Pushing for a Corkagh Park Fishery

MAYOR Cllr Francis Timmons has announced the establishment of a committee for the launch of a new Corkagh Park Fishing Project.

The committee was organised by Mayor Timmons following a meeting of community members and fishing experts to explore a greater community response to the status of Corkagh Park Fishery.

Mayor Timmons detailed his previous attempts to encourage South Dublin County Council to further develop the Fishery into a “fishing and community experience.”

There is currently no fishing notice at both lakes due to an outbreak of crayfish plague and the lack of care taken by fishers, with

items littered in the area harming the environment.

“I have had several motions agreed on the Corkagh Park fishing lakes, but the council’s official response has been ‘no’ to development of the lakes.

“I disagree with the council’s stance and with a creative community response we could see the fishing lakes open with supervised competitions for people with disabilities and anyone with a fishing interest.”

The Fishery consists of two purpose-built lakes – a coarse lake of approximately 4 acres and a fly-only trout lake of approximately 3.5 acres – which were build in 2000 as part of flood management works on the River Camac.

Mayor Timmons outlined the facilities that could be provided through the development of the lakes, offering “a real opportunity to create a community facility and provide education, learning and recreation for all age groups.

“The Corkagh Park Fishing Project could be a real asset to SDCC to provide footfall to help combat anti-social behaviour at the park, which helps to maintain this as a valuable and much needed community space.

In the area, there is currently an on-site tackle-and-bait shop, coffee shop, and toilet facilities, with purpose-built fishing stands and piers at both lakes to provide easy access for anglers of all abilities, including wheelchair users.

The trout lake is stocked regularly with rainbow trout and the coarse lake holds carp as its headline species, as well as perch and tench.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.