Anglers World Holidays is launching two completely new Irish festivals in 2009 but says that the 2009 Monaghan Pairs Festival will still be the number one.

“It is certainly the ‘hot ticket’ on the Irish match scene”, said Anglers World boss Martin Founds.  “The five-day competition takes place on Lough Muckno during September and has consistently produced the best match catches going back for more than 20 years.

“This year the bream didn’t appear, yet the average catch was 36 lb per-man, per-day, of roach between six and eight ounces!”

The first of two brand new sponsored festivals takes place on the River Shannon at Portumna in April and is sponsored by the Shannon Oaks Hotel & Country Club.

The four day event is timed to coincide with the mass movement of roach and hybrids from Lough Derg into the river when big catches are most likely.

The other is at Ballinamore – a famous Irish angling holiday centre – where €1,500 and the return of all entry fees is the lure to some of County Leitrim’s very best waters. Plans are already in hand to create facilities on five totally different proven waters holding bream, roach, hybrids and tench.

Portumna International Angling Festival April 20-23

Lower River Shannon

€1000 sponsorship and return of all entry fees

Banagher Festival April 27- 1 May  

Lower River Shannon

£500 sponsorship and return of all entry fees

Ballinamore Spring Festival  June 1-5

Fishing on lakes around County Leitrim

€1500 sponsorship and return of all entry fees

Stena Challenge  June 8-12

Fishing on lakes around Gowna and Carrigallen

£2,000 sponsorship and return of all entry fees

Monaghan Pairs September 21-25

Fishing on the Lough Muckno

£250 sponsorship and return of all entry fees

Telephone Anglers World Holidays for the special leaflet and 2009 angling holiday brochure on 01246 220080.