30th Clones Coarse Angling Festival

The 30th Clones Coarse Angling Festival is a milestone edition of one of the most established coarse fishing competitions in the Ulster calendar. Running from Friday 31 July to Monday 3 August 2026 - across four full days of competition - it draws anglers from Ireland, Britain, and further afield to the lakes around Clones. If you fish seriously, you already know the name. If you are new to the sport and looking for a properly organised festival with a genuine community feel, this is one of the best places to start.

What to expect

Each morning begins with the daily draw at 9am from the Creighton Hotel on The Diamond in Clones, where the festival is headquartered. Sections are pegged across several premier coarse fishing venues in the Ballybay/Clones area, including Mullinary, Annaghmakerrig, Drumate, and Bream Rock. Lough Muckno - the largest lake in County Monaghan and an international-standard angling venue - is central to the festival’s appeal. Its waters hold bream, roach, perch, pike, gudgeon, and the rare European eel, making for genuinely varied fishing across the four days.

Places are limited and numbers for 2026 are reported to be higher than any previous year. To book a place, contact the organisers on 086 837 1169 (Irish number) or 07711 607200 (UK number). You can also reach them at info@clonescoarseanglers.net or via the Clones Coarse Anglers Facebook page. Get in early.

Getting there

Clones sits in the south-west corner of County Monaghan, close to the Fermanagh border. By road, it is around 30 minutes from Monaghan town via the N54 and roughly an hour from both Enniskillen and Cavan town. From Dublin, allow about 1 hour 45 minutes via the M3 and N54. There is no direct rail link to Clones; Bus Eireann serves the town from Monaghan and Cavan, but for an event where you will be moving between lake pegs each morning with gear, most anglers drive. Parking in Clones is generally straightforward - The Diamond and surrounding streets have free on-street parking, and the Creighton Hotel itself is right on the square.

While you’re in Clones

Clones is a compact Ulster market town with a strong GAA heritage - St Tiernach’s Park is just a short walk from The Diamond, and the town’s round tower and high cross date back to early Christian times. The lake venues themselves are set in rolling Monaghan countryside worth a look beyond the fishing. There is more to see in Clones and across Co. Monaghan.

Good to know

• Dates: Friday 31 July to Monday 3 August 2026
• Daily draw: 9am at the Creighton Hotel, The Diamond, Clones
• Entry: Contact organisers to confirm entry fee and availability - places are limited
• Book: 086 837 1169 / 07711 607200 / info@clonescoarseanglers.net
• Facebook: Clones Coarse Anglers (for updates and draw results)
• What to bring: Full coarse fishing gear; sections are on multiple lakes so transport between pegs is needed each day