Tracks & Trails Season 11, Ep3, Ulster 2nd half

Irish historian and broadcaster, Professor Diarmaid Ferriter travels to Ulster to complete two trails on either side of the border, one in the Sperrin mountain range in Co.Tyrone and the other along the scenic Monaghan Way.

Diarmaid travels to Co.Monaghan to Patrick Kavanagh country. He starts his walk from the Patrick Kavanagh Centre in Iniskeen where he meets the manager Darren McCreesh. Both men share a deep love and knowledge of the life and work of Kavanagh and enjoy swapping stories about Kavanagh and his links to this area. This walk follows a trail for 18.5km along the recently upgraded Monaghan Way and is a combination of quiet country roads, cross country trails and riverside and lakeside approaches. Wanting to see first hand the landscapes that inspired Patrick Kavanagh, Diarmaid enjoys the time he has here with Kavanagh’s words and spirit. This is a varied walk and to complete this journey Diarmaid crosses fields, disused railway lines and quiet roads to end at beautiful Loch Muckno where he feels he has seen the essence of the place that inspired Patrick Kavanagh .