Dingle Tours Kerry

1. Burnham House / Coláiste Íde

This is the former residence of Lord Ventry but since the mid-twenties of the last century, has been an Irish-speaking girls boarding school.  On the right-hand side of the entrance drive are six sea-rounded Ogham stones.  Ogham inscriptions are normally dedicatory and just predate Christianity.

2. Ventry Harbour

It was on the shores of the harbour that the Battle of Ventry was fought in about 400 B.C. the leader of the Fianna, a warrior class, had, on a visit to France, eloped with the King of France’s wife and daughter. The King was somewhat upset and set sail for Ireland and engaged in battle in Ventry. This battle lasted for a year and a day and ended with the rout of the invaders.

3. Dunbeg Fort

This is an Iron Age promontory fort, dating from about the time of Christ, probably sometime before. It has four defensive banks and inside these is another, this time of stone.

4. Fahan Beehive Huts

Beehive huts are mortar-less construction with each layer of stone sloping outwards in order to deflect the rain. The Fahan group are generally Iron Age though this type of construction was still being used in the 16th Century.

5. Slea Head

From here there are panoramic views of the Blasket Islands, the Skelligs agus Dingle Bay.

6. Blasket Island Heritage Centre

The Centre will give the visitor some appreciation of the life of the islanders and the inspiration of it writers.

7. Coomeenole Strand

Some of the breath-taking scenery of the film Ryan’s Daughter is from here and the adjoining cliffs.

8. Sybil Head

A gentle walk up to the headland will give you unparalleled views of the Blasket Sound, Smerwick Harbour and Mount Brandon to the north.

9. Reask Monastic Settlement

This site contains the foundations of an oratory and some secular buildings. Also on site is the beautiful inscribed Reask Stone and some cross slabs. There is an explanatory plaque on site.

10. Gallurus Oratory

Probably the best-known archaeological site in Kerry and certainly the best preserved 7th/8th Century monastic building in the country.

11. Kilmalkedar Church

Built on an earlier church, this one was constructed in the first years after the Anglo-Norman conquest of Ireland, in the 1170’s