It is testament to the work done by many in Enniskillen and Co Fermanagh that the area has seen a significant increase in tourist numbers in recent times.
While the restrictions on foreign travel as a result of the pandemic did perhaps boost domestic tourism and ‘staycations’, plenty has still been done to make the island town a great destination.
Two of that group have recently come together to wed their own local experiences, combining two of the Erne county’s most valuable assets - food and water.
Barry Flanagan from Erne Water Taxi and Mark Edwards from Enniskillen Taste Experience have combined their local knowledge to create the Lakelander Food Experience - a three hour exploration of the town’s waterways and booming food scene.
MyFermanagh was invited down to sample the three hour tour, and it was hard not to be impressed by both Barry and Mark, as well as the stunning local food they served up.
We somehow managed to avoid the two storms that made their way into the region this week, and made our way down to Enniskillen Castle jetty to meet Barry.
There was a small group of six of us on the day, which was perfect for listening to Barry and crew member Clare chat us through some local heritage as we munched on some amazing charcuterie, cheese and carrot crisps.
That was washed down with a Boatyard Distillery sloe gin and then an Inish Mac Saint IPA, as well as a Sarsaparilla, a drink which used to be produced from vines in the area years ago.
As we departed from the boat we were met by Mark, who took us through for a dander around the town, explaining about some of the talented local chefs and producers that come from the town.
Next stop was on to The Firehouse, where we had some really tasty starters, including a boneless rib, a garlic flatbread and a really sweet and spicy chicken wing.
All the food we had here was really well prepared and much of it came from the restaurant’s Big Bertha oven, which gives it a unique charred taste.
More Boatyard gin arrived to the delight of a tipsy crowd, and it was great to listen to the story of its founder Joe McGirr, as well as the pride with which Mark tells such local success stories.
A Co Fermanagh food experience wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Glen Wheeler at 28 at the Hollow, the final stop on the tour.
Our light two course lunch included a crispy confit duck leg, followed by a chocolate popcorn tart.
It’s difficult to put into words how good these two dishes were combined with the setting of Glen’s restaurant, so I’ll do it in just one - wow.
All in all, the people of Enniskillen and those who come to visit it are incredibly lucky to have such a great combination of natural beauty and food experiences on their doorstep.
And on top of that, they are lucky to have people like Barry and Mark there to tell the stories of those behind it.
