Inch Beach

Monday

Welcome back to the Irish Riviera – sunny and warm – again! A beach day. So we went to Inch Beach after crackers, cheese, grapes, and chutney for lunch at home. Inch Beach is circled on the map below.

Perhaps the most famous of the Dingle Peninsula’s beaches, it’s a beach that is its own peninsula sticking 5 km out into Dingle Bay. It’s been a centerpiece for many movies. Firstly it was the setting for The Playboy of the Western World (1962). It also plays prominently in Excalibur (1981), Far And Away (1992 with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman), and most famously for Ryan’s Daughter (1970) which won the Academy Award for Cinematography. You previously saw pictures of the “Ryan’s Daughter Beach” which is on Slea Head Drive nearer to Dingle Town. But portions were also shot at Inch Beach.

Here’s a picture potpourri. I never saw so many people or cars at Inch. Still, the beach is so big, it still seems almost empty. It’s 5 km long. But it’s the weather. Usually it’s been cloudy, windy, rainy, or cold. Or all of the above. Today was gorgeous. Not great waves, but there was a surfer or two. Several pictures of Elaine. One shadow picture with a heart drawn by Elaine. In the past we have seen horses on the beach, but none today. Love the cloud reflections in the low tide waters.

Then it was home again. We made a brief stop at Supervalu for bread to go with tonight’s early dinner at home. Pasta, salad, bread, and wine. It was early because tonight we have plans!

After dinner we headed into Dingle to St. James tiny church. It’s Church of Ireland (Anglican) and much smaller than the grand Catholic St. Mary’s. But tonight it is the venue for a concert featuring Dingle-born singer Pauline Scanlon. She’s well known and well regarded throughout Ireland and beyond. We’ve heard her before in Dingle and really like her voice. She was accompanied by three other musicians: Gerry O’Beirne (guitar & vocals), Tommy O’Sullivan (guitar & vocals), and Eion Duignan (pipes & low whistle). Tommy and his wife own Sullivan’s Courtyard Pub in Dingle. We’ve been there, but not often. It has very low ceilings and I risk permanent brain damage if I’m not careful. Eion plays the Uilleann Pipes (as well as the low whistle) – it’s the national bagpipe of Ireland. He also drinks at Curran’s Pub, one of my hangouts. Alas, no photos or recording allowed, so no pictures. I’m sure that the links above will allow you to listen to some of the musicians music. But just in case, here is Pauline singing the Old Churchyard, one of her signature songs.:

Here’s Eoin playing the Uilleann Pipes.

St James Church is literally next door to the Dingle Pub, so after the concert we stopped in for some liquid refreshment and some more music. Then it was home to bed.