Home / Series / Tracks and Trails / Aired Order / Season 5 / Episode 3

The Allen Canal

Rob and Amy Rankin run a travel tour business. Along with their son Finn and daughter Sana they spend a weekend exploring the Shannon Blueway starting in Drumshanbo and follow the Allen canal to Battlebridge. Over the two days the Rankin family head east towards Ballinamore on a stretch of waterway that connects the Shannon ultimately to Lough Erne. Along the route the family meet local musician Charlie McGettigan. He discusses the landscape and how it changes from season to season and also his relationship with Drumshanbo. The canal is brimming with wildlife and the Rankins stop and observe nature with nature enthusiasts Michael and Molloy Bell. There are all sorts of activities to be encountered along the canal and Rob and Finn spot a canoe launching site and decide to have a go while Amy and Sana go horse riding. Eager to experience all activities offered along the way, the Rankins continue their journey on electric bikes. They stop off along the way where Rob meets local historian Seán Ó Suillebháin who gives him some advice about the route ahead and the local history. Their next stop takes them to Ballinamore Folk Museum, where curator, Brian Kennedy displays his collection of folk memorabilia, implements, farm machinery and vehicles. Depending on the time of year there will be different things going on in the communities along the bank, so every canal holiday is unique. The last stop on the route finds the Rankins at a bustling music festival, the first of its kind to be held at Drumcoura.

English
  • Originally Aired March 19, 2015
  • Runtime 30 minutes
  • Content Rating United States of America TV-G
  • Network RTÉ One
  • Created September 18, 2017 by
    Administrator admin
  • Modified September 18, 2017 by
    Administrator admin