Holiday in Ireland

 

Submitted Sunday Independent

It’s a Great Little Country -Experience It No 25

Just messing about on the river

I was one of that gang that spent the whole year planning the summer holiday out of Ireland guaranteed sunshine, late nights, the wild life. Year after year we headed off to Spain or France never giving Ireland a thought as the idea of spending two weeks freezing on a beach with ham sandwiches was just not going to happen. My parents loved to go for the Sunday drive to Bray or up the Dublin Mountains with the flask and the sandwiches we were piled into the Volkswagen Beetle, no question of opting out and then down came the rain.

Then I discovered down river canoeing and did the same with my kids as my Dad did with us “We are going canoeing “but unlike me they took to it like ducks to water .Ireland opened up for us we went down some amazing rivers got a look into the old wealth of Ireland from the river side, camped, stayed in B&B’s, visited villages that we never knew existed. We had the gear on wet suits and shower cover, all our clothes were sealed in a barrel and so were the Hamlet cigars and the grub. In the early days we listened to the weather forecast until we learned that it didn’t matter as it seldom rains in Ireland for very long and we were well protected. Our favourite run was down The Barrow river to St Mullins which has a tow path used by the draught horse to pull the river barges in times gone by. We met fisher men and farmer’s, walkers and cyclists all dying for a chat, “Where did you start out? Where are you going?” none of them had ever been down the river and you could see the wonder, the dream in their eyes yes one day I will get in a canoe. The Barrow river tow path from Graiguenamanagh to St Mullins is one of the Wonders of the World passing through lush green farmland, water thundering over weirs, Herons squealing past and all for free. Passing by lime kilns, locks, weirs and arriving in a land that was ravaged by the Vikings and there still sits proudly on the top of the Hill a Norman Motte and Baily. This is a cyclists and walker’s paradise off road cutting through stunning scenery. Now I think we as a Nation have embraced the wonderful country that we have and the little gems which have for so many years been neglected and turned into backwaters. It is great to see all the Mums and Dads arriving at The Mullicháin Café glowing from their day by the river and the kids full of stories about their adventure, Bicycles line the walls, dogs lapping from water bowels Ahh! But still wanting to know” Is there Wi-FI here?”

 

Martin O’Brien

St Mullins Co Carlow