'Shannonsiders are amongst the greatest talkers in the world'

New Book details the delights of the Shannon journey

What better way to get acquainted with the tranquil heart of Ireland than by winding your way down the River Shannon – the nation's spine.

That's exactly what travel writer and broadcaster Paul Clements decided to do and the result is the new publication, 'Shannon Country'.

Clements previously wrote 'Romancing Ireland, the biography of Richard Hayward' which includes an account of Irish travel writer Hayward's 1939 road trip to explore the Shannon.

‘Shannon Country’ is an attempt by Clements 80 years on to retrace Hayward's journey along the Shannon.

From the Shannon Pot in Cavan to the Shannon estuary 344 km south, his meandering odyssey takes him by car, on foot, and by bike and boat, discovering how the riverscape has changed in the years that have passed since.

While he recreates Hayward’s trip, Clements paints a compelling portrait of twenty-first century Ireland, mingling travel and anecdotes with an eye for the natural world.

This year, life has slowed down for many people, and there is a wish to reconnect with surroundings and to discover new places in Ireland.

For those opting for a staycation in 2020, the pages of this book are filled with nuggets of information and local lore from counties Fermanagh, Cavan, Leitrim, Longford, Roscommon, Westmeath, Offaly, Tipperary, Galway, Clare, Limerick and Kerry.

With social and government attention turning towards walking and cycling leisure trails and greenways, there is more interest than ever in cruising, kayaking, and canoeing, and fishing on the River Shannon.

Paul Clements also gives attention to the hinterland of the river and its people. He considers the work of local people who are concerned about water quality and improving the river’s image as well as those organising festivals, fairs, and boating rallies. While the overall tone of the book is positive, the author feels that the River Shannon and its surrounding environs have been neglected by various agencies, and he is hard-hitting about the lack of investment in small Shannonside towns.

This book, filled with photographs from the author’s journey and including a full map of the Shannon route, gives a voice to stories from anglers, sailors, lock keepers, bog artists, ‘insta’ pilgrims, and illuminates cultural history and identity. The author is also preparing a series of popular ‘listicles’, tailored to localities.

His mantra for this project is ‘Travel less and travel better’.

“Slow and ponderous, the Shannon is laden with memories, powerful in symbolism, prone to running rampant through fields and swamping houses, sometimes impeccably well-behaved and relaxed, other times tempestuously alive, unpredictable … Shannonsiders are amongst the greatest talkers in the world, possibly since the Greeks. And people who love rivers love to talk about them,” he says.