‘The Stairway to Heaven’ walk. Photo / Alexia Santamaria
History, nature and Irish charm collide in Ireland’s only ‘island town’, the delightful Enniskillen. Alexia Santamaria reveals why it’s worth a visit.
It’s difficult to say precisely what a young Oscar Wilde might have contemplated as he gazed out the windows of Portora Royal School in Enniskillen. What we do know is that his eyes often lingered on Cole’s Monument – a view that apparently inspired the famous tale of The Happy Prince (yes, the same Happy Prince that a certain age group of us will remember from the Sunday morning 1080 kids club on the radio).
As boarding school views go, it must have been pretty gorgeous – staring out over Lough Erne at Ireland’s only island town when lessons got boring, that broad glassy surface of the river reflecting the crisp Northern Irish sky. Maybe he marvelled at the beautiful grey stone of Enniskillen Castle, or the slate rooftops of the town stretching out in a pretty patchwork. He may have been mesmerised by the soft green hills rolling out toward the horizon or the swans and boats leaving soft trails in the water. Enniskillen looks a bit like a watercolour that’s somehow come to life – it’s no wonder its beauty inspired some of the world’s literary greats (Samuel Beckett was also a student at Portora).
Wilde’s residency – now famously celebrated with a trail of 150 gold-leaf swallows dotted all around the town – is only part of what makes this town’s history so fascinating. From the legend of Cethlenn, the fierce warrior of Irish mythology who was apparently struck by an arrow and tried to swim across the River Erne to escape (giving the town its name), through the sieges by the English and the Maguire chieftains, its rise as a bustling market town in the 18th century, the trials of World War II and ‘The Troubles’ in the 1980s – to its present-day status as a vibrant cultural and tourist destination, Enniskillen has many tales to tell.
There’s no way you’d imagine the conflicts of the past if you visited today. Life in Enniskillen in 2025 is easy-breezy, relaxed and friendly. Everything revolves around the water – people stroll by the river, canoe on it, cruise down it, and walk their dogs by it, stopping to catch up on the gossip with other animated locals. An excellent way to explore the waterways is with Erne Water Taxi’s Island Discovery, a fully electric vessel that glides soundlessly around the island – so soundlessly, in fact, they sometimes have to make noise so the resident ducks and swans move out of the way.
You can even have high tea on board, munching on dainty sandwiches and cakes while hearing fascinating tales of the town’s history. It’s hard to say what’s better – time slowing down as you glide gently past leafy river banks, the stoic silhouette of the Castle and moss-streaked arched stone bridges – or listening to the craic unfolding on board. Our whole group was in fits listening to our guide recall the arrival of the Catalina flying boats in the area during the war, and with it “gorgeous hunky Americans who made Irish ladies swoon and ignore their local small red-faced pig farmers”.
And just when you think you have the measure of this charming town in County Fermanagh, it pulls out some crazy surprise from leftfield. The stone buildings, the castle, the cobbled streets, the old pubs are enchanting but somewhat expected – but drive just 20 minutes down the road and you can be doing yoga in a 330 million-year-old cave – didn’t see that one coming. It was utterly glorious mastering our warrior poses amidst rippled limestone walls bearing the marks of thousands of years of erosion, with the rumble of rushing water as a soundtrack.
The Marble Arch Caves are part of the Cuilcagh Lakelands Unesco Geopark, and just a few minutes from the caves themselves is the Cuilcagh Legnabrocky Trail, known as the Stairway to Heaven, a wooden boardwalk that takes you right to the summit of Cuilcagh Mountain. It’s a stunning walk (there may have been some mild whingeing through the final ascent, but that was soon forgotten when we were looking out over the sweeping vista of wild moorland, ragged outcrops, mirror-like lakes and rolling hills from the top). The ultimate reward afterwards is a visit to Florence Court Estate, its beautiful rambling gardens and lunch at the charming historic Tully Mill, an 18th-century corn mill-turned-restaurant.
You can get active on the water too – canoeing round the island is a wonderful way to experience Enniskillen. Coming from New Zealand, we’re obviously no strangers to watercraft and spectacular views, but this isn’t about dripping ponga ferns and misty waterfalls. This paddle takes you under stone bridges, past houseboats, through narrow waterways with emerald foliage trailing in the water – and up close and personal with the local birdlife. It’s definitely the first time I’ve canoed past a 600-year-old castle.
Of course, you need to see the castle, its museum, the cathedral – all such key parts of the town’s history, But one of the best ways to really experience Enniskillen may be on a walking food tour. Again this town pulls a few unexpected surprises – Joe the Baker from San Francisco and his sourdough you’d sell your Nan for, a tasting from Boatyard Distillery who make gin served in The Savoy and Claridges in London, fresh scones with jam at the historic Buttermarket, locally made sausages and a fine Amber IPA in one of County Fermanagh’s oldest pubs (complete with official Game of Thrones door). And the craic, always the craic, a huge part of the charm of meandering your way around Northern Ireland – the banter, the laughter, the warm buzz of voices rising over a pint, the twinkle in the eye of our guide spinning his cheeky yarns as we taste our way around this wonderful island.
And that’s perhaps why Enniskillen sneaks under your skin – sure, it’s a town rich in history and natural beauty, but it’s the everyday warmth of a proud local people that will linger long after you’ve returned home. It’s not just about the attractions themselves, but the fact that every conversation and every interaction seems to come with a smile and a story – whether you’re gliding across the calm waters of Lough Erne, standing in the cool hush of a limestone cave, following the trail of Wilde’s golden swallows, or raising a glass in a centuries-old pub. It’s easy to see how this verdant, picturesque town could spark the imagination of one of the world’s most famous authors and poets – and how everyone who visits, leaves with their own stories to tell.
The writer was hosted by Tourism Ireland.