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Dingle & Slea Head tour
Our Dingle & Slea Head tour introduces you to the Dingle Peninsula with its rugged Atlantic coastline and is scattered with forts, dry stone walls, and pre-historic huts such as the Gallarus Oratory. Irish heritage is maintained in this Irish (Gaelic) speaking region including traditional music. Dingle is famous for its spectacular scenery, the peninsula also supports both a rare and unique assortment of flora and fauna. Slea Head is the most westerly point in Europe, looking towards America. There are splendid views around Slea Head, especially of the Blasket Islands and the scattered rocks.
The Great Blasket island, was evacuated in the 1950’s, and produced a number of books in Irish – a best-seller, translated as 20 Years A Growing by Maurice O’ Sullivan, and a masterpiece, The Island man by Thomas O’Crohan. In this century some 60 books, mostly in Irish, have been written in the immediate area.
The Dingle countryside is also famous for the making of film Ryan’s Daughter. The film Far and Away was also made here.
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Ancient Dingle Peninsula
Ring forts of the Dingle Peninsula
The Dingle Peninsula has an incredibly rich archaeology with ring forts and beehive huts in many locations. Cathair a Bhoghasin consists of a circular, stone walled enclosure, approximately 29m in diameter. Originally the home of a Gaelic noble or wealthy farmer, it has stood sentinel over this area more than a 1000 years. Dunbeg, a promontory fort from the Iron Age is one of the more well-known in the area, and is located close to the impressive Fahan group, a collection of prehistoric beehive huts or Clocháns located on the Slea Head Drive.
Ancient dingle Peninsula
Ring forts on the Dingle Peninsula
The Dingle Peninsula has an incredibly rich archaeology with ring forts and beehive huts in many locations. Cathair a Bhoghasin consists of a circular, stone walled enclosure, approximately 29m in diameter. Originally the home of a Gaelic noble or wealthy farmer, it has stood sentinel over this area more than a 1000 years. Dunbeg, a promontory fort from the Iron Age is one of the more well-known in the area, and is located close to the impressive Fahan group, a collection of prehistoric beehive huts or Clocháns located on the Slea Head Drive.
A Story to tell
The Blasket Islands
The most westerly group of islands in Europe, the Blaskets, Na Blascaodaí, are a wild archipelago teeming with wildlife such as seals, puffins and sea birds along with whales and dolphins. The Great Blasket itself has been home to a small population since at least 1597 and relinquished its last inhabitants in 1953 after the ravages of emigration took its young people to distant shores. The Blaskets are famous for the it great writers, including Peig Sayers, Tomás Ó Criomhthain and Muiris Ó Súilleabháín who wrote about life on these remote outposts off the coast of West Kerry.
A story to tell
The Blasket Islands
The most westerly group of islands in Europe, the Blaskets, Na Blascaodaí, are a wild archipelago teeming with wildlife such as seals, puffins and sea birds along with whales and dolphins. The Great Blasket itself has been home to a small population since at least 1597 and relinquished its last inhabitants in 1953 after the ravages of emigration took its young people to distant shores. The Blaskets are famous for the it great writers, including Peig Sayers, Tomás Ó Criomhthain and Muiris Ó Súilleabháín who wrote about life on these remote outposts off the coast of West Kerry.
Other attractions on your tour of Dingle
Dingle Town
Dingle town is a bustling little port town full of lively pubs and renowned restaurants serving the freshest of seafood. The town has plenty to entertain the family from trips to see Fungi the Dingle Dolphin, to the Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium, to visiting the Dingle Distillery, plenty for all!
Gallarus Oratory
The little oratory of Gallarus in Ballydavid dates back to the 7th or 8th century and is the best preserved early Christian church in Ireland. Using ‘corballing, a technique first developed by Neolithic tomb makers, the stones in the oratory were laid at an angle to allow rainwater to run off.
Dunquin Pier
The iconic Dunquin, Dún Chaoin, pier is the traditional access point to the Blasket Islands and is accessed by a steep, winding path, the subject of many a photographic portrait. Above the pier sits a memorial to the many sailors of the Spanish Armada who lost their lives closeby.
The Blasket Centre
The Blasket Centre is a cultural museum dedicated to telling the many stories of island life, from fishing, farming, transport, home life, housing, entertainment and more. The centre also celebrates the incredible literary legacy of the Great Blasket.