THE PENINSULA - including Dingle, the Conor Pass and

GENERAL ORIENTATION

The stretches for 42 miles into the Atlantic Ocean to Slea Head.

The town of Dingle is a picturesque and popular fishing harbour from where a loop drive around Slea Head can be taken.

From the route From Tralee journey west through , where many famine emigrants departed in th via the spectacular the 19 century, and the splendid comes into view. Continue on towards Camp where Conor Pass is the road divides – the main Dingle road continues through . The visitor route bears right recommended while here to the village of (which has a good 9 hole links course) and past Mount Brandon to the specatcular Conor Pass. The route is only worthwhile is good weather. From the from the Conor Pass descend into Dingle Town. beach at Inch is one of Ireland’s finest. Slea Head Drive is a 30 mile (1 hour) circular route from Dingle that is both scenic and historical. Offshore lie the , now uninhabited and surrounded by treacherous seas.

Dingle Harbour is a deep water harbour well From Dingle to Killarney the route returns to sheltered from the raging Atlantic Ocean. The the village of Annascaul, where there is a traditional Irish way of life survived here until beautiful lake above the village and two the late 1960’s when the film-makers and famous pubs: Dan Foley’s and The South stars of Ryans Daughter came to town. Pole Inn, the home of legendary Antartic Latterly a dolphin named Fungi made his explorer, . home in the harbour and became one of Ireland’s most popular attractions. The road from Annascaul to Inch affords great views of and then Inch Beach, a long and beautiful sandy beach backed by Near the Conor Pass high sand dunes.

Beach near Slea Head Dingle, and particularly the area west of Dingle, is a area – the is still spoken here. Like the language, folk customs, crafts, lore and traditional music are still very much alive on the Dingle Peninsula. The Dingle Peninsula is arguably the richest area in Ireland in terms of archaelogical wealth. Buildings and monuments from all Ages abound.

The road continue to Castlemaine with Castlemaine Harbour on the right and the Slieve Mish Mouuntains on the left. THE DINGLE PENINSULA - including Dingle, the Conor Pass and Slea Head

DINGLE XCONOR PASS XBLASKET CENTRE HIGHLIGHTS A trip over the Conor Pass will take you over The Blasket Islands are a group of islands off the highest mountain pass in Ireland with the Slea Head coast, dominated by the Great Conor Pass stunning views over Brandon Bay to County Blasket. A thriving community (~175 people) Slea Head Drive Clare. The narrow road passes mountains once lived here, on the very edge of Europe. Blasket Centre lakes and waterfalls and passes a huge The Blasket community declined with Gallarus Oratory glacial valley. persistent emigration during the late 19th and Minard Castle early 20th century, and the last remaining 22 Garfinny Bridge people left the Island permanently in 1953.

Ballintaggart Stones XSLEA HEAD DRIVE Castlegregory Inch Beach The Slea Head Drive is a specacular route that combines scenery, history and Irish traditions.

Near , the Blasket Centre celebrates the Irish language and the distictive character of the people who once inhabited the islands.

Fungi the Dolphin

XMINARD CASTLE From Dingle the route goes west past Harbour to Slea Head and then to the harbour Minard Castle is aid to have been built by the village at Dunquin. It then continues north Knights of Kerry and is the largest fortress on past Clogher Head to before the peninsula. It is located off the main road returning towards Dingle via . between and Annascaul. There are Annascaul Lake Ogham Stones and a ring fort nearby as well The area is the richest site in Europe for as Storm Beach, where sandstone boulders monastic and other early-age settlements. formed by the sea are of unique geological interest.

XGALLARUS ORATORY

One of the best preserved early Chritian Churches in Ireland, built with unmortared Sybil Head or stone that is still waterproof after 1,000 years. Ceann Sibéal

XGARFINNY BRIGE

Garfinny Bridge is a medieval bridge and the only bridge in Ireland to be declared a Access to the building is free although there is National Monument. Garfinny Bridge is a charge for the nearby visitor centre. It is northeast of Dingle town. located south of Kilmakedar, near Ballydavid