A Self Cruise on Ireland’s River ShannonBy Valerie Summers
I met up with two friends with whom I would share this virgin boating experience. We embarked on the cruise with some trepidation since none of us had handled any kind of water craft previously. The manager of CarrickCraft seemed unconcerned and assured us that operation of the flagship of the Carrick Craft fleet was a cinch. After viewing a video, we hauled rented bicycles and our luggage down to the boat, decided who would take which of the three cabins, and prepared for our crash course of starting the boat, steering, use of bathroom facilities, galley equipment, and what to do if we wanted to switch from operating the boat from the outside flying bridge to the inside cabin. I was amazed that he had so much confidence in us.
On board, each cabin included its own bathroom, which, although compact, was amazingly efficient. I showered, changed and joined my friends inside the warm, prettily decorated restaurant where we feasted on good, hearty country cuisine. The restaurant’s stout, jolly owner and chef hailed originally from Germany, but had happily settled in Ireland several years ago after a holiday visit to the region. Following dinner, we headed down the dark, country road towards the tiny town where we encountered Henry’s Pub. Between 11 and midnight, the intimate hangout for both locals and visitors filled to capacity where strangers immediately became friends with animated conversations, discussing politics, the economy, travel and business.
At our next stop in Drumshanbo, we made our way to the Moorelands Equestrian Centre. I became reacquainted with the English riding style and equipment atop my gentle steed named Thunder as we began the afternoon with a riding lesson in the enclosed arena. Later our group took the horses out for a scenic trot through the rolling hills.
Returning to our point of departure in Carrick, I visited The Dock housing the newly opened Leitrim Design House. Situated between the marina and the town, it exhibited an extensive arrangement of unique arts and crafts displaying the talents of local artists’ jewelry, china, woodwork, crystal and paintings for purchase. The distinctive décor of the stairway leading to the second floor served as a canvas for the poetry of local resident, Alice Lyons. Each month, she writes a new poem occupying the risers of the staircase in the main entrance hall of The Dock. The subjects of the poems pertain to local history, recent events, people’s stories and ways of life that are particular to the Carrick area. My final night in Ireland was spent in Dublin at the Brooks Hotel, one of the city’s best. After checking in, I took a short walk to view Dublin’s great treasure, The Book of Kells housed in the Old Library at Trinity College. These extraordinary masterpieces of illuminated medieval art and manuscripts created around 800 A.D. continue to draw visitors from all over the world. Continuing my tour, I climbed the stair to the second floor and strolled through the impressive Long Room down an aisle flanked by stacks of more than 200,000 antiquarian texts fronted by gleaming marble busts of scholars through the ages. Following a relaxing nautical week navigating the River Shannon, my friends and I concluded our visit to the land of shamrocks with a fine meal at the popular Eden restaurant followed by a traditional tour of some of Dublin’s best known pubs. For information: Brooks Hotel, Sleek, modern and understated, this first class city hotel’s amenities includes a private living room, exercise room, dining room and popular bar. The attractive, spacious guest rooms thoughtfully offer a choice of pillows to their guests including feather down, non-allergic and one providing special support for the upper body. Plenty of workspace is provided for business travelers at this Small Luxury Hotel. Conveniently situated within a few minutes walk of Temple Bar, Trinity College and Dublin’s famous shopping area, Grafton Street. CarrickCraft Cromleach Lodge Moorelands Equestrian Centre Tourism Ireland : Valerie Summers |
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The sun peeked in and out of the clouds and occasionally a soft rain fell as I drove from the Dublin airport through the verdant Irish countryside. Along the way, small villages invited passers by to stop for a visit. However appealing, I continued on, eager to reach my waterside destination. Always interested in new and different travel experiences, I arrived in Carrick, Ireland and headed to the marina. On this adventure I would explore the watery wonderland of Ireland’s River Shannon via a self cruise.
However, within the hour, we were on our own, cruising out of the harbor and heading down the Shannon River, gateway to some of the best boating routes and scenery in Ireland. Fortunately, my boat-mates managed to read maps and navigation guides fairly well and even though we sometimes found ourselves going in the wrong direction, we always got back on track to follow our itinerary. Just as the sun dipped low in the sky, we arrived at our first destination where we moored right in front of Manfred’s Restaurant at Cootehall. The owner himself rushed out to catch our line and secured it to one of the metal cleats.
Next morning we veered off the Shannon onto the River Boyle cruising along the lush landscape of the Emerald Isle to our next stop. In the town of Boyle, we participated in a guided walking tour which featured a 12th century Cistercian Abbey and the recently restored 17th century King Town House. Following a brief stroll through the town, checking out the shops, we hopped on our bicycles and rode through the countryside, stopping to pick wild blackberries along the way. 
That night, dinner was a departure from the usual casual fare. It began with a half hour drive up to the beautiful Cromleach Lodge in Castlebaldwin, perched high on a hill overlooking Lake Arrow. This elegant country inn, featuring one of Ireland’s finest restaurants, offered the gastronomic delights of multi-award-winning chef and co-owner, Moira and her talented team. We all enjoyed their special dishes of delicious healthfully prepared cuisine amidst candlelight, crystal, fine china and flowers.
Continuing on our tour, we passed under picturesque multi-arched stone bridges and through locks where we chatted with other boaters from various parts of Ireland and the European continent. We came across several boat loads of men on fishing holidays, families and couples all enjoying the self cruise experience.
We enjoyed most evening meals in town where the locals ate. Mid-day, we often made sandwiches and picnicked up on the top deck of our trusty craft enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. It had not taken very long for us to become confident sailors operating our sleek craft up and down Ireland’s picturesque River Shannon.