Archive for December, 2014

Barrow Pike

Tuesday, December 16th, 2014

Winter fishing on the River Barrow invariably means targeting the quieter backwaters due to increased flow and subsequent higher water levels within the main river channel. Locks, canals and marinas are fair game and it was the former that David Murphy and his friend Robbie chose for an afternoon session targeting coarse fish, predominantly roach, perch and dace which had migrated into their swim, a fifty meter long narrow tail water below a lock which registered about ten foot deep. Ever the predator angler David also set up a pike rod to float ledger mackerel in a likely hole on the premise that concentrations of silver fish within a confined area tend to attract pike.

Predator angler David Murphy cradles a fine River Barrow pike.

David’s hunch paid off when a mid weight Barrow torpedo made off with what it thought was a free lunch only to find that it carried a sting in the tail. Startled into life the pike gave a good account of itself before sliding over the net. In great condition and beautifully coloured, his friend Robbie later banked another to cap what had been a fine session on a river that rewards those who put the time in and get to know its vagaries.

 

Anti Water Charges/Austerity Protest Dublin December 10th 2014

Wednesday, December 10th, 2014

Make no mistake the Irish people mean business, fed up with property taxes, water charges, job bridge schemes, internships, falling wages and salaries, children emigrating and most importantly being treated like imbeciles by a patronising administration who have turned a deaf ear on the people who elected them. Within seconds of walking through the doors of Leinster House this present FG/Labour government tore up the mandate that placed them in office and immediately became willing lap dogs of the IMF, billionaires, bankers and EU political high rollers, well after today their days are well and truly numbered.

Right2Water Protest Dublin 10122014

Don’t believe the muted analysis which you will hear on the mainstream media channels, having listened to George Hook on Newstalk and watched RTE’s six one news, let me say having stood on Merrion Square after walking very slowly down Nassau St, two sides of Merrion SQ were chock a block along with Nassau St, tens of thousands of people from all over Ireland, good natured but seething after the lies they have been proffered by this most hated of administrations. To hear Minister Alan Kelly say this evening that “water charges are here to stay” more or less says it all. Are they that thick that they will not listen to the people? No, because they have their Ministerial pensions ahead of them, the cynical shower of bastards. One thing is very clear they will not win this one.