Cavan's Lake Country
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Saturday June 20 2009
Story of the day
Ireland is surrounded by water. It is rained and drizzled upon by it. The Lakes of Killarney, the River Shannon and fishing rivers such as the Moy are dreamed about all over the world.
So why, then, has Cavan's lake country gone so under-reported? Literally hundreds of lakes are spotted through the countryside and knobbly drumlins here, offering a fine backdrop to a short break.
Activity of the day
Seán Thornton's suckler farm, stitched into the Lough Oughter complex near Butler's Bridge, incorporates a whack of land designated for nature and wildlife. He has seen an opportunity rather than a challenge, however, setting up Cavan Canoeing (087 290 5752; cavancanoeing.com) last July.
"There's peaceful water and no cruisers," he says, in a soft-spoken, unmistakably Cavan accent. "You could spend a week out there exploring the islands."
A week, sadly, is not on the cards. But when my paddle cuts the brackish water near Carratraw Bridge, it momentarily severs all sense of the nine to five.
A small group of us paddles with Seán to Inis Muck Lough, passing curious cows, sprigs of gorse and jolly French fishermen on the bank. Rates start at €30 for a half-day for two -- not a bad price to put on freedom.
Discovery of the day
Rainy summers have been good to Anke Morgenroth. Originally from Hamburg, she and husband Nico moved to Cavan in 1984, growing a honey-making business into an organic farm and, latterly, a teddy bear emporium.
Bear Essentials (049 952 3461; bearessentials.ie) sells her own hand-crafted Mohair bears, repairs threadbare teddies and mounts regular bear-making workshops.
"I just never liked dolls," Anke smiles, walking me through the charming little cottage industry. The teddy tradition is huge in the US, UK and Germany, she explains, though only in recent years has it begun to catch on in Ireland.
Some collect as an investment, others for sentimental reasons. The bears range from €40 to €750, but four-day children's workshops can be had for €75.
View of the day
If you go down to the woods today, you're in for another big surprise. Outside Blacklion, the botharín leading to the Cavan Burren (cavanburren.ie) twists towards a smashing panorama of Lough MacNean and the Cuilcagh Mountains.
"It's the finest relict landscape in Ireland," says local historian Jim Nolan, showing me around a magpie's nest of natural and human treasure. Ancient hut sites, karstic limestone and weathered rock art are all scattered about, as are several tombs.
One, the Giant's Leap wedge tomb along the Cavan Way, looks like the discarded husk of a stony crocodile.
"Bit by bit, it's beginning to reveal its secrets," Jim says.
Dish of the day
"Have you seen Lost?" asks a local barman. "Blacklion is like Lost, starring Neven Maguire." That hasn't stopped the Irish Jamie Oliver from putting MacNean House & Restaurant (071 985 3022; macneanrestaurant.com) through a major refurbishment.
"Some change, eh?" he says, breaking from service to talk me through an airily extended dining room.
Neven charges €70 for his set menu. This includes an amuse-bouche, pre-dessert and petits fours, along with solid service -- asked what the assiette of lamb consists of, the waitress's description goes right down to the farmer that raised the animal.
I'd query the price (Derry Clarke's Michelin-starred L'Ecrivain is doing a €65 set menu -- in Dublin), but the proof appears to be in the pudding. From now until the end of 2009, weekends are booked out at the 10-room MacNean House.
Remains of the day
Sean Quinn thinks big. His Slieve Russell Hotel (049 952 6444; www.slieverussell.ie) has 222 rooms, a 20-metre pool, a spa, two golf courses, several banqueting rooms, three restaurants and is capable of hosting a Christy Moore concert or two weddings simultaneously.
It's the polar opposite of MacNean's, a four-star workhorse, and somewhere you'd expect to be devoid of charm.
While there's a lot I don't like about the place, (passé decor, long walks to rooms, cluttered foyer) the service is a real treat.
Gráinne, the receptionist, asks whether I've eaten; Liam, the barman, spots my map and offers directions -- no small things in a big hotel.
Currently, two nights' B&B and one evening meal are on offer from €185pps (weekends).
- Pol O Conghaile
