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Fungi the friendly dolphin has made the Dingle Peninsula internationally famous, but despite attracting increasing numbers of tourists, this beautiful Gaeltacht (Irish speaking) area has managed to remain relatively untouristy, unlike the popular Iveragh Peninsula and Killarney. The thin peninsula has breathtaking scenery around its rugged coastline including the drive around Slea Head and the drive from Dingle to Ballyferriter and the Three Sisters Headland. It has some beautiful sandy beaches including Inch Strand and Castlegregory and the landscape of green fields is dotted with tiny traditional villages and with many ruins of ancient beehive huts, forts and churches. One of the two routes to the bustling port of Dingle town from Tralee takes you over the spectacular Connor Pass, the second highest pass in Ireland. Dingle also has Ireland's second highest mountain, Mount Brandon (3127) which has the ruins of St Brendan's Oratory on the summit. As well as numerous pubs, restaurants and cafes serving locally caught fish and shellfish, places to stay and craft shops, all decorated with traditional bright colours and signage, Dingle Town has a new aquarium Dingle Oceanworld, which has a walk through tunnel shark tank, a touch pool and exhibition about Saint Brendan the Navigator's perilous 5th century journey to America in a tiny coracle which started at Brandon Creek on the Dingle Peninsula (Dingle Oceanworld Tel: 066 52111. Entry IR£4.50). Boat trips to see Fungi in Dingle Bay leave from the harbour every half hour in summer and cost IR£6 which is refundable if you don't see Fungi because he is wild and free to go wherever he wants. However it is very rare not to see him and he often gives quite a hose jumping out of the water and riding the boat's wake. There is also a morning trip to go swimming with Fungi. The Dingle Peninsula has one of the largest concentrations of ancient ruins in Kerry and the most impressive of these is the Gallarus Oratory, a small immaculately formed dry stone church shaped like an upturned boat built around the 9th century. The clusters of beehive huts, small domeshaped dry stone huts built by the first settlers are also fascinating. Many of them are along the coast road from Dingle to Slea Head. The 12th century Kilmalkedar Church has Romanesque carvings, an ogham stone and an ancient sundial. Another ruin of a monastic settlement at Riasc dates back to the 5th century. Dun An Oir fort promontory fort near Ballyferriter was the site
of the bloody slaughter of James Fitzmaurice and his defending
force of over 600 Italian, Spanish and Basques after they had
surrendered the fort to the English in 1580. The Stone Age Dunbeg
fort near Dunquin holds an amazing position on a clifftop promontory
near Ventry. Boat trips to the rugged Blasket Islands, which can
be seen off Slea Head, from Dunquin. Dingle town has lots of craft
shops selling locally made pottery, woven cloth and jewellery,
but if you want to see pottery being made, the Louis Mulcahy pottery
near Dunquin is the place. Dingle tourist office Tel: 066 51188.
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