Dingle Harbour

Dingle is Ireland's most westerly town and arguably its most charming — a vibrant, colourful fishing port on the Dingle Peninsula (Corca Dhuibhne) in County Kerry. The harbour is a working fishing port with a substantial fleet, and the town is a lively mix of traditional Irish culture, excellent seafood restaurants, lively pubs and a famously welcoming atmosphere. Dingle is a Gaeltacht area (Irish-speaking). The famous Fungie the Dolphin (a bottlenose dolphin who lived in Dingle harbour for over 30 years until his disappearance in 2020) made Dingle internationally famous. The Dingle Peninsula's scenery — the Connor Pass, Slea Head, the Blasket Islands — is among the finest in Europe. The anchorage is comfortable and the provisions excellent.

Best Months

Anchor Zones

Hazards & Warnings

• !Active fishing fleet — vessels move at all hours; maintain watch especially at night
• !Tidal range 3.5–4.5m springs — plan scope for HW depths
• !Dingle Bay entrance can be rough in SW swell — time entry for moderate conditions; approach from the SE to get inside the headlands
• !Very busy town in July–August — anchor with adequate swinging room and check at regular intervals

Skipper's Tips

• ✓The Blasket Islands (10nm west) are accessible by ferry from Dunquin and by yacht in settled conditions — extraordinary wildlife (grey seals, basking sharks, dolphins, puffins) and moving Irish history (the last island community evacuated in 1953)
• ✓Dick Mack's pub in Dingle has outstanding Irish whiskey selection and occasional trad music — one of the best pubs in Ireland
• ✓The Connor Pass road from Dingle to Tralee offers extraordinary mountain views over both coasts of the peninsula — worth a hire car for the day
• ✓Slea Head (18nm west of Dingle by road) has Iron Age beehive huts (clochán) and the most dramatic Atlantic views on the peninsula
• ✓Provision fully at Dingle — it is the last good reprovisioning port before the remote SW Kerry coast

Facilities