44402IRE
- Be flexible on this day. If the weather is solid mist in the morning, it might be wise to do Dingle town and then the Slea Head drive afterwards. Timings on this day can be flexible.
- If you visit Inch Strand ask the group to be very careful not to walk sand back onto the coach. Driver may want to take carpets up, discuss this.
- Beehive Huts, Gallarus Oratory and the Blasket Centre have small entrance charges which is the responsibility of the group. If you are travelling early in the season it is worth checking what is open as the Dingle is very seasonal.
09.00 Depart Killarney. Take N72 towards Killorglin to R563 (about 2 miles
Outside Kilarney) to Milltown then N70 to Castlemaine, R561 to Anascaul and then the N86 towards Dingle town. This will allow you to stop at Inch Strand.
10:30 Inch Strand. Photo stop only (in layby above beach) ample opportunity for and rest rooms at Dingle in approximately 20 mins from this stop.
11:00 Take R559 to Slea Head. The scenic drive last around 2.0 hours, depending upon how many stops are made.
The area west of Dingle Town has the highest concentration of ancient sites in Kerry.
The Beehive Huts at Fahan: use the layby opposite, small charge.
Blasket Islands Heritage Centre: Telephone: 066 915 6444, seasonal.
Entrance fee, includes audio-visual plus shop and café, with views to islands.
The Blasket Islands are visible beyond Slea Head, the last islanders left in 1953. Island were seen as a bastion of Gaelic Literature.
Louis Mulcahy Pottery at Ballyferriter can be a very good stop for refreshments and shopping. It is open all year round, call ahead. Telephone: 00353 66 915 6229.
Reask Monastery: Ruined early monastic site with a decorated standing Ogham stone. This is only for groups open to a 5 min walk from the main road (R559) walk. The Coach cannot get down the narrow road to the site.
The Gallarus Oratory. Entrance fee includes an audio visual. Seasonal Opening Times. Telephone: 00353 915 6333. This is a 1200 year old chapel in the shape of an upturned boat, no mortar, no leaking. In the vicinity when you are back on the road is the Kilmalkedar Monastic site, with Ogham Stone that can be seen on the left, whilst on a good day fine views of Mount Brandon can be achieved.
Dingle Town for lunch;
Pubs, cafes and restaurants are dotted around this very compact town. It is worth remembering that the Dingle is very seasonal and in bad weather some cafes will not open up. There are toilets down by the harbor.
Harringtons Restaurant, (across the street from tourist office) for fish and chips.
Murphy’s Ice Cream on Strand St..
A Café Liteartha, Dykegate St – combined bookshop/café,
Lisbeth Mulcahy, on Green Street – traditional Irish weaving.
Dingle is a working harbor and has a statue of its once resident wild dolphin, Fungie.
Dingle Tourist Office, Dingle Road Tel: 066 1605 7700
15.30 Depart Dingle. Macken of Ireland, call ahead, will offer Irish coffee,
toilets and shopping on the N72 before Killarney. Tel: 064 663 4766 you can lose 20 minutes in traffic arriving in Killarney in the late afternoon.
17.00 Arrive Killarney.