Dingle Excursions
Dingle Crystal Cutting
Milltown House in Dingle was one of the only accommodations we stayed in for more than one night. We did not have to pack up, but we still started bright and early to pack our time in Dingle full of exciting experiences, sightseeing, and free time.
The first destination was the Dingle Crystal workshop for a crystal cutting demonstration, which was so mesmerizing and high-stakes that I only took a couple of photos of the beautiful crystal goblets this family of skilled artisans cuts by hand.
Slea Head Drive and the Great Blasket Centre
It is said that Slea Head Drive is one of the most breathtaking and scenic drives in Ireland. It certainly was breathtaking. We held our breath while our talented bus driver, George, managed this curvy seaside route in dense fog and rain, hugging coastal cliffs with sheer drops to one side of the road.
Now we were in for a true welcome to Ireland as we were all thoroughly drenched by rain. We are told there are beautiful Blasket Islands that could be seen from The Great Blasket Centre on a clear day—we'll take your word for it! All jokes aside, The Great Blasket Centre was supremely educational about the culture that existed on the islands up until evacuation in 1953, and the writers and artists who preserved the history.
Gallarus Oratory
The oldest thing we saw on our trip was Gallarus Oratory. This ancient religious site really was a feat of architecture. Without modern machinery, the builders placed the stones together so precisely that the structure remains intact centuries later.
Falconry
Napping under some warm blankets back at the Milltown House was almost tempting enough to get us to skip the falconry experience. We were so glad we did not give in to our general preference for dry clothing, as this was one of our favorite parts of the trip.
Absolutely unique and bewitching experience to be so close to these magnificent birds!
Free Time
Dick Mack's pub and leather crafter
After the falconry we called it a day. Wait, no, we were on a Rick Steves tour and somehow there were more hours to jam-pack with memories! I honestly can't believe we fit all this into a single day. For the rest of the afternoon we had the option to take the bus back to downtown Dingle for shopping, dining, and pub crawling.
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Dingle had excellent shopping and locally made, high-quality "paddywhackery" (translates to souvenirs). We weren't the only ones enticed by the woolens. Each day of the trip, our tour group became increasingly clad in Irish wool. Notably, Dublin has every"paddywhackery" you could imagine, and we noticed certain brands were available in multiple locations we visited. If you miss out on a quality Irish scarf or sweater, don't despair as you may be able to find it again, or similar, later on the journey.​
A note on Dingle pubs: many pubs had a dual purpose, and one could get a pint and complete an errand. For example, at Dick Mack's pub, leathersmiths were making belts when we stopped in for an afternoon glass of Guinness. At Foxy John's pub and hardware store, it was said you could get a pint and rat poison all in one trip (hopefully not in the same glass though).
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To conclude a perfect, full day of activities, we passed one of our most special evenings sipping Dingle whiskey in a timeless pub, while two musicians informally played the sweetest traditional music in the adjoining room.