Things to do in Dingle Peninsula
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Dingle Boatmen's Association
In the early 1980s, Dingle fishing crews began to notice a solitary bottlenose dolphin that followed their vessels, jumped about in the water and sometimes leapt over smaller boats. When an American tourist offered to pay a boatman to take him to visit the large, friendly dolphin, an industry was born. Eleven boats now go out every day in the summer, and the Dingle dolphin is an international celebrity.
Boats leave the pier daily year-round for one-hour dolphin-spotting trips; call Dingle Boatmen's Association. It's free if Fungie doesn't show, but he usually does. The association also runs a daily two-hour boat trip for enthusiasts who want to swim with Fungie.
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Swim with Fungie
In the early 1980s, Dingle fishing crews began to notice a solitary bottlenose dolphin that followed their vessels, jumped about in the water and sometimes leapt over smaller boats. When an American tourist offered to pay a boatman to take him to visit the large, friendly dolphin, an industry was born. Eleven boats now go out every day in the summer, and the Dingle dolphin is an international celebrity.
The Dingle Boatmen's Association runs a daily two-hour boat trip for enthusiasts who want to Swim with Fungie . Organise it in advance through Brosnan's, where you can hire wetsuits and snorkelling gear.
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Blasket Centre
The Blasket Centre is a wonderful interpretive centre in a long, white hall ending in a wall-to-ceiling window overlooking the islands. Great Blasket’s rich community of storytellers and musicians is profiled along with its literary visitors like John Millington Synge, writer of Playboy of the Western World. The more prosaic practicalities of island life are covered by exhibits on shipbuilding and fishing. There’s a cafe with Blasket views, and a useful bookshop.
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Out of the Blue
'No chips', reads the menu of this funky blue-and-yellow, fishing-shack-style restaurant on the waterfront. Despite its rustic surrounds, this is Dingle's best restaurant, with an intense devotion to fresh local seafood; if they don't like the catch, they don't open. Creative dishes change nightly, but might include steamed crab claws in garlic butter or pan-seared scallops flambéed in Calvados. Who needs chips?
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Dingle Oceanworld
Dingle's aquarium is a lot of fun. Psychedelic fish glide through tanks that recreate such environments as Lake Malawi, the River Congo and the piranha-filled Amazon. Reef sharks and stingrays cruise the shark tank; water is pumped from the harbour for the spectacularly ugly wreck fish. There's a walk-through tunnel and a touch pool.
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South Pole Inn
The main reason to pause in Annascaul (Abhainn an Scáil), also spelled Anascaul, is to visit the South Pole Inn. Antarctic explorer Tom Crean ran the pub in his retirement. Now it’s a regular Crean museum and gift shop, as well as a cracking pub serving hearty dishes worthy of an explorer. Ask to have the ‘polar experience’.
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Dick Mack's
Announced by stars in the pavement bearing the names of its celebrity customers, Dick Mack's has an irrepressible sense of self. Ancient wood and ancient snugs dominate the interior, which is lit like the inside of a whiskey bottle. Out the back there's a warren of tables, chairs and characters.
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Foxy John’s
Dingle has over 50 pubs, many of them mongrel affairs that still have vestiges of their lives as shops. Foxy John’s on Main St is one example and has old stock of hardware and outdoor clothing lying about. Don’t expect an exuberant welcome from the flinty-eyed locals.
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Curran’s
Dingle has over 50 pubs, many of them mongrel affairs that still have vestiges of their lives as shops. Curran’s on Main St is one such with old stock of hardware and outdoor clothing lying about. Don’t expect an exuberant welcome from the flinty-eyed locals.
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Global Village Restaurant
With the sophisticated feel of a continental bistro, this restaurant offers a fusion of global recipes gathered by the well-travelled owner-chef, whose CD and art collections are, well, global. Seafood is the base for many a dish. The wine list is excellent.
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Dingle Peninsula Museum
In Ballyferriter itself (a tiny village with a couple of shops and a pub – all the essentials really), the Dingle Peninsula Museum is housed in the 19th-century schoolhouse. It has displays on the archaeology and ecology of the peninsula.
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The Chart House
This low-lying stone building near the roundabout is regarded locally as the place to spoil yourself. Book ahead to ensure you don't miss out on dishes like Blasket Islands lamb, tartlet of wild mushroom and tarragon, turbot, sea bass and skate.
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Lord Baker's
Established as a pub in 1890 by its namesake, this Dingle institution has a cheerful turf fire and a splendid menu that wastes no energy on purple prose. The excellent choice includes brill, salmon and lobster, Kerry lamb, steak and poultry.
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Half Door
Seafood is superbly presented at this dignified, genteel seafood restaurant. Fish and shellfish are delivered daily fresh from the docks; the local prawns and larger crustaceans are especially good here.
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Ashe’s
Owned by a distant relation of Gregory Peck (really, aren’t we all?), this elegantly fronted gastropub serves modern takes on seafood in old-fashioned surrounds. The tempura of pollack with coriander aioli is mighty fine.
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Dingle Music School
John Ryan offers bodhrán and tin whistle workshops for beginners through to experienced players – lessons can be arranged for early morning or evening. Instruments are supplied.
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Old Smokehouse
Garrett Bradshaw, the new owner and chef of this stone-fronted building, has a small farm, so – in addition to seafood – meat and poultry also figure on the menu, as does basil, which appears in virtually every dish. Combinations include herb-marinated chargrilled sirloin with tiger prawns. Arrive early to grab a table in the conservatory overlooking the stream.
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Lisbeth Mulcahy
Beautiful scarves, rugs and wall hangings are created on a 150-year-old loom by this long-established designer. Also sold here are ceramics by her husband, who has a workshop at Louis Mulcahy Pottery, west of Dingle.
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Tigh TP
This pub is a good place for a waterside pint. Next door it runs the Coast Guard Lodge, which has six rooms that sleep three to four people each in military comfort for €75 (or €50 for more than one night) per room.
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Trinity Tree
Close to St Mary's Church, the Trinity Tree sculpture, representing the Holy Trinity, is made from an unusual three-trunked sycamore. Its carved faces make it look like something out of a fairytale.
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Dingle Marina Diving Centre
Arranges snorkelling and scuba diving trips in Dingle Bay and around the Blasket Islands, as well as courses and wreck dives.
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Díseart
In the former convent, next to St Mary's Church, is the Celtic culture centre Díseart, which has stained-glass windows by Harry Clarke depicting 12 scenes from the life of Christ.
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Dingle Crystal
Biker-cum-master craftsman Seán Daly worked at Waterford Crystal for 15 years before setting up here 10 years ago. There are demonstrations on the premises, and tours of the nearby workshop.
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Mountain Man Outdoor Shop
Mountain Man Outdoor Shop is a shopfront for Irish Adventures, which offers all sorts of adventure packages including rock climbing, kayaking (half-day €50) and boat trips to the Blaskets.
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Murphy's
Made in Dingle, with branches in Killarney and Dublin, amazing ice cream flavours include Guinness, Kilbeggan whiskey, brown bread, sea salt, honeycomb and cooling mint.
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