A voyage into the heart of Ireland

The Waters and the Wild – the trials and tranquilities of a journey on Ireland’s inland waterways by Gwen Wilkinson takes the reader on a contemplative journey, not just through the verdant landscape and tranquil waterways of Ireland, but also into its history and culture. The author categorises her journey as an ‘immram’ — a class of Old Irish tales concerning a hero's sea journey to the Otherworld

SINCE early childhood, Gwen Wilkinson has been exploring waterways, from canal and river journeys on board her parents’ barge to transatlantic crossings on ocean racing yachts.

An award- winning professional artist and ecologist, she lives in the foothills of the Blackstairs Mountains in South Country Carlow.

In 2019, Gwen Wilkinson set herself the challenge of building a canoe and paddling it the length of Ireland, along a network of inland waterways. She set out from the shores of Lough Erne in Fermanagh and navigated a 400 km journey to the tidal waters of the River Barrow in Co. Waterford.

The book The Waters and the Wild is the result of this epic voyage and journey.

More than just a travelogue, The Waters and the Wild explores the interwoven histories of the people and wildlife that shaped Gwen’s journey. As the adventure unfolds, she also shines a light on pioneering women who have left their mark on Ireland’s landscape – both natural and cultural.

From wild camping on deserted islands to drifting on lakes in the company of restless lapwings, this book invites the reader to share an intense engagement with the natural world. The charming text is accompanied by the author’s own striking lino and woodcut prints, beautiful and though-provoking interpretations of the flora and fauna she observed on her travels.

Gwen Wilkinson paddled to explore, searching for inspiration and a desire to learn more about the island we inhabit, and she was met with experiences rich and illuminating, far beyond her expectations.

Extracts from The Waters and the Wild

"I ran away with a sailor when I had just finished a degree at university. Hungry for adventure and impatient to escape the confines of life on a small island, I set off to travel the length and breadth of the world’s great oceans. For most of my twenties I worked and lived on racing yachts. Sailing on the high seas was an addictive way of life – exotic and exciting, with a whiff of danger. Ocean- crossing on a boat powered by sail alone is physically and mentally challenging. Concepts of space and time took on a new import. The longest voyage I ever made at sea beyond the sight of land was thirty-eight days. The experience was immersive in the extreme. On those journeys I realised how possible it was to experience remoteness and wildness.

"The canoe was the one constant throughout, carrying me with grace and stamina across lakes, down rivers, along canals and up shallow rills. She turned heads wherever we went. People quickly appreciated her classical looks and elegant lines. I travelled sometimes in the company of others, family and friends who joined me for short stretches, but for the most part I journeyed alone.

"Like all good voyage tales, mine took me to deserted islands and wondrous shores. Along the way I encountered realms once inhabited by Celtic deities, mythical monsters and supernatural beings. As the adventure unfolded, I learned about the lives of historic female icons such as Maura Laverty, Jane W. Shackleton, Mary Ward and Lady Harriet Kavanagh, women who have left their mark on Ireland’s landscape. Most of all it was the wildlife, above and beneath the water, which became a subject of endless fascination and motivation for me.

"Lough Ree, ‘the Lake of Kings’, represents a milestone in my canoe voyage, a halfway point in my immram. Since I first set out along the River Erne, 250 kilometres has slipped beneath Minnow’s keel. The lough has a forbidding reputation; its mercurial waters can change from fair to foul in the blink of an eye. Small boats, open ones in particular, can be caught off guard when the lough bares its teeth. An inconvenient wind will conjure steep breaking waves with short troughs in between. Ree has exacted a heavy price down through the years, prompting the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) to open a fully equipped and manned lifeboat station at Coosan Point in 2012. It happens to be one of the busiest stations in the country."

The Waters and the Wild is published by Merrion Press