Dingle

Colorfully painted pubs, shops, and houses welcome you to Dingle (An Daingean) where fishing boats bob in the harbor unloading bountiful catches of fish and shellfish. It is not surprising that you find a great many excellent seafood restaurants here: The Half Door and adjacent Doyle’s are two upmarket favorites. After dinner, ask where you can go to hear traditional Irish music. Dingle’s population is under 2,000, yet it has over 50 pubs, some of which double as shops—like Foxy John’s, where you can buy hardware while enjoying a drink, and McCarthy’s with its poetry readings. There are several interesting shops—Brian de Staic’s jewelry store contains exquisite gold and silver jewelry inspired by Dingle’s flora and ancient Celtic motifs. The town’s most famous resident is Fungie, a playful, bottle-nosed dolphin who took up residence in the harbor in 1985 and who loves to perform for visitors (tour boats leave from the harbor).