain and Ireland and has been published in both Irish and British angling magazines. She is a Director of the Slaney Foundation, a member of clubs in Kildare, Dublin, Mayo and Andalucía, a committee member of Lough Owel Trout Preservation Association and was a Board Member of the former Eastern Regional Fisheries Board from 1999 until its dissolution in 2010. She enjoys introducing children to angling (believing that in them lies the future) and has particular admiration for those who give time to protect and enhance our priceless waters at club level and who promote and practice Catch-and-Release.

Kelly, Mr. Seamus

Seamus Kelly hails from the shores of Lough Conn in County Mayo. Having qualified from NUI Galway with a Bachelors of Commerce degree and a Masters of Business Studies, Seamus took up a teaching role with Mayo VEC and now works in St. Tiernan's College, Crossmolina. Along with his brother Patrick, he took over the running of the family business, 'The Kelly Kettle Company' in 2004 and has seen the business expand to cater for markets throughout Europe, U.S.A., Asia and Australia.
Seamus is a keen fly fishing angler and has represented his club, province and country to International level. He is currently the Secretary of the Ballina and Cloghans Angling club and is on the committee of the I.T.F.F.A.'s Connaught branch. Having worked as a ghillie on Lough Conn for many years, he has a very strong interest in promoting angling as a tourist attraction and believes that there is enormous potential in this area. Conservation and water quality are high on his priority list and Seamus would like to see further improvements in this area.

Kennedy, Mr. Charles

Charles Kennedy was born in Dungloe, County Donegal and works in the construction industry. He has a keen passion for angling, particularly game angling from which his interest in the environment has evolved. He has represented anglers at local and national level. He is currently Secretary of the Ulster Angling Council and is an executive member and trustee of the Trout Anglers Federation of Ireland. He is also a delegate of on the Angling Council of Ireland.

Lundy, Mr. Jerry

Jerry Lundy was born and reared on a small family farm in south County Sligo close to the River Moy and its tributaries. He graduated from the Institute of Technology Sligo with a Certificate in Tourism Management and Marketing in 2003. He is a member of the local angling club with experience and knowledge of both agriculture and angling. He was nominated through the Border, Midland and Western Regional Assembly to serve on the former Northern Regional Fisheries Board under the category of Regional and Local Development from 2006 until its dissolution in 2010.

Lynn, Ms. Carmel

Profile to follow.

Mannion, Ms. Julie

Julie Mannion graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Safety and Health from the Institute of Technology in Sligo and currently lives in County Roscommon working as a Health and Safety Officer. During her studies she gained valuable knowledge and experience in such areas as microbiology, environmental water quality, management of hazardous materials and substances, and also in environmental management and hopes to apply this knowledge in the areas of conservation, protection, management and development of the fisheries resource as a member of the Forum.
She has been a keen recreational angler from a young age thanks to her father, fishing many of the lakes and rivers in the West of Ireland, particularly in her local lake, Lough O’Flynn, in County Roscommon.

McKeon, Mr. Stanley

Stanley McKeon is a native of Mullingar, County Westmeath, he is currently employed as a Senior Executive Technician with Offaly County Council, working in the Housing Department, principally on Contract Administration. Stanley is currently the National Chairman of the Irish Trout Fly Fishing Association (ITFFA), Honorary Secretary of Lough Owel Trout Preservation Association and an Executive Committee member of Leinster ITFFA. Stanley developed his love for angling many years ago from his late father through many days and evenings fishing on the local lakes, Loughs Owel and Ennell. Angling is now Stanley’s principal pastime, although he enjoys a round of golf at the local golf club. Fly tying classes for adults and youths, and the publishing of an Annual Report for the Lough Owel Association take up most of the winter evenings.

McManmon, Mr. Sean

Sean McManmon, known in the angling world as “Sean Mac” is an internationally known angling consultant with more than forty years’ experience in estate management and development of rivers and lakes. He has travelled extensively and encouraged many figures from the world of sport, politics and show business to visit Ireland to fish and he has also been a passionate advocate for the sport at home and has introduced many people from all walks in life to fishing.
Currently he is working to get more young people involved. For five years he coached the Irish Ladies Fly Fishing Team and captained both the men’s Irish and Leinster teams. He has represented Ireland many times. Sean Mac is a native of Kildare with a large extended family of trout and salmon anglers.

McDonnell, Mr. Donagh

Donagh McDonnell is a veterinary practitioner, practicing in a five vet mixed practice in Longford, specialising in equine work but also covering farm animals and pets. He has been working there for the last 15 years having previously worked in Australia, New Zealand and other parts of Ireland.
He is a keen fly fisherman, particularly interested in fishing for trout, salmon, bass and occasionally coarse fishing. In the past he has had fished in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Belize and around Europe. He is very interested in wild fish stock conservation and also encouraging people both young and old, home-grown and tourist to take up fishing, and make the most of our fantastic national amenity through fishing in a sustainable manner.

McDonnell, Mr. Kevin

Kevin McDonnell is originally from Ennis, County Clare. Having studied Civil Engineering at NUI Galway he travelled extensively during the period 1987 to 1994, working in England, Australia and Norway. Kevin returned to Ireland in 1994, eventually owning and managing a piling / foundation company based in Cork. In 2008, he sold the business to a large European foundation contractor and having exited the contracting business now runs a small Engineering Consultancy business.
Having grown up on the banks of the River Fergus, he is passionate about angling and often describes angling as his “healthy addition". He is a shareholder in the Cork Salmon Anglers Association, a member of a salmon fly fishing syndicate on the Munster Blackwater and a member of Kinsale Yacht Club where his sea fishing boat is moored. He has completed advanced boat handling courses, navigation courses and holds a valid VHF licence. He occasionally contributes articles to the Irish Anglers Digest magazine.

McLaughlin, Mr. John

John McLaughlin a native of Malin, County Donegal. He qualified as a motor mechanic and worked in both Ireland and England, returning to starting his own business Inishowen Motors in Malin. In 1990 he formed Inishowen Boating Company Ltd. chartering sea angling boats and also operating two self-catering houses. He has served on the Donegal Tourism Committee for two years and is a founder member of Inishowen Tourism, having served as chairman for ten years, remaining a member of the committee today.
John was a member of the Board the former Northern Regional Fisheries board from 1991 to 2010 and served as chairman for ten of those years. He was a member of the Sub-committee which is developing an angling plan for County Donegal. He was also a member of the Board of the former Central Fisheries Board and took part in a Sub-committee working on the restructuring of the former Fisheries Boards in becoming Inland Fisheries Ireland. He is currently a member of the NWCSA, ICSA, Donegal Community Forum, the County Enterprise Board, the County Development Plan and the Inishowen Development Partnership.

Moore, Mr. Eamonn

Eamonn Moore is a former lecturer in Materials Science at the Carlow Institute of Technology and retired since 2004. Under his Chairmanship of the Barrow Catchment Steering Group, successes with issues of stakeholder responsibility on the River Barrow have led to significant improvements in water quality. During his period as Chairman of the Trout Anglers Federation of Ireland (TAFI) he introduced the Rivers and Lakes Committee charged with the continuous monitoring and reporting on the condition of these waters. He currently leads the Angling Council of Ireland delegation on issues relating to the Fisheries Resource. Presently he is the TAFI nominee to the IFI Trout Review Group and serves on the following bodies:
National Chairman of the Angling Council of Ireland, Vice-Chair of TAFI, the Trout Anglers Federation of Ireland, Chairman of the River Barrow Catchment Steering Group, Board Member, Vice-Chair and Company Secretary of SWAN the Sustainable Water Network, member of the Environmental and Water Services SPC, Carlow County Council, Member of County Carlow Development Board. Council Member of An Taisce, the National Trust for Ireland, Chairman of the Board of the Carlow, Kilkenny and South Tipperary Rural Transport Programme trading as ‘Ring a Link’ Rural Transport Company Limited.

Mulhall, Mr. Albert

Profile to follow.

Mulholland, Ms. Mary

Profile to follow.

John Munnelly

John Munnelly is a native Of Geesala, Ballina Co Mayo. He works as a general merchant, publican, fish dealer, farmer and horse breeder. He was a Board member of the former North Western Regional Fisheries Board for over 28 years. He is a current holder of a Draft net fishing licence In the Rivers Owenmore /Owenduff estuary In the Bangor District. He has represented commercial fishermen as a Board member of the former NRWBO for over 20 years. John has an in-depth understanding of fisheries both from the points of view as a fisherman and a fish dealer. He is very interested in the promotion and improvement of stocks conservation.

O’Connor, Ms. Maura

Profile to follow.

O’Donoghue, Mr. Mark

Mark O’Donoghue is a keen angler and Secretary of Royal Enfield Angling Club since an early age. During his angling career he has represented Ireland at junior international level on a number of occasions before moving into the Executive Committee of the NCFFI from 1995 to 2004 and re-joining again 2009 until 2010. High points during his tenure were the hosting of the 1999 European Championships. More recently since stepping down from the NCFFI, he has been instrumental in the creation of the Irish Angling Development Alliance, a new organisation which has garnered tremendous support from clubs and individuals. The IADA are an alliance of anglers, formed to address the many issues confronting the sport of angling in Ireland today. Mark is recognised as a leader within and has an excellent understanding of the angling world. From his professional career, he also brings in the necessary business acumen and negotiation and influencing skills.

O’Feannachta, Mr. Sean

Seán O’Feannachta is a Business Manager and a native of An Cheathrú Rua, in the Connemara Gaeltacht. He holds an Engineering Degree with additional postgraduate achievements, including an MBA from NUI Galway.
He has over 18 year’s industry experience in a variety of senior management roles. He specialises in strategic planning, business development, portfolio and operations management. Seán is a member of the MBA Association of Ireland and the Project Management Institute (PMI). He has served on several local and national committees. In 2011, Seán was appointed as a Non-Executive Director with the ICPSA, the governing body for the sport of clay pigeon shooting in Ireland. Seán has a keen interest in the protection and conservation of Ireland's wildlife. He is also an avid angler in both sea and freshwater, coupled with an enthusiasm for water sports.

O’Maolain, Mr. Peadar

Peadar O’Maolain is a practicing barrister, with particular interest in Environmental, Marine, Planning and Land Law. He was called to the Bar in 2005. He has been involved in a private and professional capacity in initiatives to enhance and protect fisheries and marine resources. These involved submissions to regional and national bodies, litigating environmental and biodiversity issues, and restocking fisheries and habitat enhancement. He participated in the planning process as an advocate for various groups and angling associations.
He has several decades of experience of river, lake, and sea angling in Ireland. He holds membership of numerous angling associations for salmon, trout, and sea angling. He has been involved in organising angling competitions, water protection groups and angling events for many years. Peadar served in the Defence Forces and worked in the Middle East, Former Yugoslavia and Albania. He was involved in diverse management roles, including organisational change management following strategic review.

O’Riordan, Mr. D.J.

D.J. O’Riordan has worked in a variety of sectors ranging from tourism, then transport with the former CIE to the construction industry until 1967. At that time he became Production Controller with the hosiery company Pretty Polly, which at its peak employed almost 1000 staff. From there he worked as Purchasing Manager with the International Hotel in Killarney, where he continues to work today. D.J. is a former member of the Munster Interprovincial Fly Fishing and the Irish International Fly Fishing teams. He is currently Honorary Treasurer of the Killarney Salmon and Trout Angling Club and holds the same position with the Federation of Irish Salmon and Sea trout Anglers (FISSTA). He is a member of the South Western Salmon Angling Council. He was a member of the former South Western Regional Fisheries Board, and also the District Fisheries Committee.

O’Sullivan, Mr. Kevin

Profile to follow.

O’Sullivan, Mr. Killian

Killian O'Sullivan is President of Midleton & Area Chamber. He served as Chairman of Cork Regional Chambers 2010-2011 and he is a business pillar representative on the Tourism SPC of Cork County Council 2009-2014. Killian is also a director of Midleton Credit Union, Midleton Area Services Group and of South & East Cork Tourism.
Killian is Marketing Services Manager with William Grant & Sons. He previously worked for C&C, Accreate Executive Search and founded The Merchandise Factory of which he remains a non-executive director. He holds a B. Comm. (Hons) from University College Cork, the Advanced Certificate in Credit Union Practice (University of Ulster) and is a Member of the Marketing Institute of Ireland.

O’Toole, Mr. Karl

Karl O’Toole was born in Tallaght, and has lived there all his life. His first experience of fishing was on the banks of the River Dodder when he was four years old and he has not stopped fishing since then. He prefers fishing for trout in the lakes located in the Midlands and the West of Ireland. He is Secretary of the Kilbride Anglers. He works in the well-known Southside Angling shop in Dublin’s city centre where he shares his passion and vast knowledge of angling in Ireland with both new and seasoned anglers alike.

Quinlan, Mr. John

John Quinlan was born in Cahir, Co. Tipperary, the son of a small dairy farmer. His interest in angling began at the tender age of 5 fishing for trout in a little stream that ran near their farm. As he grew he fished the River Suir until he emigrated to England in the mid 1980’s. He returned to Ireland in 1995 and settled in Waterville, Co. Kerry where his partner Lynn and he set up a fishing lodge catering almost exclusively for bass anglers. He is the chairman of a lobby group called “Irish Bass” which was set up to protect and promote bass angling in Ireland. He works with Failte Ireland in seeking to optimise the benefit from derived from bass stocks for the people of Ireland.

Quinn, Mr. Geoff

As a member of the Professional Anglers Association Geoff Quinn is a qualified Level 2 Angling Coach and currently holds the position of National Youth Development Officer with the Irish Angling Development Alliance. His association with the young extends from activities with youth clubs, he serves as Leader in charge of his local youth club. Geoff has been a keen coarse angler for 20 years, being the founder of the South Armagh and District league Coarse Angling Club in addition to being a member of Lough Muckno Coarse Anglers. He is currently involved in the delivery of the first ever Coarse Angling Course to 8 schools in his locality, having completed the necessary training with the Board of Education. He is responsible along with other members of the IADA executive for the introduction of several initiatives particularly in the area of biosecurity and the awareness campaign surrounding invasive species.

Reilly, Mr. Robert

Robert Reilly has lived in Loughrea, County Galway all his life, spending most of those years deeply involved in angling, primarily game angling, a sport about which he feels passionately. Robert has fished for competitively for Ireland 11 times and is currently studying to become and APGAI Ireland game angling instructor. His local lake is Loughrea Lake, approximately 700 acres, stocked with a generous population of wild brown trout, pike and perch. He has over the years been involved in the trapping of trout during spawning season to rearing the ova to unfed fry. He has also played a role in the upkeep of feeder streams to and other streams flowing from the lake. This is an area which he deems to be one of the key areas focus areas in inland fisheries.

Ross, Mr. Eamon

Eamon Ross, originally from Tubbercurry, County Sligo is now living in County Cavan. He is interested in all types of fishing but particularly game angling. He has been a member of the Irish Fly Fishing Team 7 times and has also won the national championship. He is the Secretary of the National Anglers Representative Association, Treasurer of the Ulster Irish Trout Fly Fishing Association and also Secretary of the Lough Sheelin Trout Protection Association.

Ruane, Mr. Judd

Judd Ruane is a native of Ballina, County Mayo and former proprietor of the award winning Captain’s Table Restaurant and the Riverboat Inn, Ballina. He became a member of the Ballina Salmon Anglers Association upon its inception in the 1950’s. He worked on the initial development of salt water fly fishing for sea trout from the early 1990’s. He is actively involved in promoting angling tourism in the Moy Valley region since the 1970’s and featured in numerous angling publications in the UK, USA, Germany, France and Ireland. He has worked with Matt Hayes, Paul Young and Andy Nicholson for SKY, Channel 4, the BBC, UTV and RTE.
Over the years Judd has provided sea trout samples and detailed information to both the Fisheries Research Centre and the former Central Fisheries Board.

Ryan, Mr. Thomas

Thomas Ryan is the Environment & Infrastructure Executive with the Irish Farmers’ Association and has policy responsibility for Natural Resources and Climate Change. He is a graduate of University College Dublin, Dublin Institute of Technology and the Irish Management Institute. Thomas represents IFA on environmental and infrastructure issues in Ireland, Brussels and internationally. He previously worked with Kerry Group PLC and is currently a Director of the plastic recycling organisation IFFPG, the Agricultural Science Association and Farm Plastic Recycling Ltd.

Sullivan, Mr. Tom

Tom Sullivan grew up in Cornamona on the shores of Lough Corrib. He is a qualified casting and fly-dressing Instructor (STANIC) and was a guide for trout fishing on the Western Lakes for 16 years and continues to run a boat hire operation on Lough Corrib. He is also a keen competitive angler and has represented Ireland on 8 occasions in International Fly-Fishing competitions. He has been involved with his angling club as an officer for 20 years and was actively involved with youth tuition on both a club and national level in fishing and fly-dressing. He is currently employed by a fishing tackle firm and is manager of their Irish operations in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Tehan, Mr. Denis

Denis Teehan has been a fulltime fisherman for the past 30 years, involved in commercial fishing, salmon, oysters and mussels. He is the Chairman of the Mid-Kerry Draftnet Fishermens Association. He was a member of the former South Western Regional Fisheries Board for over 20 years. He is currently a member of the ISA and Irish Farmers Association.

Waldron, Dr Thomas

Thomas (Billy) Waldron is the current Chairman / Secretary of the Leinster Province of the Irish Trout Fly Fishing Association. He is also Chairman of Lough Ennell Trout Preservation Association and is a member of the Lough Owel Trout Preservation Association Committee. He is a former President and Chairman of the Irish Trout Fly Fishing Association and a former President of the International Fly Fishing Association

Walsh, Mr. Nigel

Nigel Walsh is a Director of TC Walsh Partners Limited, an investment firm based in Dublin. He has also practiced as a property, environmental and planning solicitor up to 2007 and is a professional member of the Urban Land Institute and the Congress for the New Urbanism in the United States.
Nigel has fished the River Slaney since childhood and now manages the family’s fishery on the river near Clonegal in Carlow. He is a member of the Slaney River Trust and the Nore Suir River Trust. He has a particular interest in conservation and has assisted a number of land conservancy related charities.

Walsh, Mr. Peter

Peter Walsh lives in Dublin and has coarse fished from an early age, representing Ireland internationally at junior and senior level on four occasions. In 1998 he qualified with a BSc in Aquaculture and Fisheries Management from Sparsholt College in Winchester. During his degree he worked as a summer temporary employee in the former Central Fisheries Board. He worked on the TAM projects on the Rivers Barrow, Shannon and Erne and also on the Royal and Grand Canals.
Currently, he is Secretary of the Irish Angling Development Alliance (IADA). The alliance has thirty member clubs nationwide.

Walsh, Mr. Peter

Peter Walsh is a Snap Net Fisherman for over 50 years on the River Suir in South Kilkenny and was one of the founding members of the Barrow, Nore and Suir Snap Net Fishermen’s Alliance and has served as Chairperson of the Alliance since its foundation in 1996 to the present. He was elected to represent the Barrow, Nore, Suir and Blackwater Snap Net Fishermen on the former Southern Regional Fisheries Board for over 18 years (1992 -2010), was elected to represent Snap Net Fishing on the First National Salmon Commission (2003 - 2008) and is a current member of the Waterford Fishery District Committee (Inland Fisheries Ireland) and the River Barrow Catchment Management Committee. Peter has over 50 years fishing experience of Snap Net Fishing and Eel Fishing and contributed to the publication ‘Men, Tides and Salmon’ in 1998 which documents the Snap Net Fishing methods and traditions.

Ward, Ms. Kathleen

Bio to follow.