We had a 4 hour drive from Spiddal to our next destination of Dingle so decided to take the motorway and forgo our usual winding detours which meant the drive was pretty uneventful until we started down the peninsula where Dingle is situated.
We were staying in a cute bed and breakfast just outside of town and it was already late afternoon when we checked in so after our cup of tea we headed into town. I hadn’t read anything of the history of Dingle but it was pretty obvious it was a fishing village which was evident by the fishing boats in the harbour and the countless restaurants advertising fish and chips. The foreshore with its different coloured buildings was very charming.
We had a tall order to achieve this night as I wanted seafood chowder to eat, Tim wanted to watch Newcastle United and we both wanted a good pub and good music. We started off trying to get all of those things individually but actually lucked out with a good pub that served seafood chowder and was showing the football (with volume, very important). Winning for us!
We topped the night off with a 50m walk down the road to the pub that was playing music. So definitely a successful night! The musicians were the publican on his guitar and another guy on what can only be described as mouthless bagpipes. I have since found out they are called the Uilleann pipes. These guys were mesmeric. The Uilleann pipe player’s fingers were a blur as he played us his tune and you could not stop tapping your foot to the beat.
When he decided that his hands were tired the publican on his guitar took over with a solo and sang some sea shanties. One of them was the saddest but most beautiful songs I have heard live. Ireland’s musical folk have definitely impressed. Filled with Guinness and whisky we headed home in a torrential downpour. Lucky we only had 400 metres to walk.
The next day we took a drive in a loop all around the peninsula and back to Dingle. The pictures speak for themselves really. It was spectacular with the added bonus of sunshine most of the way. I also now know why rainbows are synonymous with Ireland as I have never seen so many rainbows in my life as I have over the last week or so. The rainbows coupled with the dramatic cliff drops, lush green fields and photogenic sheep just made it pretty magical. Just the norm really for the Wild West coast of Ireland.
We then drove from Dingle to Cork to stay with a friend of ours who has moved there recently from the Sunshine Coast and we spent a lovely night with Anna, Mike and their kids Oliver and Ivy catching up on everyone’s adventures over the last little while. We are definitely going to need a holiday after our Irish adventure! S