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Fly-fishing may be found in the highest perfection in other parts of 

 Ireland which are less frequented. By careful preservation the landed 

 proprietary of many wild and mountainous districts might derive a 

 little revenue and benefit from their streams analogous to that which 

 the rnoors of Scotland return to their proprietors, by the influx of 

 sportsmen. Is it not somewhat an oversight on their part not to 

 cultivate these waters, while their lands must long remain profitless ? 



Among those who were examined before the late Select Committee 

 on the state of the Inland Fisheries of Ireland, was Mr. Richard Allen, 

 sergeant-at-law, a member of the English bar, who gave much interest- 

 ing evidence as to his visits to this country for the amusement of ang- 

 ling. He had ten years previously published a memoir of his tour, 

 describing the pleasure he had derived from it, and giving descriptiona 

 of parts of Ireland of which little had been known to visitors before. 

 So many anglers were attracted to visit these places in consequence, 

 that on the Waterville lake, in the Ivera mountains, two inns have 

 been built for their accommodation, and the place has been since much 

 frequented, greatly to the civilization and assistance of the people 

 there. Several good houses have also been built, which are occupied 

 by gentlemen who come to angle upon the lake. 



Mr. Allen's evidence may be adduced to show that recent legislation 

 on River Fisheries has tended to diminish the means and power of 

 angling in Ireland. He complained that the Act of 1842 confirmed 

 certain exclusive and monopolizing privileges to individuals, in many 

 cases transferring to them the fish which hitherto might have been 

 taken by the public at large ; and that these privileges were let to a 

 few parties, and their produce sent away to a distant market, the rents 

 being mostly, also, remitted to England. He thought that a freer 

 fishery would induce persons of property to reside in Ireland, and adds, 

 1 such is the beauty of that country, the fertility of the soil, and such 

 the kindness and good conduct of the people (and I walked through 

 the whole of it, and speak advisedly when I say, that a population 

 more inoffensive I never passed through) I say that these circum- 

 stances do offer vast inducements to persons of independent property 

 to go there, and if property could be purchased, to reside there." The 

 Act for facilitating the sale of Encumbered Estates has removed diffi- 

 culties in the way of purchase, and it may be noticed, that in the 

 numerous advertisements, either for the sale or letting of demesnes, 

 the existence of excellent fly-fishing is sometimes mentioned as one of 

 the agremens. 



Although very many exclusive rights of fishing are claimed in the 

 fresh water portions of the rivers of Ireland, it is an acknowledged 

 fact, and one which, it is to be hoped, may be generally known and 

 acted upon, that there is a greater freedom of access for anglers to the 

 Irish streams than is permitted to those of Scotland. The well known 

 anecdote in the history of that country of Sir William Wallace, its 

 noble defender, will perhaps occur to the reader's memory ; how, when 

 he was but a stripling, he went a fishing in the river Irvine, near Ayr, 

 and having caught a number of trout, the boy who attended him was 

 carrying them home, when some soldiers of the English army, which 

 then garrisoned Scotland, came up, and insisted with much insolence 

 on taking the fish from him. Wallace was willing to allow them a 



