Time out with Wild Irish Wanderer Kevin Penrose
With almost five million likes on TikTok and 22.4k followers on Instagram, Kevin Penrose is probably better known online by his handle @WildIrishWanderer. Around two years ago he decided to take his social media life a little more seriously, a move that allows him to mix doing what he loves with creating travel content - though he never expected it would reach so many people.
“I am very appreciative,” the Co. Tyrone native says. “My goal from the beginning was to showcase my travels across Ireland and inspire people to explore what they have so close to home and this still stands today. I feel now is only just the beginning and I have so much more I want to achieve with Wild Irish Wanderer.”
He takes Siobhán Breatnach on a tour of his favourite spots.
What’s the best place you’ve discovered on your travels in Ireland?
There are so many places that come to mind. A lot more comes into it than just the location, for example the weather, who I am with, time of day. So, with that in mind I would have to say Mount Errigal in Co. Donegal. It’s a place I have always loved hiking and recently I hiked it for sunrise - we were so lucky with what we witnessed. The clouds came in but we were able to still get the sunrise from above them. It was unbelievable. Mount Errigal is a place that, no matter what the weather, is truly spectacular.
Where does your love of the great outdoors come from?
Ever since I was little, I was always outdoors and had a sense of adventure. I went to university in Liverpool and worked in America for many summers on and off so I was always exploring. I
renalldy feel like I didn’t appreciate what Ireland had to offer until I returned and I have been exploring ever since.
What’s your idea of the perfect holiday?
It would have to be a road trip with some friends, stopping off on different spots along the way. I would make sure we hiked, catch the sunrise and sunset, explore the beaches, go swimming, camp out. Exploring many of the great spots we love like Slieve League, The Giant’s Causeway, Cliffs of Moher but also discovering new places … oh and sampling some of the black stuff (Guinness) along the way.
Where’s on your bucket list?
Right now, for Ireland I really want to travel to Kerry and climb Carrauntoohil - as it’s the highest peak in Ireland, I would love to tick it off the list, preferably at sunrise or sunset. In the world, my list is endless, as I haven’t done a lot of travelling. I do have plans to travel to Bali, hopefully at the end of this year and once I am there, I will be sure to travel to many different countries.
Where’s your favourite place to hike?
So many places, each of them for many different reasons. One I have really loved is Mweelrea in Co.Mayo. This was the longest hike I have ever done (7-8 hours) and I was completely out in the wild by myself. It was amazing. Again, the weather made it so much better as I had views of Croagh Patrick, the surrounding areas in Mayo and amazing views of Connemara in Galway. It was very challenging mentally and physically but once I reach the peak, I feel euphoric every time.
Beach or mountains?
Mountains for sure. I love beaches too but mountains have that edge as they have so much to offer from viewpoints, lakes, caves and secret waterfalls. It’s basically an adventurer’s playground and I never get sick of them.
Where’s the best place to go wild in Ireland?
Donegal is always a good place. You have all the main spots along the way but there is so much ground left to cover all across Donegal. One place I feel a real sense of wilderness is An Port – it’s so recluse and away from everyone.
What other travel influencers do you admire?
Two I have been following for years are Christian Leblanc (@LostLeblanc) and Sam Kolder (@SamKolder) both for travel and photo/video. They really know how to capture each place they visit and put it across perfectly to their followers. In Ireland there are so many I love, just for the common goal of creating content of their travels and showcasing what our country has to offer. They are always up for meeting and going on adventures, which makes it that bit easier to explore. These include Marius Monaghan (@mariusmonaghan), Laura Barton (@live.adventure.travel), Niall Kelly (@NiallKelly), Joshua Nueva (@Joshuanueva) and Tony Smith (@ Tonytravels10_). There is a growing community here in Ireland, emerging over the past year, which is amazing to see.