Call for floating angling stands project in Athlone

Photo: Cllr Frankie Keena pictured during a function last year when he was Mayor.

Floating angling stands similar to those in place in Carrick on Shannon should be explored for Athlone, according to a local councillor.

Fianna Fáil's Frankie Keena called on Athlone-Moate Municipal District to invite Inland Fisheries Ireland to come to an upcoming meeting to discuss putting in the stands, similar to a boardwalk, from Cumann na Mban bridge towards Sandy Cove in a bid to promote the town as a national and international angling destination.

The floating angling stands are a great attraction in the Leitrim county town, and are used for competitions and training, added Cllr Keena, who said he was contacted by a local club to look into providing something similar here.

Since Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) would be a major player, along with landowners, and Roscommon County Council, the former Mayor said it is worth exploring and discussing the possibility with the State agency responsible for the conservation, protection, management, marketing, development and improvement of the nation's inland fisheries and sea angling resources.

The area earmarked for the boardwalk is “rich with fish” and could bring a lot of people into the town, he finished.

His colleagues agreed to send a letter inviting IFI to an upcoming local authority meeting to discuss the issue.