The backroads of Counties Roscommon, Sligo, Cavan and Leitrim in northwestern Ireland served as the backdrop for an enjoyable afternoon of summer driving in a 1965 Volvo.
Our car for the afternoon is a Volvo Amazon 122s belonging to Ireland Made Founder, Kevin Reid. When just 26 years of age, Jan Wilsgaard designed the Amazon, the first production car in the world to feature, as standard the patented 3-point seat belt. Production began in August 1956 and 667,791 Amazons in saloon and estate version were built. As many of you will agree, the side roads of Ireland are best experienced with the windows down and cruising along at 30 – 40 mph. Despite the steep hills of North County Roscommon, the dual carburettor 85 bhp (63 kW) engine powered the car smoothly along..
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Our afternoon began in the picturesque village of Keadew (Irish: Céideadh) in County Roscommon, located close to the borders of counties Leitrim and Sligo. Nearby to the village is the restored Kilronan Castle located on the shores of Lough Meelagh. After buying ice cream in Ann & Mary Roddy’s shop we sat outside and enjoyed the sunshine while admiring the village that has twice been the overall winner of the national Tidy Towns Competition.
Back on the road and driving northwest along the shores of Lough Meelagh we later stopped off for sandwiches in Kiloran’s shop at in the village of Ballyfarnon at the foot of Argina Mountain. While the village can lay claim to its first church being built in the 8th century by St Ronan and his daughter St Lasair, we also saw something that was right up to date, sticking out of a shed off Main street, the back end of a brand new McLaren – the things you see in County Roscommon!
Leaving Ballyfarnon we began a steep climb up the flanks of Arigna Mountain and stopping off in a layby at Greaghageeragh, we enjoyed our sandwiches with stunning views over Lough Skean and the woods of Kilronan Castle.
As we continued up the hill, the road became steeper with every turn, the twin carburettor Volvo taking the hill in its stride. We drove parallel to the borderers of Counties Roscommon and Sligo to our west and marvelled at the stunning Irish landscape. The colours of the heather, the distant forests shimmering in the sunshine and the numerous windmills dotting the landscape scything through the air. We had the road to ourselves and only met one other car.
Dropping down to the western shores of Lough Allen, we did have a blast along a stunning twisty road in Gubbarudda, County Roscommon. While the Volvo may be 59 years old, it can still hustle along; Jan Wilsgaard would be impressed! However we did have to slow down considerably when crossing the Arigna river at Greaghacorra when we encountered a very narrow bridge that even the very narrow Volvo had to squeeze over.
Driving northwards and skirting the shores of the lough we drove through the village of Drumkeeran (Irish: Droim Caorthainn) in County Leitrim that was known far and wide in the early 1920s as a party town when of the 54 houses in the village, 11 of them were licensed to sell alcohol.
Taking mostly backroads the Volvo took the bumpy roads in its stride and glided along to the village of Dowra (Irish: An Damhshraith) County Leitrim located in a valley at the northern tip of Lough Allen. Ireland’s longest river, the 360 km long River Shannon (Irish: Abhainn na Sionainne) rises 12 kms to the north east at Shannon Pot, Derrylahan, and flows southwards neatly cutting the village in two leaving the two bridges that serve the town, one in County Cavan and the other in County Leitrim.
Leaving Dowra, we drove due south along the eastern shore of Lough Allen, the sun was shining and the road was a great mixture of twists and turns, the Volvo cruising along at 40 mph was in her element.
Nestled below the 585m Sliabh an Iarainn is the town of Drumshambo (Irish: Droim Seanbhó) in County Leitrim, the next stopping point on our tour. Drumshambo holds a special place for the Ireland Made team and not just because PJ Rigney makes the world’s best gin in the town, also because one of the earliest stories we covered on Ireland Made featured Mr Caleb Shera Laird from the town who is famous for buying the first motorcar in Leitrim and one of the first to arrive in Ireland with the registration ‘IT 1’.
After a tour of the Shed Distillery where they make four fabulous flavours of gin we were back in the Volvo and heading for the second last village our summer spin, Keshcarrigan (Irish: Ceis Charraigín) in County Leitrim. The village is located close to the 63 km long Shannon-Earne Waterway linking the River Shannon in the Republic of Ireland with the River Erne in Northern Ireland.
In 1798, the French Army, led by General Humbert, marched through Keshcarrigan on their way to their eventual defeat at the Battle of Ballinamuck. In recent years, Keshcarrigan has gained fame for its unconventional St. Patrick’s Day parades, featuring unique events such as the world’s only invisible parade, an indoor parade held in a local pub, and a complicated parade where participants walk backwards.
From Keshcarrigan we enjoyed a straight run southwards over long climbs and even longer descents passing nearby to the townland with our favourite name Funshinagh, Co Leitrim.
After a lovely afternoon of driving and covering around 100 kms we arrived in the historic town of Mohill County Leitrim, famous for Turlough Carolan, the blind harpist who lived in the town and for Douglas Hyde, Ireland’s first president, who spent part of his childhood in the town. In more recent times the town also hosts a well-attended annual Honda 50 Run.
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