Mark lands place on Irish fishing team
Wednesday March 10 2010
A SEVENTEEN year old Rathdrum secondary school student will represent his country at the world fly-fishing championships later this year. Mark Driver, a fifth year student at Avondale Community College, has already won Leinster and Irish championships in the past year to win his place on the Ireland team for the worlds in Slovakia in August.
And now he is hoping that people will dig deep into their pockets to help fund the €2,000 cost of making his dream come true.
Sponsorship cards are already in shops and pubs in Rathdrum and Gorey, and will shortly be in Roundwood, Enniskerry and Wicklow Town, and he would also be very appreciative if businesses and companies saw their way to sponsor his two week trip to Slovakia for the world championships.
Mark, Glasnarget, Rathdrum, is the oldest of two sons and one daughter of Kathleen and Michael Driver.
He played a little hurling with Glenealy at U-12 and U-14 levels before his passion for fishing took over, having being introduced to this sport by his uncle Tommy and cousin Peter.
Mark Driver began fishing when he was a mere 11 years old and now fishes regularly on the Avonmore river at Rathdrum and the Roundwood lakes.
A member of Rathdrum Trout Anglers Club, he entered in the Leinster fly-fishing championship in May last year and he came fourth, which qualified him to represent his province in the national finals.
The national fly-fishing championship took place at Dundalk two months later in July with over 40 anglers from all over Ireland participating.
Teenager Mark hooked into 11 trout which propelled him into sixth position and the final place on the six member Irish team for the worlds.
'I am absolutely thrilled to be representing my county in the world championships' he said. 'I am hoping to do well; I will be giving it a lash and doing my best'.
Mark Driver has made it to the All-Ireland finals in each of the last three years and while doing well each time, he was unlucky not to succeed until now.
He will head out to Slovakia on July 27, a week ahead of the championships in order to familiarize himself with the rivers where the championships take place.
The world event takes place from August 3 to 9, starting with two days of official practice and four days of competition. With his colleagues Mark will be battling for honours in team and individual events.
And this time he will be up against crack fly-fishers from several countries around the world, including America, France, Britain, Italy and Spain.
'I feel very proud to be representing my country. I did play a little hurling up to U-14, but now fishing is my first love. I fish most evenings on the Avonmore river and at weekends on Roundwood lakes.
'The students and teachers are absolutely delighted to have someone from the school representing Ireland in the world championships'.
