Ó CINNÉIDE TAKES TO THE FIELD IN DEFENCE OF IRISH

IT is more than 50 years since the incredibly rare sturgeon fish was landed in Dingle and managed to escape, but the story has been retold many times.

Now the unique and unusual story is once again coming to life – this time on the stage by actor and playwright, Callum Maguire, with strong links to Killarney.

Callum, who grew up in the UK, but spent a lot of time in Killarney, with his family including his uncle, Johnny Maguire, fell in love with the now famous story when he first heard it and he now wants to bring it to life through theatre.

In 1966 this rare and very valuable sturgeon fish was brought into Dingle harbour.

According to tradition at the time it should be presented to the British queen but instead the then President of Ireland Eamon De Valera promised it to the Poor Clare Sisters.

Crowds gathered at the harbour to see this famous fish, which is what cavier comes from, and local man John Brosnan, who was just 19, was on board the boat at the time.

Some confusion occurred which led to John throwing the fish overboard and it swam away never to be seen again.

However, in another rare stroke of luck, a second sturgeon was caught later that day but the skipper of that boat would not pass it onto Eamon De Valera, and instead sold it to the Billingsgate Fish Market in East London where it ended up full circle with Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II.

Callum and co-actor and writer Ben Simon arrived in Kerry last week to meet with those still alive who were involved with the original story, including John Brosnan himself.

They also met with Rickey Keane of Ó Cathain Iasc Teo whose father was involved in the original landing of the fish.

Callum and Ben are bringing the play to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and are planning both a UK and Irish tour, including Kerry, with their production “Catch of the Day The Sturgeon Story”.

“We came to Kerry this week to gather material. There has been a great reaction in Dingle. It is a great story,” says Callum.

“We had to go to where it all started. It is a true life story brought to life on stage.”

Callum and Ben have set up a Go Fund Me Page to help fund the production which includes four actors and are appealing for the public to help bring the

THERE’S BEEN A GREAT REACTION IN DINGLE. IT IS A GREAT STORY. WE HAD TO GO WHERE IT ALL STARTED. IT IS A TRUE LIFE STORY. Kerry story to the stage.

The Go Fund Me page is Get Sturgeon to the Fringe and updates can be found on Twitter.

Ben Simon and Callum Maguire who are putting together a stage production of the famous Dingle sturgeon story.