Competition, drama, office rivalries and serious craic at Ireland’s amazing Lakelands

Five of us went to the Lakelands last week. No-one in the office likes us anymore.

There are one or two reasons for that.

One: whilst the rest of them sat in the office doing actual work, we were whisked away on an activity-filled holiday by Discover Ireland.

Two: whilst the rest of them sat in the office doing actual work, we were mucking around rivers, doing watersports, riding horses, sliding on zip lines.

Okay, there are a few more reasons.

Three: whilst the rest of them sat in the office doing actual work, we were uploading incessant photos of what a great time we were having and how well we were being treated by the good people of Leitrim and Roscommon.

Four: still, whilst the rest of them sit in the office doing actual work, we haven’t stopped talking about the Lakelands and what a great time we had.

Five: The bond that our intrepid quintet have since formed together is turning stomachs all over SportsJOE headquarters.

Anything remotely involved to what we were doing – you know, like someone having a sip of water –  is now met with a a cool Fun Fact about Leitrim which ‘I bet you didn’t know.’

But, honestly, the craic was mighty, the activities intense, and the five Maximum Media boys and girls have formed a beautiful friendship over the head of one little trip to Leitrim.

We’re actually talking about organising a reunion trip. Although I’m not sure if I was told that just to be appeased.

Two days of wall-to-wall activities – which I won of course (the man told me so) – and we were pretty much goosed. Here’s what went down in the Lakelands when the JOEs and Hers landed.

Paddle-boarding

Simple enough, right?

It’s just a board. Get on it. Paddle.

It seems simple until JOE.ie and SportsJOE.ie are pitted together in the same river and all those unspoken office rivalries soon come to the surface.

That’s before Conor Heneghan is quickly sent crashing beneath the surface again in a Gladiator-esque duel*.

*Do not try this at home.

You get out of Paddle-boarding what you put in to it. You can basically race up through Leitrim, jump in and out of the water or let the breeze glide you serenely through a beautiful village.

Check out Leitrim Surf Company to get this sorted for yourself. If you can handle it. Conor couldn’t.

Cruising

Cool Fun Fact about Leitrim: Did you know (this genuinely happens now) that you can rent and drive a boat… without a licence?

I'll take it! #thisisLIVING @discoverirl pic.twitter.com/BO5Ad12foz

— Conán Doherty (@ConanDoherty) August 20, 2015

We set sail with Carrick Craft – which, to Megan Cassidy’s surprise, was not an arts and crafts gig – and we headed south.

(To nowhere really, just until we ran out of time and had to turn around to make our next appointment)

https://instagram.com/p/6z-D0QmMWZ/?taken-by=conandoherty

What a way to get around on a holiday though.

And, hey, don’t worry if you happen to drop your car keys to the bottom of a 20-foot deep river (only a JOE.ie swine would do that) because Carrick Craft’s captain Charlie will fetch them using only rope and magnet. Yep, that actually happened.

A real-life miracle.

Boda Borg

This is the one thing that almost broke us and I’d frankly rather not talk about.

Imagine a Crystal Maze-type scenario. Now imagine all the different mental and physical challenges you want to try and get out of a room and advance to the next level.

Now imagine five fully-grown adults at logger-heads trying to figure out what the hell we’re doing wrong whilst kids waltz right past us and seemingly pass the challenges with ease.

This will definitely bring you together. But it will definitely test your team spirit. Especially when the girls you take with you clearly have problems with catching the sort of rhythm needed for the Step Up challenge…

Zip-lining

It’s high.

https://twitter.com/s0phie_white/status/634474488948723713

If you absolutely love heights, this is probably for you.

But be warned: heights are high.

Honestly.

Speed-boating

It’s fast.

Lough Key – where the zip-lining and Boda Borg took place – is some spot and we even got to try our hand at a bit of speed-boating which, if you know nothing about the water, involves a lot of foolish turns that lead you over the same waves you created yourself.

Bring a spare pair of underwear.

Some just looked more natural behind the wheel than others.

.@conorheneghan1 wind in his hair, wheel in his hands, ladies swooning @discoverirl #thisisLIVING pic.twitter.com/bNExbiZcxS

— Conán Doherty (@ConanDoherty) August 20, 2015

Eating

My motto in life is: Make sure you eat.

Especially when you have a packed day of sport and activities behind you.

The Oarsman in Carrick-on-Shannon has it all. Service, atmosphere, interior and the nicest man in the world playing some delightful guitar.

Oh, and it has food – which is always a plus in my book when it comes to restaurants. Ridiculously good food.

Eating like champions after a packed day at @TheOarsman in Carrick. @discoverirl #thisisLIVING pic.twitter.com/po2WtHCx3b

— Conán Doherty (@ConanDoherty) August 20, 2015

And sure look at how happy we are. Even video guy Colm who was basically the only man working on those two days.

Drinking

Just up the street, classy establishment The Barrel Store kept the night swinging before Lough Key House provided shelter for the most important activity of the day: sleeping.

Mining

https://twitter.com/s0phie_white/status/634692661102923776

What do you want to know? We took a tour of the Arigna Mines. We know everything there is to know about coal now.

Almost everything.

Horse-riding

Any day you get to hop on a horse called Zulu, you know it’s going to be a good day.

Warning lads: when they start picking up the pace, it will hurt a little.

But, hey, I went from being afraid to pet a horse on the nose to basically doing everything but actually being given the Grand National title.

Don't worry about it @SportsJOEdotie, we have an AP McCoy amongst us. #ManeMan #thisisLIVING @DiscoverIRL pic.twitter.com/HlCPjkqGrD

— Conán Doherty (@ConanDoherty) August 21, 2015

Strokestown Park

Honestly, as tours go, this is just bloody brilliant.

From a house stuck in time that will bring you right back to the days we had Barons and Baronesses living the life of royalty, you can actually go right into the lives of a completely different – physically in their household.

The tour is fascinating and goes right through The Great Famine and life in Strokestown at such a tragic time in Irish history.

But, if you have been to Boda Borg before this tour and haven’t survived it, be careful because there are unbelievable antiques lying around the house that could just lend itself to a bubbling office rivalry.

https://twitter.com/meganmcassidy/status/634785543268773888

But, of course, if you’re trying to do a simple debrief of your trip in front of the camera, make sure you give yourself plenty of time.

Get to the Lakelands, you’ll not regret it.

We’re going back just to get around everything else we never managed to. Right guys?

Guys?

For your chance to win an action-packed trip to the Lakelands for you and three of your pals, enter our Discover Ireland competition here. For more information on Lakelands Adventures visit Discover Ireland.