Page 67 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - Ireland

DRIVE 4: The Dingle Peninsula 65

5 Dingle (An Daingean)
Co Kerry
Dingle, the westernmost town in Europe, is located in the heart
of a Gaeltacht – an Irish-speaking area (see p178). Though hardly
undiscovered, it is nonetheless a gem. Probably just as popular with
tourists as Killarney, it never seems overrun, and many visitors are
seduced as much by its charm as by its “star” – the friendly dolphin,
Fungie, who lives in the harbour. The town’s characteristic features
are brightly painted houses, traditional shop fronts and tightly
bunched, narrow streets, all of which run down to the harbour.
Good restaurants and traditional pubs tempt visitors to linger.
Above Colourful frontage of Dick Mack’s
A one-hour walking tour which has a cosy dining area around combined pub and hardware store
From the car park, turn right a turf fire. Turn right into
along Quay Street, with the Lower Main St, past
harbour on your right. The Ashes pub 5, where the EAT AND DRINK
Tourist Office and Visitor seafood chowder enjoys
Centre 1 is at the foot of considerable renown. Turn INCH POINT
the pier. Continue into right again down Dykegate Sammy’s inexpensive
Strand Street and up the hill Lane, looking for An Café A popular seafront restaurant, which
into Green Street, lined with Liteartha 6 on the left, a looks out across Inch Beach. Casual
shops, restaurants, pubs and café-bookshop specializing dining with steak and chips the pick.
cafés. On the left is St Mary’s Live music sign in books of local interest. Inch Beach; 066 915 8118;
www.sammysinchbeach.com
Church 2, and in its written in Irish Continuing further on, turn
grounds is the Diseart left into Bridge Street for ANASCAUL
Cultural Centre, housed in an old O’Flaherty’s Pub 7. Here, a lively The South Pole Inn inexpensive
convent. Here in the chapel there musical session usually commences This historic, family-run pub serves
are 12 stained-glass windows by the when the landlord picks up his excellent home-cooked food.
Main Street; 066 915 7388
celebrated stained-glass artist Harry accordion. Retrace your steps and
Clarke. Opposite is the famous pub turn left into Strand Street to return DINGLE (AN DAINGEAN)
Dick Mack’s 3, which doubles up to the car park. Stop in at the John Benny Moriarty’s Pub
as a hardware store. Only a few of turquoise building on the left for inexpensive
these store-cum-pubs now remain at least one scoop of Murphy’s 8 A traditional Irish music pub, serving
in Dingle. At the top of Green Street delicious, award-winning ice cream. good food in a friendly atmosphere.
Strand Street; 066 915 1215;
you come to Main Street, with its ª Leave Dingle with the harbour on www.johnbennyspub.com
many traditional pubs and your left and follow signs for Ventry,
restaurants. To the right on Main St is heading due west on the R559, to the The Wren’s Nest inexpensive
Sweet little independent cafe in a lovely
Lord Baker’s Restaurant 4 (see right), start of the drive around Slea Head. spot serving super cakes.
Dykegate Lane; 086 177 3119
0 metres 250 Ashes Bar and Restaurant moderate
Ashes is famed for its seafood chowder,
0 yards 250 but it also serves hearty meat dishes.
Lower Main Street; 066 915 0989;
www.ashesbar.ie
UPPER MAIN ST
Lord Baker’s S P A R O A D Grey’s Lane Bistro moderate
Restaurant
G R E E N S T R E E T Mack’s D Y K E G A T E L A N E An Café an exciting menu in this modern,
St Mary’s Church MAIN S T RE E T Ashes Pub Seafood forms the mainstay of
Dick
family-run bistro.
Grey’s Lane; 066 915 2770; www.
Town
greyslanebistro.com; closed Sun
Murphy’s HOLY GROUND Park T H E M A L L Liteartha J O H N S T R E E T Lord Baker’s Restaurant moderate
This well-known Dingle venue serves
S TRAND S T
QUA Y S T R E E T mainly seafood – lobster often features.
O‘Flaherty’s Pub
Main Street; 066 915 1277
Tourist
T H E T R A C K S
Office Global Village expensive
Outstanding seafood restaurant
offering one of the best dining
experiences in town.
Upper Main Street; 066 915 2325;
www.globalvillagedingle.com;
B R I D G E S T R E E T
open Mar–mid-Nov
Eat and Drink: inexpensive, under €25; moderate, €25–€50; expensive, over €50
064-069_Back_Roads_Ireland.indd 65 11/09/17 12:29 pm