The festival is a boat fishing competition that has been taking place annually for nearly 50 years. It is held over the four days preceding the last Monday in August (the UK bank holiday) and is divided into one day’s shark fishing and three days’ bottom fishing. It attracts anglers from Ireland and abroad, many returning year after year, not just for the excellent fishing but also for the friendly atmosphere. As a result the entry has grown steadily to around 70 anglers at the last count.