Things to do in Dingle?

rachibear

I am taking the parents over to Dingle for 2 days mid July. Can anyone tell me if Dingle has anything happening and any nice touristy places and things to do?

Whitehawk

Lots of the black stuff (guinness)

oakshade

Dingle is lovely - nice town to walk around, lovely shops, the harbor etc. I also liked the aquarium, well worth while (and not just for kids). Two recommended drives are the 'slegh head' (think thats how you spell it) which is around the Dingle peninsula, the 'blasket visitor center' is worth a stop during this. Also the drive to tralee via the 'connor pass' has some of the most fantastic scenery i have ever seen.

Enjoy it (are you staying the the skellig? - great hotel).

byhookorbycrook

The town is pretty and nice for a browse.
Fentons is my favourite dinner spot. The Goat street cafe is nice for lunch.A boat out to see Fungie is lovely if the weather is good.
If you don't mind a bit of rough ground, you can see him for free by following the coastal path in front of the Skellig hotel.

Murphy's Icecream is divine!!The beautiful Harry Clarke stained glass windows in the old convent chapel-now the "Diseart" are worth a visit.The Dingle bookshop nearby is good for a browse, as is thesmall music shop across the road. The best places for local crafts is the "small gallery" -on the top of main street.

My favourite pubs are Foxy Johns and Currans on main street. The Droichead Beag and Flahertys have music sessions most nights.


My ultimate Slea Head trip
Leave Dingle as signposted for Slea head. About 3 miles out, you will see a sign to the left for Colaiste Íde stables. Follow this left turn and then drive down the avenue (again a left turn) to see the collection of Ogham stones and tree ferns gathered by Lord Ventry (the big house where they once lived is now a girls' boarding school)
Back on the main road, you should really get our for a stroll on Ventry beach, scene of the historic battle between the Fianna and The King of the world -there's a small car park right by the beach.
http://www.dingle-peninsula.ie/ventry/v-history.html
The little pottery (The Bradán Feasa) does mugs with names on, might be nice presents for someone. It has a small cafe too,but for me the big attraction is the paintings on Irish history on the walls..
Back on the road, just a bit up from the pottery, the main road winds to the left, take the right fork (careful, it's a bit blind) and drive up the road to see Rathinane Castle, a brooding ruin built inside an ancient fort.
Ok, back down the road to Ventry again, rejoin the main road. This will bring you to the little church and Paidí o Se's pub( former Kerry Gaelic footballer)
Not a fan of the place,but there are lots of interesting photos to see.
Continue on the main road, go to Dunbeg and the beehives.
On the road you will see that a stream runs across the road. Just beyond this is a carpark on the left. Pull in for a minute here, just below the wall here was where the "house" Tom Cruise "lived in " in the film "Far and Away" -nothing remains though!!
On again and most people stop at the crucifix to take in their first proper view of the islands and Dunmore head. Watch out for cheeky seagulls!
On again, you'll see a building on the left, Tig Slea Head,also a cafe and has Irish goods on sale (it belongs to Quills who also own Strand street house) To your left you will see the beautiful beach of Com uí Neoil.Lovely to walk on, but not safe for swimming. It was used for the gun-running scene in "Ryan's daughter." The hill before you is Dunmore head, you might choose to walk it.

Back on the road, on to a wider stretch(new road, the old one, close to the cliff fell into the sea. )The graveyard here is the burial place of the reknowned author Peig Sayers.As you drive on you will see the sign to the ferry on your left,even if you choose not to go to into the island ,keep your eyes peeled to the left and you will see a monument to the Spainish Armada ships that were lost in the area.
Back on the road, keep your eyes out for a little road to your right. This was the old road to Ventry and it's worth driving up to the top of the hill for the stunning views out to the Iveragh pennisula on one side and the Blaskets on the other.Turn around, down the hill ,trun right onto the main road again.You will come shortly to a four cross roads. The right fork will take you to the little Catholic church,the rather rough burial ground is the burial place of the "Island man" Tomas o Criothainn ,whose statue you will see outside the Blasket Centre.
The Ionad (centre) is excellent- and I usually hate these places. The bookshop at the entrance is run by the man who owns th excellent bookshop , An Cafe Lithertha in town.There's food to be had here, but I'd skip it for a minute.
Back on the main road, a few hundred yards along, the road winds ot the right. If you pull into the little lane on the left(don't block gates) you can see the "schoolhouse" built for Ryans Daughter. There is also a tiny holy well here dedicated to St Gobnait.The hill you see to your right was where the Ryan's Daughter village was built and then dismantled, all that is left is the stony surface of what was the street.
You will be driving inland for a small bit, but as you approach the sea again, you really must pull into the left to take the view, down to Ferriter's cove and Clothar beach-both unsafe for swimming. The rough tracks parallell to the road here is where the Far and Away village was-and also where the scene from Ryan's Daughter where they wait for the bus was shot.
By now, it must be lunch time and the wonderful Tigh Aine is worth the stop, for the view alone-and of course the Murphy's Ice-cream. The view from Clothair beach out to the island known as "An Fear marbh" -the dead man or the Sleeping Giant is fantastic and the crash of the waves on the beach is almost hypnotic. Back to the road, you will see the Louis Mulchahy pottery ,with its tradmark Fuschia design,again worth a look.
Back on the road, you move inland, away to your left you will see the holiday homes and golf course at Dun an oir (The fort of gold).
If you fancy it, drive down to the fort itself, slippy and not for the fainthearted, but you can see it from the carpark.
Back to main road, you come to Ballyferriter. There is a small museum here,there is a large carved stone in front of it-except it's made of fibre glass-and was used in Ryan's Daughter. Continue on, you will come to a t-junction, the right turn will bring you back to Ventry,your left turn will take you to Riasc, where you will find the pub Soonas talked of- Brics ,stp here, have a coffee or pint and listen to the locals talk irish. Beyone the pub, the narrow road to your right brings you to theremains of Riasc monastery.
Back down to the mainroad, you will find a turn to the left -the hotel here would not be on my list.This turn will take you to another t junction(there's a campsite in front of you. ) Skip the first "entrance" and drive up the narrow road to the free parking-and down to the oratory. If you feel brave on narrow roads, keep on this little lane and it will bring you to another pottery.
http://www.sineadloughceramics.com/
If you take this route, at the top of the hill after the pottery you will turn left and soon come to Kilmalkeader.If courage fails, go back to the main road, turn right, you will pass the local Gaelic football ground home to the Gaeltacht team. Follow the road around to the right and turn right up by the shop and you will come to Kilmalkedar
Be sure to climb through the narrow window at the back of the old church as it is said that anyone who does so will go straight to heaven when they die!The tall stone in the graveyard with a hole through it was a marriage stone, each party stood at a different side of th stone and put their index fingers through the hole, as the fingers met, the couple were declared married!
Back down the hill and turn right, you will pass through Carrig with its church and shop and follow on this road towads Feothanach. You descend a hill with a sharp bend right, at the t-junction by the Cuinne pub,turn left and then right, follow this road and you will come to a cross roads signposted for Cuas.Drive down this road to your left and you will see a monument to St Brendan, who was supposed to have sailed from this litttle inlet to discover America. Walk down to the little pier, there is a special athmosphere here. The mountain of Brandon towers over you, it may be climbed from this side but is usually climbed from the other side.
Back up to the cross roads and keep straight on,you will rejoin the main road, turn left and this will bring you back to the roundabout outside of Dingle.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/GoListDetail-i19854-Dingle_Town_and_the_Slea_Head_Drive.html
http://www.dinglerestaurants.com/fentons.html

Feardorca

I brought some Americans there in April stayed at a Hotel at the Harbour close to a great pub for food and the black stuff ( don't suppose I can mention the Hotel name and Pub). The Blasket centre was a great hit, we spent 3 hours there, as there are lots of very interesting exhibits and a Blasket movie. The two night stay was a great success.

rachibear

absolutely fantastic guys, and hookerbycrooker you have basically made my trip!! Thankyou so much, cannot wait to get there now. It sounds beautiful!!

byhookorbycrook

You're welcome. Dingle is one of my favourite places in the world. I try to get there as often as I can.Where will you be staying?

rachibear

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

You're welcome. Dingle is one of my favourite places in the world. I try to get there as often as I can.Where will you be staying?

I am planning on booking a night in the lantern town house. Apparently its right in the centre of dingle town and the rates seem reasonable too. We will probably go to the places you mentioned before...how long a trip would that be overall roughly?