The recent legal case involving the fishing rights on the Shannon River at Garraune has brought forth several intriguing questions for both history enthusiasts and avid anglers. It appears that the supposed paramount rights of a Lord Paramount may not be as absolute as previously believed. Certain members of the Anglers’ Association had presumed that they could fish in these waters based on the fishing rights reserved by Henry, Earl of Thomond, back in 1712. However, it became evident that Mr John W. Scott, the agent representing the current Earl and successor in title, Lord Leconfield, does not possess the authority to grant fishing permissions to whomever he pleased in 1903. This revelation undoubtedly affected the appellants’ perception of the Leconfield paramountcy, which they held in high regard until now.

During the proceedings, it was also mentioned that the current occupants of the fishing grounds were far inferior to the O’Briens, who previously held the rights during the time of Queen Anne’s Earl of Thomond. It was humorously suggested that the O’Briens had relinquished their claim to the fishing grounds when the Arthurs took over, and they suffered the consequences thereof. Interestingly, some distinguished individuals demonstrated their familiarity with the archaic Norman-French term “Tôt à prendre,” signifying their profound knowledge of the legal concept at hand. In essence, the case, which lasted for three hours, captivated the attention of both anglers and spectators alike, as if they were closely observing the struggles between two fishermen vying for a twelve-pound salmon, even though one of them might be deemed a “poacher” by the established authorities.

Dublin Evening Telegraph – Saturday 09 April 1904