Sunday, January 8, 2012

Dingle

Day 1
Having spent the night in Kinvara, we woke up ready to head out to the Aran Islands, the Gaelic-speaking islands off the West coast of Ireland. We went to Inish Oirr, the smallest of the three, and took the Happy Hooker from the city of Doolin (make sure to book ferry rides ahead of time) out to Inis Oirr, from which you could then continue on to the larger islands, which we didn't have time to do. Spend some time here and rent a bike, ride around the island, see the ruins and thatch houses, then have some lunch at the local pub, Tigh Ned, where you may see a spontaneous table dance!

We didn't spend the night here, however, although would have enjoyed the slower pace and relaxation had we had 4 weeks as opposed to 11 days. Still, it's worth seeing one of the islands while you're out here. Also, be sure to catch a glimpse of the spectacular Cliffs of Moher, which you can see on the ferry ride back into Doolin. From there, we left and went down to Dingle, where we were staying for 3 nights and could relax in town a bit, and Dingle (both the town and the Peninsula) is a great place to relax. That night we checked into the place we were staying for the next few nights, The Lighthouse, probably the nicest of the B&Bs we stayed at on the trip. It's above the town, but within walking distance; it has beautiful rooms that are nicely furnished and very clean; they serve great breakfast and the owners are very hospitable. Definitely recommend it!

That night we had dinner at the Dingle Pub, a touristy pub, but one that has a great atmosphere and good traditional music.

Day 2
Dingle has become the new "Kerry" of the West, and there's even a less touristy "Ring of Dingle" that we drove around rather than the more popular Ring of Kerry. The roads are small, though, and pulling over for the touring buses is a must. Still, going out to explore is definitely worth it.The following are some examples of the things you can see that we enjoyed as well.

One of the great things about Ireland is you can pull over and see medieval architecture or the ruins of a monastic community just sitting in a field with no one around. Kilmakedar Monastery is a great example of such a place, and you should definitely make this 7th Century church ruins a driving destination. Check out the sundial and the Ogham Stones and walk through the Romanesque Arch the serves as the doorway to the church.

Another great place to see is the Gallarus Oratory, where you can see a great example of dry-stone fit architecture of a 7th or 8th century Christian church. This one's not free, but it's worth seeing nonetheless.

Another great destination is the Creek of St. Brendan, where St. Brendan allegedly left from in order to spread the Gospel in the "land to the West," and you can read about his amazing journey, which many believe led him to North America well before even the Viking explorers.

Be sure to see the "beehive" huts at Dunbeg Fort as well. You have to pay the local farmer to gain access, but you get to walk around with the grazing sheep at this ancient stone-structure community and see the beehives that are an example of how people lived during the Iron Age in Ireland.

Don't miss stopping at a side-of-the-road spot called Clogher Head on the Ring of Dingle, which gives you amazing views of the Atlantic and the Three Sisters mountains (in the background on the right). You'll want to stay for a while and listen to the ocean. It's amazing how open this area is, so be careful, there are none of the rails that you would expect to see in a similar location in the US.


You could spend a week in the Dingle Peninsula and not see everything it has to offer, so take some time to research your options to determine what you really want to see. The last night Amanda talked me into going up and playing with traveling musician at Murphy's Pub (also a B&B) in downtown Dingle. I did a terrible job, but the singer was nice and I'll never forget singing "Mr. Valentine's Dead" in a traditional Irish pub. You're sure to find your own unforgettable experiences in Dingle as well!

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