Walking To the Foot of the Sky

Always in the darkness that seems to follow me like a cloud, there's a tiny kernel of daring hope. Rising within me, radiating out from my core is a desire I cannot quiet or ignore. I need to escape, to be somewhere that is completely immersive. Mountains. Quiet. Solitude. Water. I crave being up on a height, with the world and its obligations humming far below me in the distance. A powerful, life-affirming memoir of grit, hope and rediscovery. When the weight of single parenthood and relentless responsibilities threatened to crush her spirit, one woman chose to walk - a line across Ireland, from the Shannon's shimmering waters to the wild edges of Roscommon and Leitrim. Alone, but never truly on her own, she found connection, courage and a new sense of self. This is the story of an odyssey: more than a thousand kilometres on foot through Ireland's most breathtaking landscapes, swimming in every stretch of the Shannon and spending nights in everything from stunning hideaways to rough roadside beds. Along the way she encountered strangers, reconnected with old friends and experienced the enduring kindness of meitheal - the Irish tradition of community help. Through rain and sun, guilt and freedom, exhaustion and exhilaration, she followed a line of desire and determination. What began as an escape became a transformation: a woman piecing herself back together, like stained glass - every shard bound by love, nature and resilience.