Fine wine and tapas on a boat on Lough Erne, what’s not to like?
Mary McInerney and Norwegian husband Jorn Bjerknes run the Lovely Leitrim Barge, which has been moored in Enniskillen and initially was a ‘boatel’ before turning solely to food.
Having met in Galway, the motorbike enthusiasts spent years building their boat before moving it to the Co Fermanagh town in 2016.
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They now spend their time between Enniskillen and Carrrick on Shannon in Leitrim.
“We started off as a hotel barge and it didn’t really work for us so we turned into a wine and tapas bar,” Mary told Belfast Live.
“We do a lot of private parties and small weddings but we are also open to the public at weekends.
“We have quite a unique menu and some really top class wines as well. We’re normally open every weekend but it’s quiet now in these last few weeks.
The couple, who live on the boat full-time, say they have been delighted with the response of people in Co Fermanagh to the concept.
“This season we’ll stay in Enniskillen as it’s too difficult to move the boat. We’ll be here until Easter and then we may go to Carrick On Shannon then for a couple of months and back to Ennsikillen again.
“After we first met Jorn went back to Norway for a few years and then he eventually moved back here and has been here about 15 years now.
“We do quite well at it and it is quite unique. We would bring people up to Boatyard Distillery as well to do tours.
“That’s the great thing about a boat, you can do anything with it.
“We love Enniskillen, we do better here than anywhere else so it has been great to get that response from people here.”
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