To maximise the value and potential contribution of Duhallow’s natural resources and features, IRD Duhallow under the LEADER programme promotes Angling Tourism projects. It supports projects that enhance the welfare and environmental quality of the fishing resources and contribute to the creation of a sustainable tourism angling industry. The Duhallow region is the birthplace of the Munster Blackwater and the Feale which are noted as two of Ireland's prime trout and salmon angling rivers. The 55KM stretch of the Blackwater flowing through Duhallow has the potential to be further developed for angling purposes. This river along with its tributaries enhances the environment greatly and offers enormous tourism potential.
IRD Duhallow under the LEADER programme works closely with local communities, angling clubs and the Fisheries Board to ensure high quality development works on the angling rivers and promote and develop angling leisure facilities on Duhallow’s rivers and lakes where a potential tourism competitive advantage for the area is to be found. As part of our strategic plan IRD Duhallow is committed to promote Duhallow as a centre of angling excellence based on river and lake angling. We are committed to supporting rivers and leisure development groups to undertake “clean ups” of rivers, promote the penetration upstream by fish and the provision of angling facilities, thereby achieving multiple benefits to nature and the local economy. A number of angling and leisure groups in Duhallow will avail of funding to restore river banks, deepen river pools, renovate and construct foot bridges and styles in conjunction with National Parks & Wildlife Service and the Fisheries Board.
The essential benefits of angling projects to the area are threefold, firstly the use of the natural environment in a way that is both sustainable and ecology sound by promoting activities such as river walks, fishing and nature observation. Secondly, it encourages co-operation, sharing skills and resources at community level and finally it attracts tourists into the area, bringing with them additional revenues and consequently employment that is increasingly so important to the sustainability of rural communities.
