This is what a beautiful Summer’s day looks like in Ireland: 2012 Edition

Perhaps this is becoming something of a tradition. Our beautiful Summer’s day 2011 post was popular, and it’s hard for us to stay away from Co. Kerry / Co. Chiarraí for too long.

Part of it is that if you’re beginning to speak the Irish language with Bitesize Irish Gaelic, you’ll hopefully feel quite a strong connection to such places in Ireland where the Irish language is spoken.

In July 2012, we took another visit, and this is what a beautiful July day looked like this year:

Can you spot the hikers in the picture above? They’re the patch of slight blackness in the right of the picture. They were hiding behind a wall and having sandwiches. Not for the faint of heart.

Inch Beach, Co. Kerry

At the beginning of the Dingle peninsula is a big beach called Inch beach (ironically?). One thing is for sure: wear a jacket. This is the middle of Summer, don’t you know?

In some random small beach further into the peninsula, it certainly was a dark July day in Ireland:

Ceann Trá – Ventry

Now we’re getting into real Gaeltacht country. That’s the label given to areas where the Irish language is still spoken in the local community (although the borders have receded faster than the politicians have kept up with drawing the official line).

Here’s Ceann Trá, a small collection of a pub, a shop, and a church.

Here you’ll find Páidí Ó Sé’s pub. If you’re hungry or thirsty for a pint, definitely stop here.

Ceann Sléibhe (Slea Head)

Around this bay is where we stayed the night, in Feirm Chinn Sléibhe (Slea Head Farm).

The bay has a beach (or two beaches, depending on how the tide divides it).

Ceann Sléibhe literally means “head of the mountain”. It’s at the tip of the peninsula, sticking out into the Atlantic.

Just down the road, we stopped at a café for a tea, and here was the view out on the bay. Just to the left, out of the picture, is An Blascaod Mór island. Keep reading for more pictures of that island.

And here’s the view from the B&B room in Slea Head Farm. It’s run by Caitlín Ferriter, and she definitely welcomes speaking the Irish language with visitors:

Nearby is another collection of houses over-looking the Atlantic:

In nearby Dún Chaoin (Dunquin), you better watch out if you want to get the best of the views:

Back up on the Conor Pass, here’s the latest view of the stone signifying Dingle’s sistership with Santa Barbara, California.

And to top off this lovely Irish Summer’s day, here a (*ahem*) refreshing view of the quickly-moving cloud/fog over the Conor Pass:

Bonus: Joan’s trip to An Blascaod Mór island

Just out of the picture from our B&B view above, was the island An Blascaod Mór (The Great Blasket). It’s part of a collection of islands know as the Blasket Islands. There are day-trips arranged to get out there by boat.

That island is quite significant. There was a community of Irish language speakers living there. But decades ago, they finally abandoned the island as life there was no longer sustainable.

Joan, a Bitesize Irish Gaelic member in the area of Boston, visited An Blascoad Mór. She was kind enough to share some pictures and to share her story. Here goes:

Thanks to Joan for sharing that last set of pictures.

Moreover, what did you think about the photos in this post? Please do add a comment below.

(Do you want to become able to have simple conversations through the Irish language? Join us on Bitesize Irish Gaelic, where there’s lots of audio where we share with you how to pronounce the language.)