The Emerald Isle, Part 2: Scenery Around the Dingle Peninsula

We took a car ride around the peninsula, the same "tour" we had taken with our dear Padraig Lynch in 1990. Coumenoole will always be a stunning place. It is featured in the movie "Ryan's Daughter."

Coumenoole, at the southwest tip of the Dingle Peninsula

Coumenoole

Slea Head near Coomenoole

Teeravane, north of Coomenoole; the domicile of the Ferriter family 

C and I took a boat out to Great Blasket Island, then hiked the 3-mile perimeter trail. The island was evacuated in 1952 as the government could not provide services to the small population left there. During winter storms the island could be cut off from the mainland for months at a time, even though Dunquin is only three miles across the water. The purest Irish in Ireland was spoken here. Well-loved Irish storytellers and authors, Peig Sayers and Maurice OSullivan lived much of their lives on Great Blasket. OSullivan's book, Twenty Years a-Growin' is one of my favorite books.

Great Blasket Island herd

abandoned village on Great Blasket

the village from above

beach on north end of Great Blasket

Atlantic view to the southwest from Great Blasket

our Dingle to Blasket boat is anchored at the right and the rubber raft delivered us to the landing 

boarding the raft to get back to the boat that returned us to Dingle

ocean cave on the Dingle Peninsula; even the Atlantic Ocean is green-ish on the coast of Ireland

sedum finds root in an ancient stone wall