26/11/2023

 

26/11/2023 It’s with great sadness that I have to report that renowned Currane fly Gilli Mr. Vincent O’Sullivan RIP sadly passed away this morning, so on this sad day we head into the passed on a personal note, the year was 1971, I and Mother headed up to London and picked up Vincent and headed for the River Tay to fish the Catholes and Benchil beats for six days, on the first day Vincent I headed out with our gillie Sandy, within minutes the reel went off as while harling/trolling and I can tell you the rods were wound in fast so I could play this cracker of a Salmon as it  jumped and Vincent shouted that fish is around 15 to 20 lbs and I can remember as the fish was coming close to the boat Vincent grabbed the gaff before the Gilli had a chance, I can tell tell you Sandy wasn’t amused but smiled because he thought Vincent would make a mess of it, well he took one swipe and the 17 lbs Salmon was in the boat and the rest is history. Now we head for 1973 when Vincent RIP and his good wife Dawn RIP came back home to Waterville and I can tell you it wasn’t long before he hit the Sea Trout specimen department headlines, while trolling with his client, caught a record of 9 lbs 3 oz Sea trout, well ten years later he broke his own Currane Sea Trout record again, while flyfishing caught a fine 10 lbs plus specimen Sea Trout. Now we head for Vincent’s flyfishing impossible, it was in the late eighties Lough Currane was freezing, the Bog was frozen, parts of the Mouth of the Commeragh were frozen and there was Vincent flyfishing with his client and I can tell you it was so cold out there that the trolling reels froze up, so had to land on Darby’s Island and I said to my Father, I think Vincent is wasting his time in theses freezing conditions, well the next thing his client’s Salmon rod was bent double into a fine 10 lbs plus Salmon caught on a size 6 fly. As one of Vincents clients once said, I had a great Salmon fishing holiday Vincent thanks for everything, but I have to go home for a well-earned rest after a great week of fly fishing. Well, Vincent, I can just see you fishing on the Heavenly waters with your good wife Dawn and your Son James.

So on behalf of the Currane Anglers and all the good people of Waterville and Caherdaniel and all people of Co. Kerry, we send our Deepest Sympathies to all the O’Sullivan Family especially his children Sonia, Jemma, Vincey and Marita, his sons in law Tham, Martin and Mark, daughters in law Breeda and Jannie and all the Grand Children.

Rest In Peace Vincent