Kayakers cross the River Erne in new ILBF series
Date Posted: March 9, 2022
Old friends Cormac Ó hÁdhmaill and Antaine Ó Donnaile undertake an epic kayaking adventure on the River Erne in a new Irish Language Broadcast Fund series, Buachaillí Ón Éirne. Made by Macha Media for BBC Gaeilge, the three-part series begins on Monday 14th March at 10pm on BBC Two Northern Ireland.
Two intrepid paddlers begin at the source of the Erne River, and travel through counties Cavan, Fermanagh and Donegal all the way to the Atlantic Ocean at Ballyshannon. The adventure is challenging, aspiring and more than 100 miles long.
This is an incredible journey, one that has never been done for television before. Stunning aerial photography follows the paddlers and showcases every type of landscape, from inland lakes to the ocean, from rural to urban settings.
Along the way, Antaine and Cormac visit the people who live, work and play along the waterway. They even try out a bit of paddle boarding and ceramic making with limited success. They learn about the history, nature and secret places of the Erne, from ancient castles to holy islands, from Second Word War intrigues to clambering their way around a hydro-electric dam. They call at places like Cloughoughter, Enniskillen Castle, Devenish, Castle Archdale, White Island, Belleek and Cathaleen’s Falls, to name but a few.
As the two kayakers continue their journey, their challenge becomes more and more compelling as well as emotional. In a very poignant moment, Cormac is moved to tears when he hears the call of the cuckoo, a call he hasn’t heard in more than 30 years.
Cormac says: “This is the journey of a lifetime. I am storing up wonderful memories that will entertain and console me when I am no longer able to do this sort of thing. But for now, I’m having a ball!”
Antaine says: “It is so much more enjoyable to be travelling through a place like Enniskillen by river rather than by road. This is not just a journey to the sea, it’s a journey back in time where we can get a sense of how life could be lived. Cavan, Fermanagh and Donegal are as beautiful as anywhere you could visit in the world and it has been such a privilege to make this journey and to meet the people who live along the Erne system.”
Their determination and strength are put to the test throughout this 100 mile long expedition. Experiencing fun, fatigue, freedom, frustration, and satisfaction, Buachaillí Ón Éirne provides an amazing insight to the ancient waterways of the River Erne.
Buachaillí Ón Éirne starts on Monday 14th March at 10pm on BBC Two Northern Ireland and BBC iPlayer.
Trasnaíonn seanchairde Abhainn na hÉirne ar cadhcála i sraith úr de chuid an CCG
Tugann seanchairde Antaine Ó Donnaile agus Cormac Ó hÁdhmaill aghaidh ar eachtra mhór cadhcála ar Abhainn na hÉirne sa sraith teilifíse nua Buachaillí ón Éirne, atá maoinithe ag an Chiste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge. Craolfar an tsraith úr trí pháirt seo, léirithe ag Macha Media do BBC Gaeilge Dé Luain 14ú Márta ag 10i.n. ar BBC Two Northern Ireland.
Tosaíonn na céaslóirí neamheaglacha seo ag Loch Gamhna, túsphointe Abhainn na hÉirne agus téann siad ó thuaidh fríd Chontae an Chabháin, Chontae Fhear Manach agus i rith an bhealaigh go Contae Dhún na nGall, áit a dtéann an Éirne isteach san Aigéan Atlantach i mBéal Átha Seanaidh. Turas dúshlánach, spreagúil, le breis is 100 míle de chadhcáil le déanamh acu.
Is aistear dochreidte é seo, aistear nach ndearnadh riamh roimhe don teilifís. Faightear léargas ar áilleacht na tíre agus ar gach cineál tírdhreach, ó lochanna intíre chuig an aigéan, ó shuíomhanna tuaithe go suíomhanna uirbeacha, le haerghrianghrafadóireacht den scoth a leanann na céaslóirí agus iad ar an uisce.
Ar a mbealach, tugann Antaine agus Cormac cuairt ar dhaoine a chaitheann a gcuid saol le taobh an uiscebhealaigh. Baineann siad triail as clárchéaslóireacht agus as criadóireacht, ach is beag an rath a bhíonn orthu. Foghlaimíonn siad faoin stair, faoin nádúr agus faoi na háiteanna rúnda ar Abhainn na hÉirne, ó chaisleáin ársa go hoileáin naofa, ó uisce faoi thalamh de chuid an Dara Cogadh Domhanda go dreapadóireacht thart ar dhamba hidrileictreach. Stopann siad ag suíomhanna ar nós Cloch Uachtair, Caisleán Inis Ceithleann, Oileán Daimhinis, Caisleán Archdale, An t-Oileán Bán, Béal Leice agus Eas Chaitlín, agus ag áiteanna eile nach iad.
De réir mar a leanann an bheirt chéaslóirí ar aghaidh leis an turas, éiríonn cúrsaí níos dúshlánaí agus níos corraithí. Ag pointe an-tochtmhar, baintear na deora as Cormac nuair a chluineann sé glaoch na cuaiche, rud nár chuala sé le breis agus tríocha bliain. Léiriú suntasach ar chumhacht agus ar áilleacht an nádúir atá ann.
Deir Cormac, “Seo deis nach bhfaigheann daoine de gnáth ach uair amháin sa tsaol, tá cuimhní iontacha á gcarnadh agam a chuirfidh siamsaíocht agus suaimhneas orm nuair nach mbeidh mé in ann a leithéid de rud mar seo a dhéanamh a thuilleadh. Ach faoi láthair, tá mé ar bís!”
Deir Antaine, “Tá sé i bhfad níos taitneamhaí a bheith ag taisteal trí áit ar nós Inis Ceithleann ar an uisce ná ar an bhóthar. Ní turas é seo chuig an fharraige amháin, is turas siar sa stair é inar féidir linn tuiscint a fháil ar an dóigh a bhféadfaí maireachtáil. Tá an Cabhán, Fear Manach agus Dún na nGall chomh galánta céanna le háit ar bith ar domhan a d’fhéadfá a fheiceáil. Ba mhór an phribhléid é an turas seo a dhéanamh agus bualadh leis na daoine iontacha uilig cois Uiscebhealach na hÉirne.”
Dúshlán don chorp agus don intinn é an turas 100 míle seo. Le spraoi, tuirse, saoirse, frustrachas agus sásamh á léiriú, tugann Buachaillí Ón Éirne léargas iontach ar uiscebhealaí ársa na hÉirne.
Tosaíonn Buachaillí Ón Éirne Dé Luain 14 Márta ag 10i.n. ar BBC Two Northern Ireland agus BBC iPlayer.
