Best Shore Anglers in Ireland!

Who is the best angler in Ireland? A question you have no doubt been asked before. It is something I have taught about all my life. I made a statement here years ago, I said that Troy Francis was the best angler in Europe and that all came true. He won the Penn Sea Angler competition and after that he won a very big competition in the UK proving my statement. Here is the link to that article.  Best Angler In Europe So that got me thinking, who is the best angler in Ireland at least. How would I find this out? So with all anglers they claim lots of different things, but in my experience competition is what separates the men from the boys. I decided to take the last ten years and make the top five positions from the male anglers that made the Irish team from each year. Some years are not included because of various reasons. Also it must be said that this is shore angling into saltwater. Angling itself is vast with course, game and saltwater practised. Maybe in the future I might compile lists of the various types. These results are what I could find in the said year, some are home nation results, master angler results etc. There have been anglers tied also but I researched different club comps and inter provincial wins. People are probably not going to agree with me and that is fine. Other people are more qualified to maybe have a better opinion than me and that is fine also. I just enjoy angling but more than angling itself I love reading anything to do with fish, rivers, competitions etc. If you want to prove yourself as an angler I would suggest you join your local Sea Fishing Club and you will see how the best in Ireland fish. It will be a humbling experience I promise you that. 

Here is the compiled list of the IFSA Shore Teams from the last 10 years. 

2013 - Martin Howlin William Weir, John o Brien, Brendan Wall Mick Mullane.

2014 - Mike Curtin, Martin Howlin, Joe Carley, Noel Fogarty, Paul Whelan. 

2015 - Martin Howlin, Alan Mulcahy, Dean Quigley, Dave Roe, Ruairi Coleman.  

2016 - Martin Howlin, Alan Mulcahy, Harry Mckee JR, Joe Byrne, Paul Tyndall

2017 - Ed Kilroy, Dean Quigley, Aiden O Halloran, Harry McKee JR *

2019 - Aidan O Halloran, Albert Allan, Joe Carley, Jp Molloy, Richard Gormley, William Weir

2021 - Raymond McCann, Jordan Murr, David Farrelly, John Marshall, Tommy Carnegie. 

2022 - Chris o Sullivan, David o Sullivan, Jp Molloy, Stephen O Donovan, Darren Ryan


Here are my top five shore anglers in Ireland over the 10 years. 

1st - MARTIN HOWLIN

2nd - JP MOLLOY

3rd - AIDAN O HALLORAN 

4th - ALAN MULCAHY 

5th - DEAN QUIGLEY

Best angler in my opinion in the last ten years, Martin Howlin 2nd from the Right. 



My one and only ever Competition Win, Shannon Estuary, Tralee Bay SAC

The legend Micko Francis on inch beach with bass!


Phil Ord Tralee Bay Legend, Mia Brosnan 2014 Fenit Peir, Tralee Bay Comp