Duke of Devonshire "may" allow Irish to fish
19 April 2008 Duke offers peace talks to locals over rights to Blackwater fishing By Caroline O’Doherty A CENTURIES-OLD battle over the River Blackwater could be settled after an offer of peace talks from the millionaire British aristocrat who claims extensive rights over its fishing grounds. The 12th Duke of Devonshire, Peregrine Andrew Morny Cavendish, owns spectacular Lismore Castle in west Waterford as well as 20 miles of the Blackwater between the vast Lismore estate and Youghal harbour. His family’s claim over the river, which dates back to 1753, means he alone has the power to sell fishing licences for its abundant salmon. More controversially, he also claims rights to the river bed which means authorities in Youghal can not even put down moorings without his permission. In an RTÉ radio documentary to be broadcast tomorrow night, the publicity-shy peer speaks publicly for the first time about the contentious issue and says he wants to meet local people to sort out their differences. “We should sit down with the people in Youghal, the officials, and not deal with this discussion through the media,” he said. “There are a number of issues which we would love to resolve and I would welcome an approach from the council to come and discuss them with us.” Youghal town councillor Oliver Casey, who has led moves by the council to have the historic rights reviewed, said last night he was delighted with the duke’s remarks. “Contact has been made today and I would be confident that we would be going into talks and that they will be fruitful,” he said. The duke and his predecessors have been challenged before about the rights issue in cases dating as far back as the 1800s and he is currently in court over an order to lower a weir at Careysville, but their claims over the river have always stood. However, solicitor Paddy Gordon, who represented anglers prosecuted for fishing without permits last year, told the documentary he believed the last significant ruling, by the House of Lords in 1882, was outdated. “Certainly a decision such as that should be subject to review by the judiciary in this country,” he said. The duke, whose main home is at Chatsworth in Derbyshire, northern England, is estimated to be worth about €650 million. His Blackwater riverbanks alone are valued at a minimum of €10m. Fishing the Blackwater will be broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 on Sunday at 7pm. Click here for irishexaminer.com stories before this date
19 April 2008 Duke offers peace talks to locals over rights to Blackwater fishing By Caroline O’Doherty A CENTURIES-OLD battle over the River Blackwater could be settled after an offer of peace talks from the millionaire British aristocrat who claims extensive rights over its fishing grounds. The 12th Duke of Devonshire, Peregrine Andrew Morny Cavendish, owns spectacular Lismore Castle in west Waterford as well as 20 miles of the Blackwater between the vast Lismore estate and Youghal harbour. His family’s claim over the river, which dates back to 1753, means he alone has the power to sell fishing licences for its abundant salmon. More controversially, he also claims rights to the river bed which means authorities in Youghal can not even put down moorings without his permission. In an RTÉ radio documentary to be broadcast tomorrow night, the publicity-shy peer speaks publicly for the first time about the contentious issue and says he wants to meet local people to sort out their differences. “We should sit down with the people in Youghal, the officials, and not deal with this discussion through the media,” he said. “There are a number of issues which we would love to resolve and I would welcome an approach from the council to come and discuss them with us.” Youghal town councillor Oliver Casey, who has led moves by the council to have the historic rights reviewed, said last night he was delighted with the duke’s remarks. “Contact has been made today and I would be confident that we would be going into talks and that they will be fruitful,” he said. The duke and his predecessors have been challenged before about the rights issue in cases dating as far back as the 1800s and he is currently in court over an order to lower a weir at Careysville, but their claims over the river have always stood. However, solicitor Paddy Gordon, who represented anglers prosecuted for fishing without permits last year, told the documentary he believed the last significant ruling, by the House of Lords in 1882, was outdated. “Certainly a decision such as that should be subject to review by the judiciary in this country,” he said. The duke, whose main home is at Chatsworth in Derbyshire, northern England, is estimated to be worth about €650 million. His Blackwater riverbanks alone are valued at a minimum of €10m. Fishing the Blackwater will be broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 on Sunday at 7pm. Click here for irishexaminer.com stories before this date