This is the Sacred Heart Church although I have never heard anyone refer to it by that name. It is…read morea Roman Catholic Church. There is a school right beside it for girls. The graveyard is a kilometre off at least. There was a church on this site before and the old one was pulled down. The current construction dates from 1912. This church can seat 500 persons without a stretch. There are confession boxes which have the name of the priest written on them The pews are comfortable. The altar area of the church is ornate but the rest is plain. There are busts of bishops up on pillars going down the central aisle. It is said that these clerics are meant to look like previous bishops of Kerry for although this part of the Beara peninsula lies within the county of Cork it is episcopally part of Kerry and hence many priests are Kerrymen - transferred to Castletownbere from within the diocese of Kerry. There is a choir section upstairs but it is used at Christmas time and not much besides. It is normally locked There is a crib at Christmas.

This holy well is just a little off the main road from Castletownbere to Allihies. It is…read moresignposted. Supposing that one is driving from the local metropolis of CTB to the fair borough of Allihies this well is on the left hand side, Walk up a hill a little way and one will see a grey stone slab - a naturally occuring erratic. This is on the ground. There is a house with a small wall around it only perhaps 10 m further up from the 'well'. The well has a little water bubbling out of a crack in the stone - a source of mystification and wonderment to people in the antique age no doubt. People have placed pebbles around it in reverence. The local children seem to know where to find this well known place of reverence.

This church is yellow - the gaudy hue is in keeping with the garish colours of what is perhaps the…read moremost multi-coloure village in Hibernia. This church is for those of the Roman Catholic denomination. The church is named St Kentigern's - although most parishoners probably do not know that. St Kenitigern was a Scots saint. Quite why this church is named in his honour is a fact that escapes even the best places observers of such matters. The decor is bright and tasteful. The place is very limpid. There is a large and mercifully not overly gory crucifix of our Lord and Saviour up on the wall. The church is spacious and can seat 200 easily. There are confessionals beside the main door. Fr Roger Kelleher was the parish priest around 1997 and he has since returned to his native county: The Kingdom. Fr Kelleher was an engaging preacher of homilies and a most amiable man. He is sorely missed.

We parked in the large car park and paid the small fee. It permitted us to see a video about the…read moreoratory (separate building) and then walk through a nice path over to the oratory. The oratory was well over a thousand years old and its construction showed how impressive they built this to withstand the elements. It was completely dry inside even as the rain poured down that afternoon. The oratory was just one of three dry stone constructed churches still standing in Ireland with this stone corbelled roof. Outside to the left rear of the oratory was a marker that shows what is believed to be the name of the person who designed or constructed the oratory.

Gallarus Oratory is one of a handful of old archaeological gems that overlooks the harbor at Ard na…read moreCaithne on the Dingle Peninsula. It is a short hike from the roadside (R559). Apparently there is no true consensus on when it was built and what exactly the function was, but the information given was that it is an Irish church built between the 6th and 9th century. It is made from red sandstone that perfectly overlaps, and the side walls slope like an overturned boat. There is a single door and, across from that, a single window to let light in. I found the architecture to be so impressive, considering the fact that those who built it undoubtedly had rudimentary tools. Adjacent to the oratory is a marked grave, but it isn't clear to whom it belongs. Gallarus Oratory was one of several old/ancient archeological gems we visited while on holiday. It's so interesting that these places still exist and are nicely preserved so that one can appreciate a large scope of Irish history.

This cathedral is absolutely beautiful. It was the first cathedral that was built in Ireland after…read moreCatholicism was legalized again in the 1800s (according to a jaunting car driver we had at one point) and it is absolutely massive. It's also an active church with regular services, so make sure to check their website before you try to visit. I attempted to visit multiple times and ran into mass, a funeral, a wedding, and a baptism before I finally got in. The outside of the cathedral alone is absolutely gorgeous. The inside has the most beautiful stained glass windows and it all feels very peaceful and calming. I'm not a religious person but I can definitely see how people feel closer to God here. You can take all the pictures you want inside and there is no fee to enter. As far as I know there aren't any guided tours but I could be wrong about that.

Huge beautiful church! Worth taking the time to come see. The inside showcases the beautiful…read morestained windows and tells some of the history or the church. Many service options each day, weekends and holidays.

The Crucifix Shrine is a life size scene of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It is made of white…read morestone and it jumps out in contrast against the dark cliffs. The shrine is popular landmark along Slea Head Drive. Some people call it the Slea Head Crucifix. The exact area is named the "Cornerstone of the Peninsula" because it marks the boundary between two Parishes of the Dingle Peninsula. It was funded by an Irish-American and erected before the1960"s. It stands as a memorial to the fishermen who have lost their lives at sea. I visited the Shrine while driving the 33 mile Dingle loop. The road is very narrow but there is a turn out in front of the statue that will allow you to comfortably access the shrine and take photos. It is pretty popular so you may have to wait your turn to visit.

I was at a wedding in this church last summer and it was a beautiful sunny day. The photos outside…read moreturned out brilliant as the setting for the church has lots of flowers and greenery around it. Of course the outside of the church is nice too, it is a lovely traditional looking church both inside and out that is pleasing at any time of the year really. This is a proper country church too as you will always find an old man or two standing outside at the church wall on a Sunday there to speak to his friends and have his weekly chat, then its off to the local shop to get some messages for the week and maybe a pint for good luck. Can be found anywhere in the country really but Glengarriff isn't a village that misses out on this Irish tradition.

Such a cool place to stay. Huge rooms with INCREDIBLE VIEWS of the sea…read more Shared full service lovely kitchen. A small Cafe is on the grounds so you can get a little something to eat and drink without having to drive into town down the big curvy hills. The need was really uncomfortable and thin and low to the ground. That was a bummer. The huge shower was nice with terrific water pressure and heat. Unfortunately when we were there you couldn't put the water in your mouth due to some system issue but they provided huge bottles of water. The staff were so so kind and helpful. I felt like i was at the house of a dear friend.

If you are driving the Ring Of Beara, you need to stop in here just for the experience of eating at…read morea cafe high up in the mountain overlooking a beautiful landscape! The property is owned by The Tibetan Buddhists but they welcome all visitors. Their grounds are breathtaking and truly peaceful. There is a beautiful section overlooking a peaceful but stunning view intended for meditation. I'm not sure if it's actually used for meditation because we only saw people looking around and admiring the view. There is a section where you can donate money and light a candle which is pretty cool. It looks like they are constructing a temple in another part of their property too. It just seems very strange to me that this is located in Ireland where the majority of the population is Catholic. The cafe itself is nice. You can get tea, coffee and other drinks along with a few light desserts. Seating is pretty limited though.