Sam Merry from Leicester got his first Irish Festival placing at the Ballinamore Angling Festival this week. A five day festival fished entirely on Garadice Lake, Ballinamore, County Leitrim.

Sam and Graham travelled to Ireland with us specifically to fish the festival and stayed at Hamills B&B ideally located in the centre of town and a favourite amongst our match anglers

Great hospitality, a superb breakfast and they will even fill your flask for you each morning.

Drying facilities, bait storage, off road parking and free WIFI is available to complete your Irish angling holiday.

For details of Hamill's B&B and our range of accommodation in Ballinamore click here

The Munster Coarse Angling Council hold a three day St.Patrick's weekend festival each year at the Inniscarra Reservoir, Coachford, Co.Cork.  The first of many held on the reservoir throughout the summer season.

39 competed with anglers coming from across Ireland and the UK. Fishing was mainly for Roach on the feeder with weights improving throughout the weekend.

The sections of the reservoir fished were 'Garden Centre', 'Graveyard' and ''Concrete and not the new match stretch which is currently under construction ready for the World Feeder Fishing Championships in July.

Cathal Hughes from Galway produced 16kg on the final day to become the festival winner with 28.700kg. In second place was Will Freeman, Suffolk, England with 27.550kg and in third Julian Kendrick, Edenderry, Co. Offaly with 26.250kg.

Now available to download, your own copy of the Irish Festival Calendar compiled by Ireland Travel Plus.

Registration is now open for the 2014 Waterways Ireland Classic Fishing Festival which takes place in County Fermanagh from Monday 12 to Friday 16 May 2014.

The 39th Waterways Ireland Classic Fishing Festival, Ireland’s premier fishing festival, welcomes more than 240 anglers, including several previous World Champions, from Ireland, the United Kingdom, Germany and Austria every year.

This year the Festival prize fund is worth more than £20,000 with section, daily and aggregate prizes also on offer.

English angler and Classic regular, Pete Vasey, lifted the crystal trophy and the £5,000 winner’s cheque in 2013.

The ‘Waterways Ireland Classic Competition’ takes place on the Monday, Wednesdayand Friday with the ‘King of the Erne’ competition completing the Festival on Tuesdayand Thursday.

The 2014 Waterways Ireland Classic Fishing Festival is organised by Fermanagh District Council in association with the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure Inland Fisheries Group and sponsored by Waterways Ireland.

Helping to launch the 39th Waterways Ireland Classic Fishing Festival, Chairman of Fermanagh District Council, Councillor Alex Baird, said:

“The Classic is one of our longest established events in County Fermanagh and we are delighted to welcome both new and returning anglers to the 2014 Festival.”

Sponsoring the Waterways Ireland Classic Fishing Festival for a 12th year, Dawn Livingstone, Waterways Ireland Chief Executive, confirmed:

“The Classic has proven to be a major contributor to both the tourism economy around Lough Erne and the awareness of Fermanagh as an international standard wild fishing competition venue. Waterways Ireland is happy to support this event for the 12th year and to welcome more international anglers to Lough Erne to compete and enjoy the wonderful assets the area has to offer."