Where in the World?

Question: Where in the world can you take a dangerous, single-lane road to the westernmost point of a famous island?

Answer: Slea Head, Ireland.

Jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean, situated upon the westernmost point of the Emerald Isle, Slea Head (or Ceann Sléibhe in Gaelic) is perhaps the most scenic promontory in Ireland.

To get here, you’ll drive along the Wild Atlantic Way—the world’s longest coastal drive. Crystal-blue Atlantic waves, towering cliffs, rolling hills, and the quaint villages of the Dingle Peninsula will unfold before your eyes as you glimpse past the paved, narrow, one-lane roads. This landscape is laced with dry-stone walls, thatched cottages, brooding mountains, and deserted beaches.

Once you arrive at Slea Head, the weather-beaten Blasket Islands can be seen like salted jewels bedazzling choppy waves. These islands, once home to a Gaelic-speaking community, have left an indelible mark on Irish culture and literature (see our fun facts, below). And nearby, one can set their eyes upon "beehive" huts—or clocháns—which (true to their name) are ancient stone structures shaped like inverted beehives.

As you explore the coastal paths, breathe in the salty air, and stand at the edge of cliffs that have witnessed centuries of change, you’ll find a story—history etched into the rocks, carried on the wings of the wind. Slea Head, with its rugged allure, beckons all who seek to be humbled by the grandeur of nature and the depth of Ireland's heritage.

And this story gains even more depth when it adds the chat from locals, the warmth of a fire-lit pub, or the tapping feet of a traditional music session.

4 Fun Facts About Slea Head:

• There are many sights to see near Slea Head: The Iron Age Dún Beag Fort, with its stone walls and intricate passages, has stood the test of time for over two millennia, now sitting atop a hill and whispering tales of Ireland's distant past. The Gallarus Oratory—a masterpiece of early Christian architecture that dates to the 9th century—boasts a conical shape constructed without the use of mortar.


• Prepare for road signs in Gaelic: The route of the Slea Head Drive is labelled by road signs throughout its length, which have words in both English and Irish. That makes total sense when the Dingle Peninsula is known as one of the Gaeltacht regions in Ireland, where Gaelic is still widely spoken.


• Slea Head has made it on the big screens: The Dingle Peninsula, including Slea Head Drive, gained fame as one of the filming locations for Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi. The iconic scene of Luke Skywalker's hideout was filmed here. It has also played a supporting role in films such as Ryan's Daughter.


• The nearby Blasket Islands are now uninhabited (after a forceful evacuation in 1953): These islands were once home to a small, Gaelic-speaking community (at its peak, Great Blasket Island only had some 175 residents). For centuries, the people of these Irish islands followed a traditional way of life involving farming, fishing, and weaving. They even became the subjects of linguistic studies for their use of a largely unchanged version of the Irish language. A 1953 evacuation, ordered by then-prime minister of the Republic of Ireland, Éamon de Valera, was largely accepted as a necessity. At that point, the Blasket Islanders—by then a population of only 22—were cut off from communication or any emergency assistance from the mainland and facing increasingly extreme weather patterns. The remaining residents were to be moved to new homes—cottages—with all their furniture, but the waves were so dangerous that they had to leave everything except for a chair and two boxes behind.

Drive along the Wild Atlantic Way during our Irish Adventure: Dublin, Belfast & the Northwest Counties adventure and visit Slea Head during its Dingle & Killarney: County Kerry’s Rugged Coastline post-trip extension.