This morning we were up and out of the hotel by 8:30 – headed towards Dingle and the Dingle Peninsula. Our first scenic stop was at Inch Beach 
– a beautiful sandy beach busy
with Gannets and Sea Gulls – and a few humans The language spoken in this area is almost exclusively The Irish – which is called Gaelic in other parts of the world. The signs and much of the spoken word is written in this native language. The roads are just two lanes wide with no shoulders. All the coaches go the same direction as it is impossible for two of them to meet and pass. 
We then proceeded onto Dingle – where we enjoyed a brief stop and time to check out a few shops, and some fun riding on their famous harbour dolphin.
Along the way we learned about the Beehive huts 
which provided shelter for pilgrims. These huts were made of stone without the aid of mortar, and date back to the 6th century AD. The scenery became even more beautiful as we proceeded along this circle route around the Peninsula.
We arrived at Sleahead which is the most westerly point of the European Continent. From there was a short ride to the Blasket Centre which recounts the story of the 
Blasket Island which is famous of the great works of literary art that were produced by its residents., names such as Peig Sayers and Maurice O’Sullivan – to name but two. The island is very isolated, and has now been deserted for a number of years. Another feature of the island is its inhospitable weather as it is frequently lashed by the Atlantic storms. 
This statue says it all, and we certainly understood the sentiment. The centre itself is very interesting, and we were treated to a short information talk, a video presentation, and the opportunity to explore the many displays. We then had a quick but very enjoyable lunch and were off to our next stop.
The Gallarus Oratory
is an amazing stone structure – used for worship for many centuries. Despite the lack of mortar, the building has been dry for over 1000 years, thanks to the careful placement of the stones in the structure. This would have been used by the pilgrims as a place of prayer and meditation. As well as the wonderful building, we enjoyed the visit with a couple of beautiful birds, and the fuscia hedges. 
We then drove the balance of the way back to Killarney taking the time along the way for Sunday worship and a short sing-a-long. Once back in Killarney we visited the
Muckross House. This wonderful mansion is situated just outside Killarney, and has a delightful history including a visit by Queen Victoria, it being a gift to a newly married couple, and finally the donation to be restored and used as a major tourist attraction.
From here we were back to our hotel – with the exception of a few who did an ATM run, then on to supper and then an early bed as we have a busy day tomorrow.
– a beautiful sandy beach busy
with Gannets and Sea Gulls – and a few humans The language spoken in this area is almost exclusively The Irish – which is called Gaelic in other parts of the world. The signs and much of the spoken word is written in this native language. The roads are just two lanes wide with no shoulders. All the coaches go the same direction as it is impossible for two of them to meet and pass. 
We then proceeded onto Dingle – where we enjoyed a brief stop and time to check out a few shops, and some fun riding on their famous harbour dolphin.
Along the way we learned about the Beehive huts 
which provided shelter for pilgrims. These huts were made of stone without the aid of mortar, and date back to the 6th century AD. The scenery became even more beautiful as we proceeded along this circle route around the Peninsula.
We arrived at Sleahead which is the most westerly point of the European Continent. From there was a short ride to the Blasket Centre which recounts the story of the 
Blasket Island which is famous of the great works of literary art that were produced by its residents., names such as Peig Sayers and Maurice O’Sullivan – to name but two. The island is very isolated, and has now been deserted for a number of years. Another feature of the island is its inhospitable weather as it is frequently lashed by the Atlantic storms. 
This statue says it all, and we certainly understood the sentiment. The centre itself is very interesting, and we were treated to a short information talk, a video presentation, and the opportunity to explore the many displays. We then had a quick but very enjoyable lunch and were off to our next stop.The Gallarus Oratory
is an amazing stone structure – used for worship for many centuries. Despite the lack of mortar, the building has been dry for over 1000 years, thanks to the careful placement of the stones in the structure. This would have been used by the pilgrims as a place of prayer and meditation. As well as the wonderful building, we enjoyed the visit with a couple of beautiful birds, and the fuscia hedges. 
We then drove the balance of the way back to Killarney taking the time along the way for Sunday worship and a short sing-a-long. Once back in Killarney we visited the
Muckross House. This wonderful mansion is situated just outside Killarney, and has a delightful history including a visit by Queen Victoria, it being a gift to a newly married couple, and finally the donation to be restored and used as a major tourist attraction.From here we were back to our hotel – with the exception of a few who did an ATM run, then on to supper and then an early bed as we have a busy day tomorrow.
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