Racing: All eyes on the Punchestown Festival

All next week on RTÉ Nationwide, presenters Anne Cassin and Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh take a journey along the Royal Canal, all 146 kilometers of it, stretching from Spencer Dock in Dublin all the way to Clondra, Co Longford. 

Use the Next > above to go through the gallery

Beginning at opposite ends, Anne Cassin starts her journey in Dublin, heading west, and it’s all aboard in Clondra for Bláthnaid NíChofaigh, going east towards Mullingar where the two presenters meet.

All along the way, presenters Anne and Bláthnaid will meet the communities for whom the canal is of great importance. 

Anne takes a barge trip from Dublin through the unique landscape of the Deep Sinking, to Leixlip, and rambles on to Maynooth, where the Royal Canal greenway begins. From there she visits an art gallery in Kilcock, she runs with Na Fianna running club in Enfield and meets some canoeists at Ribbontail. 

While all that is going on, Bláthnaid goes to Strokestown House and learns about the National Famine Way, she visits the Tidy Towns winning village of Abbeyshrule, joins a rambling group in Ballynacargy and meets Clare Crinnigan, who was born in a lock house on the canal. 

Nationwide all next week, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7PM on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.

Use the Next > above to go through the gallery