Re: June.......Who...? Some Devlin info
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In reply to:
Re: June.......Who Are You???
8/18/00
I read my message again - hope I didn't sound unfriendly. As you should know, all Devlins are genial and generous.If you wnat to know all about the Devlins, read this forum from early to late and you will find out lots about the name and the family, and having spent ages along the shores of Lough Neagh. To build on this I am copying quick notes I did on a Radio 4 programme:
Radio 4 Fergus Keeling
Fishing on Loch Neagh ,Willie Devlin talking about fishing for eels. He has 400 hooks in his box, ten hooks on each line, off his rowing boat.
There was a legal battle about whether a English and Dutch company who had bought fishing rights and insisted fishermen sold only to them at their terms and prices.Debate whether Charles 2nd had a right to give rights (now owned by the company), or whether local fishermen who have fished the loch since pre-history have a right to sell their catch elsewhere.The local fishermen lost that battle.
Retired fisherman Joe Devlin spoke about organisation of and bonding of men, to a co-operative. Presenter comments "A great achievement for a traditionally deprived community", lots of Irish Music, In 1972- 311 yrs of fighting end as co-op buys rights to fish. Joe:"Everyone was elated but everyone was well aware of the challenges which lay ahead, their future being in their own hands."
Joe: "Father Kennedy organised a limited catch to protect fish stocks."
Ftr Kennedy: need to restructure companynow, he is long past his sell-by date.
Night drawing to a closestanding centre of Lough Neagh's shore in a little bay. We go out and contact boats to find out what catches are like.
Discussion about the old days when the fishermen used to be dodging the baliffs. Talking to the baliff now, he is perceived as looking after their interests. Early summer evening.Ballif says tomorrow will be stormy.
Next morning:he goes out with Willie, they catch an eel right away- and another , presenter gets Lough Neagh water and eel-slime in his face!
Later eel suppers are discussed, traditional gatherings,as an eel is skinned, guts removed.Fry in hot pan for an hour, you should pick it up in your hands and eat it off the backbone. The presenter is amazed, it is delicious, more like chicken.
Presenter is parked in another inlet, strong wind, no-one will be out fishing now,. he comments that instinct has brought one man back to Lough Neagh although he has worked all over the world, he ties this in neatly with an analogy to the Lough Neagh eels travelling backafterbreedingin the Sargasso sea...