Take a delightful trip around one of the loveliest parts of Ireland on the Dingle Peninsula Sightseeing Tour From Killarney. You can meet the tour at Ross Road, Killarney or alternatively complimentary pick-up services are available from Killarney town hotels, bus and rail stations.
You will travel in a comfortable motor coach and your knowledgeable driver will also act as your guide.
Stretching out into the Atlantic ocean, the Dingle Peninsula is the most northerly of the mountainous promontories which form the indented coast of South-west Ireland. It is particularly notable for its mountain and coastal scenery and is of interest on account of its antiquities.
From Slea Head you can see the Blasket Islands which are the last outposts of Europe and are known as the ‘next parish to America’. They are famous for the literary and linguistic heritage of the former inhabitants. However, these remote islands have been uninhabited since the 1950s following an evacuation. This Western end of the peninsula is a Gaeltacht area that has produced a number of nationally notable authors and poets: O’Siochfhradha and Peig Sayers among others. Being an Irish-speaking district traditional customs are still very much alive.
The Dingle peninsula is named after the town of Dingle. The peninsula is also commonly called Corca Dhuibhne even when those referring to it are speaking in English. It takes its name from the tuath (people, nation) of Corco Dhuibhne who occupied the peninsula in the Middle Ages and who also held a number of territories in the south and east of county Kerry. Dingle was the chief port of Kerry in the old Spanish trading days and, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, was important enough to be a walled town.
The Peninsula has been inhabited by various different peoples for almost 6,000 years and boasts a greater density and variety of archaeological remains than anywhere else in Western Europe. Because of the Dingle’s remote location and lack of specialised agriculture, there is a remarkable preservation of more than 2,000 monuments.
During the day there will be photo-stops at important or scenic places. The tour will also stop at the Blasket Heritage Centre and at the Gallarus Oratory, in the west of the peninsula, believed to be a very early Christian Church built between the 6th and 9th centuries. Please note that the entrance fees for these two attractions are not included in your tour price.
In addition, there will be stops for refreshments (payable direct) at appropriate points during the tour.
At the end of the day you will be dropped back at the point where you were picked up.