Finn-tastic! Fearless schoolboy lands a 35lb shark in the water off Moville

An 11-year-old schoolboy with strong family ties to Moville has landed the catch of a lifetime after reeling in a 35lb shark in the waters of Lough Foyle.

Finn Dempsey, from Belfast, was fishing just off the coast of Moville with his grandfather, Paul McGhee, who’s from the town, and local angler Graham Smith, when the impressive tope fish took the bait.

Finn described the experience as “the best day of my life”.

The trio had already caught several plaice earlier in the trip and decided to use one as bait in the hope of attracting something bigger.

Their patience paid off when the powerful shark struck just beyond Moville in Lough Foyle. It took around ten minutes for Finn to reel in the determined fighter before Graham carefully lifted it aboard the boat.

While the two adults admitted they were a little nervous as the large shark thrashed around on deck, Finn remained remarkably calm throughout, taking everything in his stride.

It also seemed rather fitting that someone called Finn should be the one to catch a shark – after all, if any youngster was destined to land a creature famous for its fins, surely it was him!

The fish was identified as a tope, one of the most common shark species found in Irish coastal waters.

Topes are slender, grey-brown sharks that can grow to more than two metres in length and weigh well over 50lbs, although much larger specimens have occasionally been recorded.

They are powerful predators, feeding mainly on fish such as mackerel, whiting, and flatfish, and are especially active during the warmer months when they move closer to shore.

Despite their fearsome appearance, topes pose little threat to humans and are almost always returned safely to the water by responsible anglers.

After taking a few photographs to remember the remarkable catch, Finn, Paul, and Graham carefully released the shark back into Lough Foyle, allowing it to swim away unharmed.