Dingle Town
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This trip is an introduction to the Dingle Peninsula (Corca
Dhuibhne), starting from Tralee and taking a
figure-of-eight route to see as much of the scenery as
possible and learn something of the history of the
area. |
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Tralee
Tralee is the county town
of Kerry and so is the centre of commerce in the
area. Most people have heard of the annual Rose of
Tralee festival, but there are plenty of other
attractions for a visitor to the town.
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Ashe Memorial Hall,
Tralee |
The Ashe Memorial Hall in
the centre of Tralee houses both the tourist
information centre and the County Museum.
The history of the county from pre-historic times
is on permanent display in the museum.
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Not to be missed is the Geraldine Tralee
Experience, where the visitor is taken on a tour through the streets
of Tralee as they were in 1450, complete with sights, sounds, smells
and a commentary in a language of your choice. |
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The National Folk Theatre
The Siamsa Tire, or National
Folk Theatre started in 1972, and the company now have
their own purpose-built theatre just across the road
from the museum. The performances consist of song,
mime and dance in the traditional style, and play to
packed houses all through the summer months. |
Siamsa Tire
Theatre |
Strange but True ..
One of the pieces in the Siamsa's repertoire is
Clann Lír, adapted from the legend about the four
Children of Lír who were turned into swans by their
wicked step-mother.
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During the interval at one of the performances of this
show, a couple were discussing whether
stories in folk-culture could have their origins in fact. The
gentleman was overheard to say to his wife, "Ya know, honey, I guess
this story really happened some time long ago."
Unfortunately, her reply
could not be overheard! |
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Blennerville
Blennerville Windmill stands
at the mouth of the river, just a little way outside
Tralee. It was a well-known landmark in the days when
many were emigrating from Ireland to seek a better
life on the other side of the ocean, as the emigrant
ships used to leave from here for the New World. The
windmill has recently been restored to full working
order, and guided tours are available. |
Blennerville Windmill |
"All those who are bound for the 'Merickay Line
Be at the Windmill in ten minutes time.
Some will be laughin' and some will be cryin'
And so it will be till the end of time."
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Fuchsia |
Fuchsia
All over the peninsula during the summer
months, the edges of the fields are a mass of red
flowers from the fuchsia, which was introduced for
hedging during the 1930s and has now run wild across
the countryside.
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The Conor Pass
The route from Blennerville passes for a time along
the north coast of the Peninsula, with some fine views
down to the sea. Follow the road on through the
village of Camp and past the turning for Castlegregory,
when the road will turn south and head across the
mountains through the spectacular Conor Pass, with
views of Tralee Bay to the north and Dingle Bay to the
south.
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Conor Pass |
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Dingle
Dingle town has always been
a centre for the local fishing industry, and also a
popular seaside resort. It has lately become famous
for another reason as well. Fifteen years ago, a
wild dolphin swam into the bay, liked what he saw
and decided to stay. Fungie has now started a
tourist industry all of his own, with dolphin
souvenirs in every shop, a dolphin statue outside
the aquarium and dolphin tours leaving every hour
from the harbour.
Up to seven boats at a time, all filled with
holiday-makers, have been seen out in the bay, with
Fungie leaping around among them.
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Boats in Dingle harbour |
As soon as he surfaces to take
a breath, the boats all turn round to give the
passengers a better view, stopping again afterwards
with everybody searching the water to see where he
will come up next.
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Conservationists needn't
worry - he is free to come and go as he pleases, but
with plenty of fish to eat and half the boats of
Dingle trained to come and play with him every day,
the dolphin is having a whale of a time! |
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Ventry, Fahan, Slea Head, Dunmore Head, Dunquin
From Dingle, take the road to
the left along the coast, following the signs for the
Slea Head drive.
Pass through the village of
Ventry, where horse races used to be held on the beach
and where once upon a time Fionn mac Cumhail defeated
the King of France, the King of Spain and the King of
the World in a fierce battle (or so the story goes).
At Fahan, just before Slea
Head, there is an iron age promontory fort on the
coastal side of the road and a community of
beehive huts scattered over the hillside on the
other.
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Dunmore Head
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Past Slea Head now, where two
ships of the Spanish Armada sank in 1588 and two
others narrowly escaped the same fate.
On past Dunmore Head, with the
Blasket Islands coming into view across Blasket
Sound, to see the harbour at Dunquin at the foot
of a steep cliff.
This used to be the landing
place for the curraghs from the Blaskets, in the
days before the islands were evacuated, and
visitors can take a boat trip over to the islands
from here.
In the distance is the Blasket
Centre, with tourist information and restaurant.
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The
Harbour at Dunquin |
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The Blasket Islands
The last inhabitants left the Great Blasket in 1952,
leaving behind hundreds of years of history of a once
thriving island community. The Blasket Centre at
Dunquin has a fascinating exhibition of what life was
like on the islands at one time. |
The Blasket Islands
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The Great Blasket Island and exhibits at the Blasket
Centre |
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Gallarus Oratory
After leaving Dunquin,
continue following the signs for the Slea Head Drive and then for
Gallarus Oratory. |
Gallarus Oratory |
This early monastic
building dates from the 8th century and is a
striking example of dry stone building. It is said
that church buildings of this type were modelled on
earlier ones made of wood, shaped like an upturned
boat.
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Note the corbelled roof,
built without mortar, each course of stones held in place by its own
weight. |
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Annascaul
From Gallarus, take the road back to Dingle and
from here keep to the coastal route through the
little village of Annascaul.
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Annascaul River |
If time
permits, take a road to the left at the signpost for
Annascaul Lake.
Although this is a narrow, rough road, the view of
the lake at the end of it, hidden away in a steep
valley among the mountains, is well worth the trouble. |
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The
Antarctic Explorer
Passing through Annascaul, you will notice a blue
and white building on the left-hand side of the road. This is the
South Pole Inn, built by Tom Crean, the Antarctic explorer. Born in
Gortacurrane in 1877, Tom Crean enlisted in the Royal Navy in 1893
after leaving Annascaul aboard a boat from Minard, Annascaul to Cobh,
Co Cork and then on to England.
In December 1901 he
volunteered to join the British National Antarctic
Expedition led by Commander R F Scott RN, and
served in the Discovery, remaining in the
Antarctic until 1904.
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The South Pole Inn,
Annascaul |
In
1910, Crean was selected for the British Antarctic
Expedition, setting sail on the Terra Nova as a petty
officer.
He was in the final supporting group to Scott's
party of five who reached the South Pole in 1912.
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In 1914, Crean joined the Imperial
Trans-Atlantic Expedition led by Sir Ernest Shackleton. When their
ship was crushed in ice, Crean was in the party chosen by Shackleton
to sail from Elephant Island to South Georgia aboard a 23 foot
lifeboat. They later returned to Elephant Island, saving the lives
of all those they had left behind.
Crean retired from the Royal Navy in 1920 and
returned to his village of Annascaul, where he opened the "South
Pole Inn". He died in 1938 after a short illness and is buried in
Ballinacorty graveyard. |
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The Strand at Inch |
Inch
Still keeping to the coast, the next stop is the
village of Inch. Its Irish name, Inis, means island,
but it is really a sandy peninsula reaching out into
Dingle bay. A Blue Flag beach with a lifeguard in
attendance, Inch is popular for bathing and
windsurfing. |
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