Ask someone to name a place in Ireland, and they will generally answer with Dublin. It’s true, Dublin gets the highest number of tourists across the country. But speak to an Irishman, and he’ll tell you that you haven’t truly visited Ireland if you haven’t been to Dingle.
When people think of Ireland, the real Ireland, they generally picture beautiful, endless, green landscapes. It is known as ‘the emerald isle’ after all. Most of us visualise friendly Irish people, sitting drinking their pints of Guinness in their local pub. There is traditional Celtic music playing in the background and farmers are tending to their flock of sheep outside. Often people get lost in the fantasy of Ireland, with its castles, history and Celtic legends. And while Dublin, the best known city in Ireland, will show you some of this true Irish character, Dingle will show you it all.
Your journey to Dingle may take longer than the one to Dublin, but after you’ve read our reasons, you will be convinced the extra few hours are worth it.
So why should you visit Dingle?
If you want to experience the real Ireland, check out Dingle. As a small town, it is lucky enough to have been able to hold on to all of its Irish heritage. Most locals here understand and speak Gaelic, the traditional language of Ireland. You may not hear it spoken everywhere, as they accommodate many tourists with English. However, the region is classified as a Gaeltacht, or an Irish speaking region. So listen out for some Irish tones on your first visit to the local pub, no doubt the auld boys will entertain you with it.
You’ll also see every street sign written in Irish, with English as a secondary language below. If you have been dying to try your hand at learning Gaelic, this is the perfect place to start. Try reading the road signs, and remembering what they mean in English.
The truth is, Dingle teaches a lot of people Gaelic, as most of its schools are Irish speaking. Dingle hosts girls from all over Ireland at one of its boarding schools, Coláiste Íde. They receive a full education in the native Irish language.
You may already have an idea of what Irish music sounds like. Maybe you’ve heard some on the soundtrack to “Game of Thrones” or “P.S. I love you”. Whatever you already think, be sure not to make the mistake of telling the Irish people that you have heard their music on the soundtrack to “Outlander”. That music would be Scottish, and although it is very similar to the traditional Irish tunes you hear, the two genres are each distinct in their own right.
You will understand this fully after your time in Dingle, because you will have the chance to hear traditional Irish music in every local pub. Experience the authentic sound of an accordion, or witness someone play the Irish bagpipes. These bagpipes, known as uilleann pipes, may not look like the bagpipes you have imagined but they are still incredibly loud. Their distinguishing feature is that the air is pumped into the instrument through bellows rather than blown into it through a blowpipe.
Dingle is truly an epicenter of Irish music. Every May, the town hosts an art and music festival known as the Feile Na Bealtaine Arts Festival. It involves music of every variety and you will not be able to escape the Irish sound. The whole town becomes a host to street theatre, poetry recitals and music everywhere. Where usually the bands are kept within the local pubs, this festival brings it out onto the streets. For music enthusiasts, it is the best time to visit the town of Dingle, and last year (2019) marked its 25th anniversary.
We may be biased, but there really is nowhere more beautiful than this part of Ireland. Dingle is home to some of the most epic scenery and one of the most popular walking trails in Ireland, the Dingle Way which forms part of the more famous Wild Atlantic Way.
Walkers are spoilt with the views they receive on this trail, amongst the green hills and impressive cliffs, they will find some ancient ruins. You get to imagine what Irish life may have been like many years ago. From every single hike you do here on the Dingle Peninsula, you have a spectacular view of the Atlantic Ocean, as it surrounds every single corner of our land. Being by the Ocean also blesses us with wonderful sandy beaches. Do not expect it to be tropical enough to tan, but the beauty is still there while you are wearing a pullover.
If you are up for more of a challenge and have the cardio energy to back it up, check out the scenery you can experience at Mt Brandon. It stands at 952 metres or 3,123 ft and the views have to be seen to be believed.
Alternatively, if you want to experience something unique with a bit less walking, catch the ferry over to Great Blasket Island and experience a truly uninhabited island, almost free of human impact.
Ok, perhaps you are not coming to Ireland for its food. Perhaps you are coming for its nature and its people and you have decided that you are prepared to suffer through eating as many potatoes as it will take to do that. But what if we were to tell you that there was no suffering required. In fact, what if we went as far as telling you that in Dingle, you can actually get hold of higher quality food than you may have access to at home.
In terms anyone will understand, Dingle is home to 4-Michelin star restaurants! Yes, we said four! The town has grown in its destination as a foodie capital over the last 30 years, pretty much since Hollywood started using it as a film set, but more to come on that later. It is now regarded as the home of quality Irish produce and hosts the Blás Nah Éireann Irish Food Awards every year.
The reason it is such a mecca for food in Ireland is due to the freshness of its produce. Being situated perfectly on the Atlantic Coast, but sheltered by the Gulf Stream, Dingle not only has a unique mild climate but also has access to the freshest seafood daily. Most restaurants source their ingredients straight from the local area, that would be fish straight from the ocean or milk straight from the cow next door. The one item that we admit may be imported are the coffee grains at our local coffee shops. Since Dingle is now an epicentre for high-quality taste, the coffee needs to match the cake, and Ireland isn’t really known for the temperatures needed for coffee grains. Bean in Dingle is one of our favourites and they source their sustainably grown beans from South & Central America, as well as Africa . However, more recently Bean In Dingle have started to roast their coffee grains on the Dingle Peninsula, check it out.
Bean in Dingle is one of many cute coffee houses and cafes that exist in Dingle. Each are unique and have their own character. The cafe house scene is influenced by the artistic types that over the last 20-30 years have gravitated towards County Kerry to inspire their creativity while surrounded by the calm and quiet nature.
As we mentioned, Dingle is no stranger to the bright lights of Hollywood. The moviemakers discovered the beauty of this area in the 1970s, during the filming of ‘Ryan’s Daughter’, and they have not looked back. Most recently you might recognise the landscapes from movies such as Star Wars or Harry Potter.
So when you visit Dingle, you may actually end up featuring in a Hollywood blockbuster, or see one being created. At the very least you will be able to walk the same trails as Luke Skywalker and Ronald Weasley. If a place is beautiful enough to be desired by Hollywood, it must be pretty spectacular.
And if all these reasons were not enough to convince you, we recommend Dingle as a place to visit on the simple basis that you don’t want to miss out. The South West of Ireland receives the second largest proportion of Ireland’s tourists, and visitor numbers are increasing annually. So make sure you get here before it is overcrowded. No one wants to be the last one to discover Dingle’s Irish magic.
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