

	IPS Inaugural Meeting, 5th Feburary 2000, Roscommon On the 5th of Feburary 2000, the inaugural meeting of the Irish Pike Society took place in County Roscommon. The society was formed in a bid to address the increasing problem of pike culling on the Great Western Lakes of Lough Corrib and Mask in Counties Galway and Mayo. Unfortunately the problem has now spread to more regions of the country namely Lough Sheelin in County Cavan. Through the work of the IPS founding committee and members the actions of both the Western and Shannon Regional Fisheries Boards have been given wide spread publicity both nationally and internationally in a bid to cease the slaughter. The tireless work of Alan Broderick, Pat Byrne, Julian Terry and John Doyle has brought this issue to the forefront of the angling press and laid a great foundation for the second IPS committee to build on. The IPS will strive to bring the issues facing Irish Pike Angling and Angling in general to the fore and fight for a better deal for both pike and coarse fish in our native waters. The IPS will also promote the sport of angling both at home and abroad to young and old anglers alike and put the island of Ireland back to the forefront of European Angling.