Killybegs
July 3, 2023
HM 232. Mark makes a big mistake
I knew Killybegs was not your average harbour when I arrived at the port office. Whisked by a PA to the top floor of a brand new office building, I was invited to wait for the HM in a rather deep leather sofa. In hindsight I am not convinced Fergal Hegarty knew why I wanted to meet him, and 20 minutes into my interview he quite suddenly said "Mark, I think you have asked enough questions now!".
I put down my notebook and suddenly realised - I was in a foreign country, sitting in the office of their largest government owned fishing harbour and asking all sorts of sensitive economic questions. I apologised profusely and thanked Fergal for making me aware of my mistake. I really had not explained to him what I was doing. I was not a spy or a journalist, just an amateur sailor writing a book. We started again and the sun came out.
Unlike in the UK, the Irish Government directly supports Irish fishing, owning and running the six main fishing harbours. Killybegs being the largest out of Rossaveal, Dingle, Castletownbere, Dunmore East and Howth. £220m of government money is invested in fishing every year, compared with £30m in the UK. Both industries contribute about £1bn to GDP - but here is the difference, whereas the UK have 5,500 registered fishing boats, Ireland has just 2,000. The Irish boats are huge - in fact Atlantic Dawn* which did operate out of Killybegs was once the largest fishing boat in the world. Out of interest, the company that owned her posted a Euro 8 Million dividend in 2023. Irish fishing boats are in another league.
Fergal had spent 20 years offshore fishing in these large boats, but he told me he had had enough time doing that and he now enjoys the diversity of being HM. He deals with a lot of foreign fishing boats as well as increasing number of cruise liners. New marina facilities are being built right now and the port seems to be booming. After chatting for nearly an hour Fergal had thawed out and was into his stride, recounting a story about trying to catch a loose snake that had slithered off a visiting boat - "Was it to be the only snake in Ireland?" and telling me exactly which pub to visit in the next harbour .... The Rusty Mackerel in Teelin since you ask... see final photo!
Thank you Fergal for a snapshot into the world of Irish commercial fishing and thank you for reminding me that I was now in a foreign country and mind my ps and qs.
* Atlantic Dawn was skippered by Kevin McNelis, HM of Greencastle
I knew Killybegs was not your average harbour when I arrived at the port office. Whisked by a PA to the top floor of a brand new office building, I was invited to wait for the HM in a rather deep leather sofa. In hindsight I am not convinced Fergal Hegarty knew why I wanted to meet him, and 20 minutes into my interview he quite suddenly said "Mark, I think you have asked enough questions now!".
I put down my notebook and suddenly realised - I was in a foreign country, sitting in the office of their largest government owned fishing harbour and asking all sorts of sensitive economic questions. I apologised profusely and thanked Fergal for making me aware of my mistake. I really had not explained to him what I was doing. I was not a spy or a journalist, just an amateur sailor writing a book. We started again and the sun came out.
Unlike in the UK, the Irish Government directly supports Irish fishing, owning and running the six main fishing harbours. Killybegs being the largest out of Rossaveal, Dingle, Castletownbere, Dunmore East and Howth. £220m of government money is invested in fishing every year, compared with £30m in the UK. Both industries contribute about £1bn to GDP - but here is the difference, whereas the UK have 5,500 registered fishing boats, Ireland has just 2,000. The Irish boats are huge - in fact Atlantic Dawn* which did operate out of Killybegs was once the largest fishing boat in the world. Out of interest, the company that owned her posted a Euro 8 Million dividend in 2023. Irish fishing boats are in another league.
Fergal had spent 20 years offshore fishing in these large boats, but he told me he had had enough time doing that and he now enjoys the diversity of being HM. He deals with a lot of foreign fishing boats as well as increasing number of cruise liners. New marina facilities are being built right now and the port seems to be booming. After chatting for nearly an hour Fergal had thawed out and was into his stride, recounting a story about trying to catch a loose snake that had slithered off a visiting boat - "Was it to be the only snake in Ireland?" and telling me exactly which pub to visit in the next harbour .... The Rusty Mackerel in Teelin since you ask... see final photo!
Thank you Fergal for a snapshot into the world of Irish commercial fishing and thank you for reminding me that I was now in a foreign country and mind my ps and qs.
* Atlantic Dawn was skippered by Kevin McNelis, HM of Greencastle