Dunquin, Dingle

I have seen so many photos of these seagulls on this particular stone wall on Slea Head......they love this spot. This area also has the beautiful crucifix that boldly stands looking over the road and the water and out to the Blasket Islands. Watching over the many who ventured back and forth in a curraugh (tar boats).

Very startling views, to us a place of beauty, then ... before the evacuation of the Blaskets, a place of danger and risk. Survival for a people proud and full of music and the gift of words and poetry.

I am some day going over to the Blaskets. I treasure the gift they left us. I have an old friend whose grandparents were some of the original Carneys from the island. Now they most all immigrated to Smithfield, Massachusettes.

If you follow the Slea Head leisure drive (R559) from Dingle you will come across Dunquin en route.

Coumineole beach was used as the scene for the landing of the guns in Ryans Daughter. At the top of the hill there is a stone monument commemorating the fiming there (picture in my travelogue).

It is breathtaking. There's a car park at the top of the cliffs and then you can descend on foot down quite a rough path and/or steep windy road down onto the sand.

The Dingle Peninsula Website gives more information on the area and local B&B's etc.

Another beach used in the film is Inch Beach which was used in the final scene. See my tip.

Ceathru, the Schoolhouse near Dunquin village was used in the mob scene in the film.

A little town in the west of Dingle peninsula. Boats to the Blaskets depart from here and there are some lovely beaches around.