The Irish Ladies Fly Fishing Association recently hosted this years Ladies Home International Fly Fishing Championship on Lough Lein, Killarney, Co Kerry.

Each country England, Ireland, Scotland & Wales competed on a one day match on Thursday 18^th June with two official practice days prior to the event. 

The official team hotel was The Dromhall Hotel, Killarney.  The event started on Monday 15^{th June} at 6pm with a reception to welcome all the competing teams to Killarney. The welcome included traditional Irish music & a fantastic Irish dancing display from a local dancing school.  Fourteen ladies from each country competed- fifty six ladies in total requiring twenty-eight boats with boatmen.  The match was fished on a catch & release basis.  A draw was made for boat partners and two anglers from different countries fished together with a controller (boatman). The controller was responsible for carefully measuring the fish and returning them safely to the lake.  The team with the highest total length of fish caught & returned wins. 

This is the first time a Ladies International has been totally catch & release and has been welcomed not only by the ladies associations but also by local clubs here in Killarney. All fish caught were returned to the lake helping the conservation of the precious wild brown trout. It will also be the first time an International has been held in Munster.The championship commenced at 9am from Ross Castle and finished at 5pm.  The ladies traditionally march down to the boats led by a piper and this year they were led by Anthony O’|Sullivan from Millstreet who is also a member of Kanturk & District Trout Anglers & was 3^rd in the Junior all Ireland piping championships.

 The team who represented Ireland is as follows

Anne McWilliams    Kanturk, Co. Cork. Captain

Orla Walsh               Cloghans. Co Mayo. Vice Captain

Ann Kerrin                 Florencecourt Co Fermanagh

Betty Hayes              Co Kildare

Carmel Kelly            Cloghans Co Mayo

Dorrie Gibbons       Cong Co Mayo

Julie Gerry                Co Kildare

Mary Dunne              Cloghans Co Mayo

Mary Gunning           Ballyfarnon  Co Roscommon

Maire Mullis              Dungloe, Donegal

Margaret Rooney     Swords Dublin

Muriel Scorer            Clonee CoWest Meath

Sorch Weld               Swords, Co Dublin

Stella McGriskin     Kiltyclogher Co Leitrim

Edel Decies              Straffan CoKildare.   Reserve.

Margaret Doyle         Killarney Co Kerry Reserve.  

The team was superbly coached by the very experienced International angler Denis Cronin from Macroom. Denis is a member of Macroom & Kanturk trout angling Clubs. The two local clubs Lough Lein Anglers & Killarney Trout & Salmon Anglers in association with the National Park & Wildlife Service assisted with the organisation.   RESULTS1^ST           IRELAND  138 FISH 79880POINTS2^ND           SCOTLAND              112 FISH 65260POINTS3^RD           WALES    107 FISH 62860POINTS4^TH           ENGLAND                93FISH    54320POINTS The Irish Ladies Team achieved their first ever win in the 18 year involvement with this International event. A truly historic International for the ladies