Dingle

On one of the days in Ballybunion we went for a drive intending to have lunch in Tralee but instead went all the way to Dingle. Its very beautiful down here and we wish we had more time. It is also a Gaelic speaking area so all road signs are in Gaelic. One of Dingle's best known tourist attraction is probably Fungi the dolphin - he's been in the bay since the 80s and is still there today. We had lovely fish and chips in the town, had a quick walk around and then went further down the peninsula for some spectacular scenery.

Dingle also has a thriving nightlife with plenty of traditional Irish music found in bars. I am told that the following are two popular places. Note that Dick Mack's doubles as a haberdashery. 

And Foxy John's also doubles as a hardware and bicycle shop!

On our drive down the peninsula we came across this 1845 restored famine house. It was up on a hill and had a fantastic view of the Atlantic but one can imagine the bitter cold months especially during the famine years. There was also a family tree in the house (which I never took a picture of) showing the ancestors of the house owners to date.

This was one of the sheds. Note the size of the Irish more than a century ago and in the very old houses, door frames and bed sizes are also smaller.

This is the Blasket Islands accessible by ferry and has a small community.

One the way back we went over the Connor Pass - a very narrow mountain road. View was spectacular but it was very cold and windy.

This is an ancient Irish settlement and the bottom of the valley and there are a few dotted around. There are also a few mountain lakes and one that is accessible from the road but Jack was asleep at the time.

The very narrow Connor Pass.