29/04/2026
Don't miss this showcase of our amazing Blueway which passes through Umeras. Episode 4 of Tracks & Trails airs this Friday 1st May on RTÉ One at 8:30pm. Also on the RTÉ Player. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXrCO6Ijbzv/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet the Barrow Blueway will feature on Season 13 of Tracks and Trails this Friday May 1st on RTÉ One at 8:30pm and will be on the RTE Player afterwards.
The presenter Doireann Ní Ghlacáin meets musician Jack Lukeman and soprano Celine Byrne to explore the Blueway.
In the first segment, musician Jack Lukeman will journey along the Barrow Blueway from Athy to Vicarstown, a stretch renowned for its tranquil waters, wildlife, and links to Ireland’s industrial past. The route follows the River Barrow, offering a unique combination of natural beauty and engineered heritage, with locks, towpaths, and bridges telling the story of Ireland’s canal network.
The second part of the Kildare episode will feature acclaimed soprano Celine Byrne walking the Grand Canal from Monasterevin to Robertstown. This section of the canal, often described as one of the most peaceful in the country, is steeped in literary and historical significance, once frequented by poets and travellers and continuing to draw walkers and cyclists year-round.
“You can take the woman out of the bog. But you can’t take the bog out of the woman.”
From a boat in Kuşadasi̇ last week to a barge on the Barrow Blueway in Kildare this week, soprano Celine Byrne is just as happy.
“Equal parts bog and opera” and we wouldn’t have her any other way. Celine has a wonderful way of reminding us us that no matter where life takes you, home has a way of pulling you back.
