Meandering rivers, romantic lakes, ruined monasteries and gently rolling countryside – the Midlands have their own distinctive charm. Barges laden with freight used to ply the many waterways, nowadays it is cruisers bearing holidaymakers. Among the many sights along the Shannon are rare birds and the ruins of abandoned monasteries.

The Midlands are rich in mystical sites and holy springs that testify to ancient Celtic polytheism. The region used to be the intellectual and cultural centre of Ireland. Bats have taken up residence in many of the ruins. Bat expert Conor Kelleher goes hunting for them in an old abbey.

The rolling countryside is also home to plenty of horses. Ireland has more horses per person than any other European country. The annual Ballinasloe horse fair is one of the oldest and largest in Europe. Miley Cash is a horse dealer and the grand old man of the fair. He often buys more than eighty horses each year and sells most of them to customers in England and France.

Nature is reclaiming the land at the Lough Boora Parklands, where peat had been cut for many years. The diverse habitats are home to lapwing, Irish hares and insect-eating plants.

Subscribe to wocomoTRAVEL: https://goo.gl/tIk2Qc
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wocomo

The three-part series "Three Shades of Green" explores the rugged, the fertile and the gentle sides of Ireland. The ocean, rain, bogs – water determines everything in Ireland. Its people have adapted to the changeable weather and the diverse landscapes. We meet prawners and gardeners, cheesemakers and sea anglers, seaweed cooks, horse dealers, bat researchers and peat cutters. We also find many different species of animal along the rocky coast, on the moors and in the mountains. If you look closely, a world of wonders reveals itself.

© 2012, licensed by Autentic