Set your own challenge at Lough Derg

There’s never been a better time to visit Lough Derg. Always an ideal spot for an action-packed trip, the local town of Dromineer plays host to the GUL Fireball World Championship and Irish National Championship later this month.

Selected by the Irish Times as one of Ireland's top 20 destinations. The adventure playground is perfect for a Blueway adventurer with trails to suit all levels, a world sailing championship and a Quest challenge. Whatever your pace, you can test your skills in Ireland’s stunning heartland.

Running from 18-26 August, the Fireball Championship attracts sailors from across the world to race high performance two person dinghies and brings a real party atmosphere to the area with a week-long activity programme. The competition allows sailors with all levels of experience to take part in the tough racing on the water and the great social atmosphere on shore.

If you love the water but aren’t Fireball material, you can canoe or kayak along miles of leafy Blueways, or hire a cruiser with built in accommodation and a perfect view of the competition.

And you can train up and sign up for the mighty Quest triathlon in September where you can run along the area’s stunning waterways, kayak open waters of Lough Derg and cycle through forests and country roads.

There is plenty of great accommodation around Lough Derg, from family centred hotels and cosy B&Bs to campsites by the water, so you can base yourself where it suits while you explore the area. All around the lake are stunning little towns and villages with fabulous local produce and a typically warm Tipperary welcome.

With 160km of Blueway trails, you can explore the shoreline, forests and hills around Lough Derg, and hang out in laid back towns like Killaloe and Ballina.

Sinead Cahalan, Tourism Marketing Officer with Tipperary Tourism said: “We’re delighted to welcome this exciting championship to our doorstep which will bring an extra buzz to an already action-packed area.

Lough Derg Yacht Club (LDYC) was formed in 1835, making it one of the oldest in this country, and the landscape provides the perfect course for international championships.

Outdoor experiences play a massive part in holiday itineraries here in Ireland. The Fireball Championship is a great event to plan a trip to Tipp around offering a cost efficient, family friendly, outdoors experience suitable for all ages and capabilities. The Lough Derg Blueway is yours to explore and enjoy. You can do it your way – by canoe, paddle board, under sail, by bicycle or by foot.”