With Ken Bennett.
Irish legend says there is a mystical land of eternal youth called Zir Na Nog where you can find music, poetry and ever-lasting happiness.
But you don't need a flight of fantasy to discover the magical qualities of the Emerald Isle: they reach out and embrace you.
First there is stunning scenery. So very, very green, that it will make your eyes ache.
Then, of course, those genuine, smiling Irish eyes, which herald the traditional Gaelic greeting - Cead Mile Failte, or, ‘one hundred thousand welcomes’.
So you see it’s not just those who have kissed the Blarney Stone who are prone to exaggerate. They have turned story-telling into a work of art and where the description of what happened can take longer than the event itself.
Time is of small importance when there’s a tale to be told, a pint of tar-black stout to be enjoyed and a languid holiday cruising the rivers and lakes of this enchanting isle.
Because sailing is, without doubt, one of the very best ways to wring every precious minute from the Land of Leprechauns.
With the renovation of the 50-mile stretch of the River Shannon between the Shannon and the Erne nine years ago, you can now sail from Killaloe in County Clare to Belleek across the Ulster border in County Fermanagh.
The full one-way journey would take 43 hours of sailing and the best part of a leisurely fortnight.
In all, there are 300 miles of continuous lakes and rivers to explore which, in turn, provide tremendous flexibility to savour your time discovering the country and its people.
But if the black stuff is flowing and the craic is mighty, why rush?
Pondering a second drink at Henry's Bar in Cootehall, affable landlady Chris Henry asked the unanswerable question: ‘Will I pour you another while you’re deciding?’ The pub has been in the family for 75 years. Chris and her brother Jim run it alongside the grocery business, hardware store and fishing tackle shop.
All the pubs on our route have their own individual atmosphere and characters. They each became memorable landmarks on our leisurely watery journey… At Keenan’s in Tarmonbarry, we ate steaming mussels and fresh trout in a wood-panelled restaurant, to the accompaniment of fiddle and accordion music.
In The Brandywell in Dromod, a starter portion of ‘seafood wrap’ - combining fresh prawns, mussels, cod and salmon in a delicious wine and cream sauce was a meal in itself.
But, of course, some of the most memorable meals are the ones you can't really remember. Dinner at the award-winning Barge restaurant in Leitrim, for example.
After a gallon of stout, a lake of vegetable soup, an enormous steak, wine and the inevitable yarns, the night became a hazy blur.
But the best food, naturally, is that which you catch yourself. As we sailed through Lough Key, we trailed our lures behind us in the hope of landing a bream. No chance: just a pair of hungry pike.
But fishing gives time to reflect on the right choice of boat for your journey. The Emerald Star fleet - part of the Connoisseur Group, of Portsmouth – has craft which can accommodate from two to ten people in blissful comfort.
We selected the Classique model, big enough for eight passengers sleeping in four double cabins, two with their own en-suite showers and toilets.
You can steer from inside or the sundeck, according to weather conditions, which can vary from scorching to atrocious and back again within hours.
Emerald Star is the largest boat-providers on the Shannon-Erne Waterway.
They have three handily-placed bases at Belturbet in the north, Carrick-on-Shannon in the middle and Portumna in the south.
Landlubbers with no experience are given a comprehensive one-hour lesson on cruising when they arrive at base. Shipping hazards are clearly marked and charts for every area are provided.
And remember, if you’re a novice, don’t worry. Other cruisers will always lend a helping hand.
But, then again, that’s Ireland for you.
Factfile
Ken Bennett travelled as guest of Emerald Star fleet. Hire prices vary according to season, starting from about £475 a week.
For more information, ring 0870-774-9933. Or click on: www.ConnoisseurAfloat.com
Low cost carrier Ryanair fly from Stansted to Knock. Ring 0871-246-000 for reservations or click on www.ryanair.comOr check ferry and air crossings from your local travel agents.
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