Dingle Peninsula

The Dingle Peninsula in southwestern Ireland is the northernmost of five peninsulas that jut into the waters of the Atlantic like the fingers of a hand, and Cape Dunmore Head is known as the westernmost point of the Irish mainland. Each of the peninsulas has mountain ranges, and the Dingle Peninsula has the Slieve Mish Mountains. The highest peak is Brandon at 953 m, Ireland’s second highest peak.

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General Information

The peninsula is known for its magnificent scenery and stunning monuments from the early Christian era, Iron Age fortifications and picturesque gorges. Dingle is a wonderfully situated village at the foot of Mount Ballysitterach. Fishing boats still congregate in the almost cape-enclosed harbor, so you could consider the village an ideal base for antiquities viewing on the peninsula. The main attraction is the Fanzhi dolphin, which has lived in the bay since 1984.

Gallarus Chapel is a tiny 8th century church built using the dry masonry method. It is the best preserved structure of this period in Ireland. Nearby are the 15th-century Gallerus Castle and a group of ancient dwellings, one of which has recently been restored. In Kilmolkedar there is a dilapidated 12th century Romanesque church with interesting stone carvings. Here you can also get acquainted with ogham, a type of writing used in the IV-IX centuries. The signs-letters consist of strokes or lines and represent the 20 letters of the Latin alphabet. In Raiasca you can see archaeological sites – the ruins of a 7th century monastery, several crosses and a carved stone column. To the west of Dingle is the fort of Dunbeg, an Iron Age fortification, located on a promontory.

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