CRUISING ON THE SHANNON
"I miss the River Shannon and the folks at Skiberdeen, the
moorlands and the meadows and their 40 shades of green".
Johnny Cash
When Johnny Cash wrote these words he was flying into Ireland and they became
part of the lyrics for one of his most famous songs. Paddy, our singing driver-guide, who
has met us in Dublin and is driving us to our destination, entertains along the way. Forty
Shades of Green is his opener and he follows up with an enthusiastic rendition of Sweet Molly Malone. It's a great introduction to the Shannon Princess II, our luxurious home
for the next week.
This isn't our first voyage on the Shannon. We have fond memories of sailing on the
original Shannon Princess, replaced by the current vessel two years ago. "You're most
welcome", says Owner-Captain Ruairi (Rory) Gibbons as he greets each guest debarking
from the Mercedes bus that's brought us to Killaloe.
Every week, between April and October, Capt. Gibbons pilots the barge, alternating
between the ports of Killaloe and Athlone. Killaloe is the southernmost point on the
Shannon for cruising and yachting and Athlone, our terminus point to the north, is just
south of Lough Ree.
The Shannon River, longest in Ireland and the British Isles, flows through the
country's central plain beginning on the slopes of Cuilcagh Mt. in County Cravan and
ending 230 miles further as it empties into the Atlantic Ocean near Limerick. Joined by
a number of lake and river systems, the Shannon extends over an area of 1262 miles. Our
voyage will cover some 125 miles of bucolic scenery, pass through two lakes and two
locks and under magnificent centuries-old stone arch bridges. It's a wonderful adventure
that goes by all too quickly in a part of Ireland most travelers never see.
Ruairi's wife and co-owner, Olivia, is one of Ireland's most talented chefs. If the
Shannon Princess were landlocked, it would have a Michelin star. She welcomes us
aboard and introduces other crew members - Marina, her sister, Monica from Poland,
who is pursuing a master's degree in hospitality, and Shanna, an enthusiastic Irish
university student. Within minutes we have champagne glasses in hand and are joining
in a toast to a successful voyage.
The passenger manifest includes a minister and his wife from Canada, executive
secretary from a Fortune 500 chemical company, retired couple from Michigan, Harvard
instructor-psychiatrist, and two self-employed executives. It's a typical cross-section of
barge enthusiasts, though these cruises are also popular with families, some of whom
charter the entire barge. Sandra Bullock brought her whole family aboard, including her
mother, a trained opera singer, who wowed a pub crowd when she sang Danny Boy.
Ruairi reviews safety measures and outlines our general schedule for the week, which
can be amended to suit the majority of passengers. Continental breakfast is served from
eight until nine; lunch is usually served at 12:30 and dinner at seven. At night we tie up,
then sail during the morning and have an excursion in the afternoon, sometimes followed
by a short sail to our mooring.
Visit Shannon Princess II
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RIVER THAMES, ENGLAND
VENICE, ITALY
HOLLAND
Finish the week with a tour of Europe’s largest medieval fortress – La Cité of Carcassonne. Explore the intricate fortifications of the two castellated walls, one inside the other, about a mile in circumference. The views from the battlements towards the Pyrenées are stunning. Visit the cathedral, remarkable for its stained glass rose windows, fine statues, elegant Romanesque nave and Gothic transepts. Back on board the chef is preparing a memorable feast for your farewell dinner. 
The five cabins on the Shannon Princess are all on the main deck and each is the same
size with two beds that can be combined into one, a wardrobe, vanity table and bench,
drawer space and bathroom with shower. The saloon is spacious with lounge seating at
one end and a dining area at the other. Large windows are on both sides. The open deck,
one flight up, is furnished with tables and chairs. There are plans to cover part of this
area to offer protection from the sun or a sudden shower.
of the lake. At the
Derg Inn, a short walk from the barge, briny, succulent oysters, brown bread and
Ardrahan cheese, washed down with a pint of Guinness, make a fine lunch. This
afternoon's excursion takes us to Leap Castle, ancestral home of the O'Carrolls,
forebears of Charles Carroll of Carrollton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
The castle is now owned by Sean Ryan, a delightful eccentric who's a master storyteller
and one of Ireland's foremost penny whistle musicians. Sean tells us stories of the castle,
including its hauntings and his favorite ghost, and ends the afternoon playing several
and hopefully to catch a perch or bream. As we glide by we exchange waves
and the reeds bow down, "honoring us" announces Ross, Ruairi and Olivia's 7-year-old
son who, though seldom seen during the week, is entertaining and has great charisma.
The Loch Ness Monster is due to make her latest film appearance in a new blockbuster movie, which could be Nessie's most successful screen outing to date.
The film is titled The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep and stars Brian Cox, Ben Chaplin and Oscar-nominated Emily Watson,
The new computer-generated Nessie is brought to life in her biggest incarnation by the special effects firm which responsible for Lord of the Rings, King Kong and Narnia. 
The £25million budget film follows the wartime adventures of small Highland lad Angus, who lives with his mum, Emily Watson, near Loch Ness.
He finds an egg by the loch side which hatches to become Crusoe, a small but fast-growing and playful dinosaur-type creature, who could be The Water Horse of Scots legend, a mythical creature linked to the Nessie story.
This little creature is tipped to be as big as ET !
For our December Lockkeeper competition we have a copy of Rick Stein's French Odyssey DVD to give away and a C.D. of the music from his Mediterranean Escapes.
The word carnival comes from the Latin for "Farewell, meat!". As Lent (which begins on Ash Wednesday) obliged people to fast, during the period up to Ash Wednesday all meat, butter and eggs had to be used up. This religious formality became the excuse for a party that echoed pagan festivities. In late Rome Saturnalia and Lupercalia were moments when licentiousness and wantonry were celebrated - a deliberate upturning of the usual social order. Christianity licensed a comparable period of celebration from Twelfth Night until the midnight of Shrove Tuesday. Popes Clement IX and XI and Benedict XIII were among those who tried hardest to bring Carnival back within proper religious limits, but they didn't have much influence over Venice.
houses and until 30 August 2008 the option to visit the Tutankhamen & the Golden Age of the Pharaohs exhibition, at the Millennium Dome, Greenwich, London.