 Sunset Over Inis TuaisceartThis island, one of the Blasket Islands, is also known as The Sleeping Giant..you can see why! |  Ogham Stone, Dunmore HeadAt the higher point of the headland stands this Ogham Stone. Measuring 2m tall, its inscription is dedicated to 'Erc' and was possibly a place of ritual worship to the goddess Duibhne (Dovinnias). Still evokes a strong sense of wonder. |  Coumeenoole BayHome to a beautiful unspoilt beach. Water so blue, you have to see it to believe it! |  Rugged Dunmore HeadThis is it, the most westerly point of the Irish mainland. Fittingly rugged, this place also offers a stunning vantage point to spot Whales passing between here and the Blanket Islands. |  The Skellig IslandsA long distance from Slea Head but often visible, these islands (Skellig Michael and Little Skellig) have provided rugged sanctuary to sea birds and early Christian Monks. However, more recently they provided the backdrop to the closing scene of Star Wars The Force Awakens. |  Above Dunquin PierDún Chaoin (Caon's stronghold) is the western-most settlement on the Irish mainland. A winding pathway snakes down the headland here to the pier where a ferry service runs to Great Blasket Island during the warmer months on the year. |  Blaskets from The RoadsideOnce again the early morning colour of Autumn reveals the stunning beauty of this place. |  Inis TuaisceartThe name means "Northern Island" but it is also known as An Fear Marbh (the dead man) or the sleeping giant due to its appearance when seen from the mainland. It is an awesome sight. |  Coumeenoole BeachThe turquoise-blue waters of The Atlantic have carved-out a beautiful beach, sitting below sheer cliffs. To stand down here on a stormy day, as the waves crash into the beach, is exhilarating. |  Cross Stone, Slea HeadForming part of the stone wall, where several Beehive Huts survive, along the Slea Head hillside. The Beehive Huts here are thought to date from 12th Century when occupying Normans took the better land for themselves, forcing the indigenous Irish out onto the fringes of the Peninsula. |  View of Ceann SibealFrom Waymont, on the Slea Head Drive, the view stretches beyond Clogher Strand to the Brandon Mountain range, the Three Sisters and Ceann Sibeal, the headland where scenes for the next Star Wars movie were filmed in 2016. |  Ogham StoneThe early morning sun in Autumn casts long shadows across the green land. |  Blasket IslandsThe Blasket Islands as seen from Waymont, Dingle Peninsula. |  Dunmore HeadAs westerly as mainland Ireland gets. From here can be seen Great Blasket Island. Great Blasket was inhabited until the 1950's. |  Slea Head Drive at CoumeenooleA section of the Slea Head Drive above Coumeenoole Bay. On a lucky day it is possible to see Whales passing by between here and the Blasket Islands which sit just off this section of the coast. |  Slea Head CoastlineThe western-most Irish mainland appears to anchor itself in place, in defiance of the regular onslaught of the Atlantic Ocean. |  Sybil PointSybil Point (Ceann Sibeal) with Clogher Strand before and the Three Sisters beyond. Ceann Sibeal was where a set was built in early 2016 for filming of Star Wars Episode 8. |  Dunmore Head SummerA longer exposure capturing the movement of the tide and the midsummer cloud. |  Walkway to Dunquin PierThis narrow walkway is shaped out of sheer practicality, following as it does the contours of the landscape. From here, beyond Dunmore Head, lie the Blasket Islands. |  Clifftop Walk at Dunmore HeadThe beautiful, natural landscape of the Dingle Peninsula in all its glory on a summer day. This pathway leads to the tip of Dunmore Head, which is the western-most point of mainland Ireland. |  Blaskets from Dunquin PierAt the bottom of a unique winding pathway is a small pier. During the warmer months there are regular boat crossings (weather permitting) to Great Blasket Island from this very point. |  DunquinA view from across the bay, showing how Dunquin Pier is accessed. |  Waves at CoumeenooleThe Dingle Peninsula coastline receives frequent bombardment from the Atlantic Ocean. |  Shrine on the Slea Head DriveA scene of the Crucifiction stands on the winding Slea Head Drive. |  Coumeenoole BayDunmore Head, the most westerly point on the Irish mainland, points outward towards the Blasket Islands. |  Rainbow at Ceann SibealA chance discovery. Driving Slea Head one rainy afternoon, approaching Waymont, this was the sight that greeted me. With the changeable weather rainbows are common here but not always right in front of you as this one was. Within a few minutes it was gone, a lucky moment for me. |  Dunquin PierAs an area, Dunquin (Dún Chaoin) is known as 'the next parish to America' as it is the most westerly part of Ireland. The pier itself was the main departure point for boats crossing to the Blasket Islands, an often hazardous crossing for the traditional Currach boats. Now it is comfortable and safe tourist boats which take thousands of visitors every year across the channel to Great Blasket. |
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