The smell of turf fires lingered in the air on a chilly August evening, and the sounds of laughter and traditional Irish music spilled out of the pub doors as we walked past. In the warm town of Dingle on the West Coast of Ireland, you feel more like a temporary local than a tourist.
Now, I might be upsetting a few Irish folks that are proud of their own home town, but for our family, Dingle was the perfect Irish town. Brightly coloured tidy buildings lined the waterfront of this fishing village that was easily walkable. Interesting artists' shops, restaurants, and pubs abound here in Dingle making it a joy to discover. Many people pass through Dingle on the Slea Head Drive around the Dingle Peninsula but don't stop in and spend enough time in the town itself. There seems to be something to do for everyone in this tiny West Coast town of just under 2,000 people. Dingle is a Gaeltacht town, meaning that many folks speak Irish to each other and in their homes. I loved overhearing a conversation or two in Irish; it made Dingle feel all the more exotic! Here are 7 other reasons why Dingle is my favourite Irish town...
1. AQUARIUM & INCH STRAND
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| Inch Beach |
A favourite thing to do with children in Dingle is to visit Oceanworld Aquarium right on Dingle's waterfront. TIP: If you purchase tickets online you save a few Euros on the entrance fee.
My teen Liam didn't want to go check out the aquarium (to my disappointment), so instead, we headed just a few kilometres out of town to Inch Strand. Inch Beach or strand is a gorgeous sandy beach that sticks out four miles into Dingle Bay. The clean waters and safe swimming of Inch Strand made it a kid-friendly place to stop. Kingdom Waves is a surfing school on Inch Strand popular with teens and kids of all ages, and there is a convenient beach bistro to stop in and get a nice hot drink or lunch.
2. MURPHYS ICE CREAM
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| The Best Ice Cream In Ireland |
Right along the main drag of Dingle, stop in for a treat at Murphy's Ice Cream, the most delicious ice cream in Ireland. I am not exaggerating when I say this. Our jaunting car driver in Killarney National Park told us that if there is ONE THING we must do in Dingle, it was to have ice cream at Murphy's. Why is this ice cream so special? Murphys not only uses fresh local ingredients like free-range eggs, local honey, and Dingle GIN, but Murphy also makes their own sea salt from the Dingle coast and their big SECRET: cream from the rare indigenous Kerry cow. The high-fat cream from these small black cows you see grazing in the fields around the Dingle Peninsula is what makes this ice cream worth the €6 price tag. You must try the Sea Salt and Caramel Honeycomb two-scoop combo, it was OUT OF THIS WORLD! If you can't make it out to Dingle -no worries! Murphys now has shops in Dublin, Galway, Kilkenny, and Killarney.
3. BOAT TOUR
What would Dingle be without its loveable maritime friend Fungie the dolphin? He's been frolicking with boats in Dingle Bay for over 30 years. Two companies offer Fungie The Dolphin Tours around Dingle Harbour. The one-hour harbour cruise costs €10 and is a massive hit with kids. Dingle Bay Charters also provide ferry service to Great Blasket Island off the coast of Slea Head, a Blasket Islands Eco-Tour, a Deep Sea Fishing Excursions and new for the 2019 season: a Skellig Micheal Tour (this is not a landing tour, just an eco-tour around the Skellig Islands).
4. SHOPPING
If a Harbour cruise is not your thing, then a pedestrian cruise around the village is perfect. Dingle is easy to wander on foot and is set up on a Medieval Street Plan, with Main Street running up and over the top of town. Wander into some of the outstanding craft shops that feature woollen knitwear and weaving, pottery, goldsmiths and Dingle Crystal. There were also a few great music shops like Siopa Ceoil that sell Traditional Irish Folk music CD's, Irish instruments, song and music books and instructional DVD's. Also, in the summer the shop held evening music concerts known as "sessions" several times a week. Siopa Ceoil is THE place to find out what is going on musically in Dingle, located just off Strand Street in a lane marked "The Colony."
5. FISH & CHIPS
All that exploring can work up one's appetite! Our family has a rule: for one day on each vacation our son gets to choose what we do and where we eat, and in Dingle, it was fish and chips! Our teen chose Harington's Family Restaurant on Strand Street right across from the Tourist Office. This place felt like a classic teen joint, and there were tons of locals eating dinner there (not all teens by the way!) Menus are glued onto each table, and the decor is random and eclectic. The fish and chips were cooked to heavenly perfection, the burgers were homemade, milkshakes used real ice cream, and the fries were crisp on the outside and nice and soft in the middle. I recommend the lightly smoked haddock and chips -OUT OF THIS WORLD!
6. TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC
Dingle is known for its traditional Irish music scene (called Trad music), and the best place to see a Trad Music session is in the pubs. The music usually starts around 9:30 and pubs close at 11:30. If you are travelling Ireland with your children, it may be a bit more challenging to hear Trad music because children under 14 must leave the pubs by 9:00. Children over 14 and under 18 however, may remain in the pub after 9:00 as long as they are accompanied by their parents (we had no problem bringing our 16-year old into the pubs). If you have younger children, fear not, you can still hear the same musicians play at St. James Church just off Main Street at the top of town. You can buy tickets at the Dingle Music Shop Siopa Ceoil.
7. CONNOR PASS
For a Grande Finale of Dingle, I recommend you take a drive up to the infamous Connor Pass. Connor Pass or An Chonair in Irish Gaelic is a narrow twisting (mostly one lane) road that is the highest mountain pass in all of Ireland. The Connor Pass road runs from Dingle to Kilmore Cross and then on to Tralee on the North side of the Dingle Peninsula, offering scenic views in either direction you are travelling. To get to the Connor Pass head to the R560 which starts as "The Mall" from the round-about in Dingle centre. The road then turns into Spa Road once it crosses John Street at the top of town; follow this road all the way to The Connor Pass summit.
At the summit of the Connor Pass, there is a large car park where you can stop and take in the views of both sides of the Dingle Peninsula. This is a fabulous spot to watch the sun go down over Dingle Town and the Dingle Peninsula.
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3. BOAT TOUR
What would Dingle be without its loveable maritime friend Fungie the dolphin? He's been frolicking with boats in Dingle Bay for over 30 years. Two companies offer Fungie The Dolphin Tours around Dingle Harbour. The one-hour harbour cruise costs €10 and is a massive hit with kids. Dingle Bay Charters also provide ferry service to Great Blasket Island off the coast of Slea Head, a Blasket Islands Eco-Tour, a Deep Sea Fishing Excursions and new for the 2019 season: a Skellig Micheal Tour (this is not a landing tour, just an eco-tour around the Skellig Islands).
4. SHOPPING
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| St Mary's Church |
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| Dingle Charm |
If a Harbour cruise is not your thing, then a pedestrian cruise around the village is perfect. Dingle is easy to wander on foot and is set up on a Medieval Street Plan, with Main Street running up and over the top of town. Wander into some of the outstanding craft shops that feature woollen knitwear and weaving, pottery, goldsmiths and Dingle Crystal. There were also a few great music shops like Siopa Ceoil that sell Traditional Irish Folk music CD's, Irish instruments, song and music books and instructional DVD's. Also, in the summer the shop held evening music concerts known as "sessions" several times a week. Siopa Ceoil is THE place to find out what is going on musically in Dingle, located just off Strand Street in a lane marked "The Colony."
5. FISH & CHIPS
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| Table At Harringtons! |
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| Smoked Haddock & Chips! |
6. TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC
Dingle is known for its traditional Irish music scene (called Trad music), and the best place to see a Trad Music session is in the pubs. The music usually starts around 9:30 and pubs close at 11:30. If you are travelling Ireland with your children, it may be a bit more challenging to hear Trad music because children under 14 must leave the pubs by 9:00. Children over 14 and under 18 however, may remain in the pub after 9:00 as long as they are accompanied by their parents (we had no problem bringing our 16-year old into the pubs). If you have younger children, fear not, you can still hear the same musicians play at St. James Church just off Main Street at the top of town. You can buy tickets at the Dingle Music Shop Siopa Ceoil.7. CONNOR PASS
For a Grande Finale of Dingle, I recommend you take a drive up to the infamous Connor Pass. Connor Pass or An Chonair in Irish Gaelic is a narrow twisting (mostly one lane) road that is the highest mountain pass in all of Ireland. The Connor Pass road runs from Dingle to Kilmore Cross and then on to Tralee on the North side of the Dingle Peninsula, offering scenic views in either direction you are travelling. To get to the Connor Pass head to the R560 which starts as "The Mall" from the round-about in Dingle centre. The road then turns into Spa Road once it crosses John Street at the top of town; follow this road all the way to The Connor Pass summit.
At the summit of the Connor Pass, there is a large car park where you can stop and take in the views of both sides of the Dingle Peninsula. This is a fabulous spot to watch the sun go down over Dingle Town and the Dingle Peninsula.
Have you visited Dingle? What was your favourite activity? Please share in the comments below, I would love some suggestions for the next time I visit this colourful Irish town...
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