Into the green

There are rich rewards and startling surprises wallabies, even – for travellers who venture into the less-travelled parts of Ireland.

-  ORLAITH COSTELLO

One question that plagues every Irish person in Australia: Are you staying or are you going? I have been living in Australia for over a decade, but I still call Ireland home.

For all the well-worn postcards of Ireland – the craggy cliffs, the cobbled pubs, the rolling green fields, the pints in Temple Bar – there’s a region which often slips under the radar. One that hums with folklore, wrapped in ancient forests, misty lakes with wild swimming spots known only to locals, and rivers that carve through the landscape like a silver ribbon.

This is Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands – home to ancient kings, myths and legend – and they’re just waiting to be uncovered.

A landscape written in water

The River Shannon – at 360 kilometres the longest river in the Celtic Isles of Great Britain and Ireland – is the lifeblood of the Heartlands. It winds its way through the heart of the landscape, connecting towns, villages and countryside, and is deeply rooted in Ireland’s myth and memory.

You can cruise the river by boat (rentals are plentiful), glide along it in a canoe, or simply walk its banks. Along the way, you’ll stumble across places like Lough Key Forest Park, a lakeside escape where zip lines and canopy walks sit side-by-side with castle ruins and secret tunnels.