Dingle Town
is quaint yet cosmopolitan
Welcome to Dingle Town
Framed by its fishing port, the peninsula's charming little 'capital' manages to be quaint without even trying. Some pubs double as shops, so you can enjoy Guinness and a singalong among screws and nails, wellies and horseshoes. It has long drawn runaways from across the world, making it a cosmopolitan, creative place. In summer its hilly streets can be clogged with visitors; in other seasons its authentic charms are yours for the savouring.
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Dingle Town activities
Full-Day Tour of the Dingle Peninsula, Slea Head, and Inch Beach
The Dingle Peninsula Drive once described by National Geographic Traveler as "the most beautiful place on earth" There will be frequent stops to admire the views and take photos. This spectacular award winning tour departs from Deros Tours,22 Main Street,Killarney at 10.30am and returns at 5pm approx. from mid March to mid October.Please check in no later than 10.15am. Priority seating (first three rows) can be booked in advance at an additional charge of E 8 per seat.Please advise at time of booking. All Driver/Guides are local and top rated on Tripadvisor who will give a most memorable sightseeing tour of the Dingle Peninsula.All Driver/Guides provide expert local commentary of Dingle and its environs.Each Driver puts their own personalities into the Dingle Peninsula Tour. The tour will pass through small towns like Milltown and Castlemaine before reaching our first stop at Inch Beach. Inch beach is a three-mile long strand and is known as one of the most visually dramatic beaches in Ireland. Inch has provided shooting locations for several Hollywood films including the epic Ryan’s Daughter. These films revealed the rugged beauty of the Dingle Peninsula to a worldwide audience. A stop here for approximately 20 minutes.Refreshments may be purchased at the local shop. Leaving Inch Beach, we travel to Dingle town, the chief town of the peninsula, with a population of about 1,900. Dingle is a beautiful harbour town where the fishing boats unload the daily catch of fish throughout the day. The harbour was constructed after the Anglo-Norman invasion of 1179. Continuing the tour to Slea Head Drive, a scenic circle loop of 26 miles/41 km. During this loop, travelling through Ventry, Dunquin and Ballyferriter. It is here on this west side of Dingle that the Irish language (Gaelic) is very much the first language and is spoken in a natural native way. Rounding the head of the peninsula there are magnificent views of the Blasket Islands, spectacular cliffs and idyllic beaches. This is the edge of Europe and history is everywhere - Iron Age forts, beehive huts, early-Christian churches, 19th-century cottages and picturesque stone houses set against a patchwork of fields. This most scenic route winds around the coast to Slea Head, where the view of the Blasket Islands stops many visitors in their tracks.The group of seven rocky islands offshore is the Blasket Islands. These islands were inhabited until 1953 and the islanders were great storytellers and made a lasting contribution to Irish Literature. The town of Dingle is rich in culture, traditional music, great pubs and restaurants. There will be a stop here for lunch and a walk around the town at your leisure for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes or so. After lunch the bus will return to Killarney town centre via Camp and Tralee arriving at approximately 5:00 pm.
Dolphin and Whale Watching Tour from Dingle
The tour boat M.V. "Blasket Princess" departs from Ventry pier, Dingle, Co. Kerry every day at 13:00 hrs. weather and / or sea conditions permitting. Ventry pier - Ceann Trá - is 4 miles west of Dingle town on the Slea head drive, road R559 and on the Wild Atlantic Way. You can park in the village or 500 meters past the pier at the beach or on the pier. The tour boat holds a maximum of 40 passengers, but usually less, and has 3 to 4 crew depending on the number of people expected for that day. This consists of the skipper, one crew, one wildlife guide for any questions and one spotter / marine biologist. The first part of the trip takes you out to Dingle Bay and on towards the Great Blasket island. The trip passes the seaward side of Dunbeg fort and on past Slea head and Couminole beach and Dunmore Head - the most westerly part of Ireland. We often see harbour porpoises on this part of the trip and sometimes common dolphins and Minke whales off Slea Head. We continue on to the Great Blasket island and moor off the island for a while with views of the old deserted village and the beautiful Trá Bán - White Strand. The skipper of the boat lived and fished from the Great Blasket island and he will give a brief description or answer any of your questions about this island outpost. The boat continues on to Carraig Fhada to view grey seals in the water or hauled out on the rocks. The Blasket Islands hold the biggest population of grey seals in Ireland.The itinerary of the boat tour changes every day and like nature itself no two boat tours are the same and the skipper decides in real time where the best place to go is that day with the optimum chance to see wildlife taking into account the weather, sea conditions, sea swell etc and also taking into account passenger comfort and safety. The vessel is licenced by the Dept. of Transport for 44 passengers in total and has all the necessary life jackets, life rafts, safety and communication equipment and crew training.The second part of the trip usually goes out to the mouth of Dingle Bay between the outer Blasket islands and Skellig Rock where some of the recent Star Wars - The Force Awakens was made. Depending on wildlife distribution and sea conditions the tour may go north past Sybil Head and The Dead Man ( island) or west beyond Tiaracht lighthouse - the most westerly lighthouse in Europe.Puffins can be seen at Inishvickillaun between April and the end of July / beginning of August when they migrate back to the waters off Canada. At the start of the season April to May, when sea water temperatures are around 12 degrees Celsius, basking shark are plentiful in the area. They are the biggest fish in the North Atlantic and the second biggest in the world after the whale shark.Of course the biggest highlight of the trip can be the appearance of killer whales or humpbacks but although we often see humpback whales on our trips we can never guarantee sightings.
Dingle Peninsula Tour from Limerick
The tour begins with a first stop at the famous Inch beach, a beach of outstanding natural beauty and one of the most picturesque beaches in Ireland. Then continue on a drive of Slea Head, where you will marvel at the landscape of the Atlantic Coast as you travel on this spectacular road hugging the western shoreline. Sit back and relax, admiring views of the Blasket Islands and maybe even see the "Sleeping Giant." You will also stop at one of the most beautiful villages in Ireland - Dingle. Dingle town is truly the heart and soul of the Dingle Peninsula. The tour will depart from Limerick City and travel via the charming village of Adare down through the mountains to County Kerry. You make a stop in the wonderful town of Killarney, the most well known town in Co. Kerry, as you make our way towards the Dingle Peninsula You will next take a stop at Inch Beach, one of Ireland's most famous beaches and the home of a surf school. Experience the stunning views of Ireland's Atlantic Coast as you walk along this world famous beach. Next, you will drive around Slea Head, the most Westerly drive in Europe. From there, the tour will continue to travel along the Atlantic Coast with stops for photos at the most dramatic locations On a clear day, you will enjoy superb views of the Blasket Islands. Your guide will explain how the Island's people had to leave their Island home and move to the mainland. Following a chance to grab refreshments (own expense), you will make your way back to Limerick, arriving at approximately 7:30pm depending on traffic, after a magical day on the Dingle Peninsula.
Dingle Dolphin Boat Tour
You will find us in our orange signed offices, at the back of the failte Ireland tourist offices. Friendly staff will greet you and direct you straight to the walkway on the seafront where you will be then directed to your boat and off you go. There is a fully seated area to sit in either open or covered, whatever you prefer. Your captain will greet and welcome you and then your guide will fill you in on stories of Fungie the celebrity himself .As you turn to go out of Dingle Harbour passing the fishing boats tied by the pier, you will start to see Dingle town from a different view, on the water. Look up to the Connor Pass away to the right, this is the highest drive-able pass in Ireland, that can only be driven by car. As you make your way toward the entrance of the bay you'll see old famine relief tower on the hill called Eask and then a single torret called Husseys folly on your left. Always keep an eye out for Fungie as he comes to greet most of our ferries, being the ambassador for Dingle is a very important job - he often plays by the boat, left and right and making sure everyone gets a good view of him! Sometimes he likes to play games, namely Hide and seek, and he certainly has no patterns or routines. He is the boss. Fungie will delight and thrill both young and old from 2 weeks to 100 and many celebrities have taken to our boats to see him. Pierce Brosnan, Saoirse Ronan, James Nesbitt, Tom cruise, Nicole Kidman, Cillian Murphy and Jean Kennedy Smith to name but a few.Fungie is over 13 ft or 3.5 metres in Length and approx 250 kgs in weight. He is a male bottle nose dolphin who arrived in 1983 and decided Dingle is his home. He has always been free to leave with many other dolphins who have come to visit but he seems to prefer the human company instead, luckily for us. Fungie is sure to delight you and be a special memory of your holiday in Dingle Bay.
Private Tour of Dingle Peninsula from Killarney
The itinerary: Following a pick up from your accommodation, we will start the tour to Dingle. On route we will visit Inch beach which affords breath taking views of the rugged Atlantic coast. A few kilometres from Inch is the town of Annascaul, where famous Antarctic explorer and seaman Tom Crean was born. The trip will continue to Dingle town where shopping and a spot of lunch will be highly recommended and greatly welcomed. A visit to Tom Crean’s Brewery is possible as well. From Dingle, the tour will include the following scenic areas of interest. Dunbeg Fort Dunbeg Fort is an Iron Age fortification and is regarded as one of the best preserved in Ireland. Nearby are the beehive huts, which were thought to be a form of accommodation for medieval pilgrims. Gallarus Oratory Gallarus Oratory is an early medieval church, built from stone without mortar and shaped like a boat. It is an architectural ecclesiastical gem. Kilmalkedar Today, the Romanesque church of Kilmalkedar is in ruins, but it is still worth a visit. In the graveyard you might find ancient crosses, a medieval sundial and pagan memorial stones. Riasc Riasc is a monastic settlement of the 7th century, excavated and open to the public. Visitor will find an inscribed ‘pillar stone’. These stones were precursors of the high crosses. Slea Head Slea Head is reached via the Slea Head Drive and offers stunning view of the coast and the Blasket Islands. Conor Pass Our return journey offers you the chance to experience the Conor Pass which is the highest mountain pass in Ireland. On this route, there are wonderful views of the coast. There is a car park where you can experience breath-taking views of the mountains and valleys. The road then carries on down towards Brandon Bay passing cliffs, a waterfall and charming lakes.
Dingle Slea Head Day Tour from Killarney
Start your guided tour with a stroll along the Inch Strand and visit some of Ireland's most beautiful beaches. Receive insights from your guide about Irish culture, local myths and legends. Witness the wonderful scenery and fascinating history of the Slea Head driving route before visiting the Ionaid Na Blascoid, Ireland's most historic island. Learn about the fascinating life and times of this old Gaelic community people who lived on the edge of Europe , and isolated from the rest of the world. Enjoy a panoramic view from Conor Pass*, Ireland's highest mountain road and arrive in Dingle Town, with it's vibrant and colourful streets and relaxing harbor. *The Connor Pass drive will depend on the vehicle size used that day.