Where is the Dingle Peninsula?

Question: Where is the Dingle Peninsula? Answer: It is in the southwest Ireland, making it a nearly four-hour drive from Dublin along the M7. It is also the northernmost point in County Kerry, Ireland. The scenery is incredible, and the rugged cliffs of the Peninsula are known the world over.

Image of rocky coastline and blue water, courtesy of Fabio Miola via Flickr.

Stunning beaches allow for lots of outdoor recreation, and the area is a cultural hub with a large percentage of Irish speakers. Dingle Town stands out as one of the top places to visit on the Peninsula.

Frequent buses come from Tralee, which is just an hour's journey from Dingle Town. If you're heading to the Peninsula from Cork, the journey is just over two hours by car. While there are plenty of bus services in the area, the best way is to have your own car, making it much easier to stop at vantage points and make the most of the breathtaking views.

Where is the Dingle Peninsula:
Some Fun Things to Know

Here are some fun facts about this amazing Irish landmark. Hopefully they will entice you to pay a visit in person! But if that is not possible, you can always use them to impress your friends with your knowledge of one of the most-visited attractions in Ireland.

The world-famous Blasket islands, with their scenic mountains and rugged coastline, stretch into the Atlantic ocean and are the westernmost point in Europe. Although abandoned by residents today, the Great Blasket Island is still one of the most popular tourist destinations on the Dingle Peninsula. You can take a boat trip and a guided tour of Great Blasket.
A great place to begin your trip is in Dingle Town. The town of Dingle is home to about 1,500 human residents and one bottle-nose dolphin named Fungi, at the time of this writing still resides in the harbor in Dingle Bay and is the town's unofficial mascot. The town also can serve as a 'home base' for exploring the best things to do on the Peninsula, including historic sites such as Gallarus Oratory and the intriguing beehive huts.
The famous Slea Head drive, part of the wild Atlantic way and one of the best places to admire the scenery of the Dingle Peninsula, is a circular route that begins and ends in the small town of Dingle. Definitely worth seeing.
The Town is also home to Foxy John, which sits on Main Street and according to Scoundrel's Field Guide is "the combination you never knew you needed: part hardware store, part bicycle rental shop, part pub."
You'll notice that the homes in Dingle Town are painted in colorful pastel shades. In the 1970s, Ireland held a nationwide Tidy Town competition, and Dingle residents embraced it by changing the color scheme of the whole town.
The Dingle Peninsula is known for its fierce devotion to traditional Irish culture. Head to the Gaeltacht to experience a region where Irish is the primary language.
The Gaeltacht is made up of several small villages, and at each you can get involved with the local culture and arts. You can read their traditional poetry or listen to live music in a truly unique and authentic setting.
One of the Peninsula's most famous former residents is Tom Crean, an Antarctic explorer who hailed from the village of Annascaul. If you visit Annascaul today, swing by the South Pole Inn, a tavern once owned by the explorer himself.
While it is known as the Dingle Peninsula, most locals refer to it as the Corca Dhuibhne. This refers to the túath people who lived in the region during the Middle Ages.
If you're eager to enjoy spectacular views as you drive, then you won't want to miss Conor Pass. This twisting narrow road is an elevated pass that darts through sheer cliffs and lakes. One of the most scenic drives and the ultimate road trip.
If you'd like your views with less of an adrenaline rush, one of the best stops for you will be Inch Beach. This is one of several gorgeous sandy beaches along the coastline, and it is a popular spot to spend a full day with your family. Inch and the other beautiful beaches around it have been a filming location for multiple movies including Ryan's Daughter starring Robert Mitchum and Far and Away starring Tom Cruise.
Surfing is one of the most popular sports on the Peninsula. While Inch Beach is fine for beginners, serious surfers will be found at Castlegregory, the site of many surfing competitions held throughout the year.
If you've got a week or more to spend exploring the area, then nothing could be better that setting off on Dingle Way. This loop trail takes about eight days to complete on foot, but it will give you the best possible picture of the area, the culture and the breathtaking scenery and most beautiful places along the way.

I hope we have thoroughly answered the question "where is the Dingle Peninsula." For more information, you can visit the official website here.

More Fun With Irish Expressions

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