Farther up the ragged coastline the road became a narrow one-way passageway, so driving was slow and cautious, particular when a small car didn’t understand the one-way protocol and found itself crammed between the stone wall of the hillside and our van! He scooted away as soon as we inched by him. Not too much later we stopped at Ceann Sraithe, where part of the movie Ryan’s Daughter” was filmed, as well as one of the Star Wars films.

Gallarus Oratory

We continued our drive along the Slea Head Drive and stopped at the Gallarus Oratory, an archaeological gem nestled in the rugged west coast landscapes. This early Christian site is found on the north shore of the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry. After watching a 10-minute video of the sites history, we walked up the hill to the unique, secluded stone building. It is about 1300 years old and is a perfect specimen of dry rebel masonry. The building is rectangular and is approximately 8 m long by 5 m wide and 5 m high. The roof is formed by the gradual rise of the sidewalls from the base upwards. The oratory was built by early Christians who loved their trade.