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CREEDON’S WILD ATLANTIC WAY

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John Creedon's Wild Atlantic Way WAW 2 The Corrib    always in a rush Image Name: John Creedon's Wild Atlantic Way WAW 2 The Corrib always in a rush
John Creedon's Wild Atlantic Way WAW 2 Inismór landscape 1 Image Name: John Creedon's Wild Atlantic Way WAW 2 Inismór landscape 1
John Creedon's Wild Atlantic Way WAW 2 John Creedon  Steve Wickham Image Name: John Creedon's Wild Atlantic Way WAW 2 John Creedon Steve Wickham
John Creedon's Wild Atlantic Way WAW 2 South Clare Image Name: John Creedon's Wild Atlantic Way WAW 2 South Clare

Episode 2 – Clare, Galway and Mayo

 

The Wild Atlantic Way, the magnificent West Coast of Ireland – John Creedon is about to travel its full length in this new 3 part RTE One series Creedon’s Wild Atlantic Way. This epic road trip will take him from Kinsale in Cork right up to the very top of our island – Donegal’s Malin Head.

In the second episode of Creedon’s Wild Atlantic Way, John continues his journey along the west coast of Ireland meeting remarkable characters and discovering hidden stories.

John begins the second leg of his journey crossing the Shannon estuary on to the deserted island of Scattery where he meets members of the West Clare Currach Club and gets an opportunity to row in a unique five man currach, here he also learns of how the islanders were known as pilot boatsmen for guiding large ships and steamers on their journey.

He makes a splash as he goes snorkelling and explores the stunning Pollock holes of Kilkee, a deep set of rock pools that hold their water at low tide and even beds down for the night in an ecocampsite set in the small village of Querrin.

Further along the coast in the picturesque town of Ennistymon, John meets with renowned Irish musician and actor Steve Wall who takes him on a magicial mystery tour of the town and reveals the little known story of John Lennon and George Harrison’s getaway to Co.Clare in the 1960s, this culminates with a live music session on the edge of the Cliffs of Moher overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

John makes his way to the only city on the Wild Atlantic Way, Galway. Here he learns About an Irishman who left the city of tribes with Christopher Columbus and possibly discovered the New World before the famous voyager.

John meets with the legendary musician Steve Wickham of The Waterboys to discuss the allure of the west coast and the making of Fisherman’s Blues album in Spiddal.

“My car is always happiest when it’s pointed west,” claims John. But the Wild Atlantic Way is more than just a road trip. The sea will be John’s highway and he wants to discover why this beautiful yet savage landscape exerts such a hold on us.

Travelling by all means of transport throughout the series from his trusty VW camper to currach, ferry,cable car,  horse and bike.  John makes his way across Galway Bay by aeroplane to Inis Mór where he meets with geologist Rónadh Cox who has solved the mystery of the islands moving boulders.

The Wild Atlantic Way has drawn people to its coastline for centuries, from the early Christians to the Vikings. But it has also witnessed the tyranny of the Cromwellian era, the famine’s devastation and the scourge of emigration. Despite all of this, Ireland’s west coast has survived to become a sanctuary and refuge for many.

John discovers how we have already started to redefine our relationship with the Atlantic Ocean and how the West coast of Ireland has attracted people from all over the world.

He meets with Californian native Paper Buck who has travelled to Ireland to retrace his ancestry in Co.Galway with the help of Ireland Reaching Out and helps him in the search for his ancestral home.

While in Clare Island he discovers Macalla Farm a small, family run retreat centre and organic farm situated run by husband and wife team Ciara & Christoph, here John takes part in a bit of equine Mindfulness.

Coming to a close in this part of his voyage, John takes on the ‘Westport Challenge’ which includes cycling along the ‘Great Western Greenway’ and ending his journey by sea kayaking in majestic waters of Clew Bay.

Poetry, music, festivals and a window into the lives of the people who live where the land meets the ocean – all of this will be part of this 3 part series.