Enniskillen and the Fermanagh Lakelands have been named as one of the ‘20 Best Places to Holiday in Ireland 2022’ and is in the running for the overall title following the publication of the long list of contenders at the weekend.

The region was one of hundreds of locations which were nominated by close to 1,200 people from across the 32 counties for the title. Enniskillen and the Fermanagh Lakelands, one of seven regions selected from all over Ireland for the ‘Best 20’ – received two nominations.

The Irish Times ‘Best Place to Holiday in Ireland’ competition, which is being run in association with Fáilte Ireland, began at the end of April when members of the public were invited to nominate their favourite place to holiday for the award. The competition last took place in 2013 with the Loop Head Peninsula in County Clare emerging as the eventual winner.

As on that occasion, each of the nominated locations in this year’s competition was considered by a panel of judges on a range of criteria including natural amenities, built environment, sustainability, tourism services, diversity, a welcome for visitors, transport links, accommodation supply, cost and of course the X factor.

The panel of five judges which includes Nadia El Ferdaoussi, travel blogger; Trevor White, director of the Little Museum of Dublin; Cillian Murphy, county councillor from Loop Head, the 2013 winner; and Rosita Boland, Irish Times journalist – spent hours reading and debating the entries, before selecting the ‘Best 20’.

The judges said the Fermanagh Lakelands, which offer visitors mellow and tranquil scenery, have a deserved reputation for natural beauty but are often overlooked as a tourist destination. And they pointed out that Enniskillen with its wide variety of quality accommodation and restaurants is an excellent base to explore the surrounding area for walking, cycling, golfing, and boating enthusiasts.

The Chair of the Judging Panel, Conor Goodman from The Irish Times said the entries from people all over the island showcased the excellent quality and variety of holiday locations available here.

“While the competition is a celebration of the many great holiday destinations this country has to offer, it also has a serious mission. As well as highlighting areas of natural beauty, we want to see which locations offer the best overall visitor experience, have a wide range of amenities and where care for the environment is a priority. Cost and value are also key considerations in a summer of rising prices and accommodation shortages across Ireland. In Enniskillen / Fermanagh Lakelands and the other locations named in the ‘Best 20’ – our judges found these elements are very much to the fore as is the desire to create a warm welcome for people of all ages and backgrounds.”

Other northerly locations to be nominated include the Ards Peninsula and Strangford in Co Down, Portrush and the Causeway Coast in Co Antrim, and the Inishowen Peninsula and Bundoran/Rossnowlagh in Co Donegal.

The ‘Best 20’ list includes seven towns, seven regions, three islands, two cities and one lake. Four counties, Donegal, Mayo, Clare, and Galway have two representatives. The five finalists will be named on Friday, July 22 with the overall winner announced a week later on the August Bank Holiday Weekend.

Cork was by some margin the county with the most nominations – 222 – with Donegal next on 133 and Kerry third on 124. County Fermanagh was twentieth with 6 nominations. The counties with the lowest number of nominations were Armagh – just one – and Roscommon with two.

While the number of nominations was a factor in the selection of the 20 holiday locations, the quality of the place itself was the chief consideration.