The town of Dingle
Dingle Peninsula is located on the South-West of Ireland. Dingle Town is the largest Town and is situated in the heart of the peninsula. The region was once described by the National Geographic Traveler as "the most beautiful place on earth".Dingle town is the heart and soul of the peninsula. It is the most westerly town in Europe and a stronghold of the arts.
The town also has a long history. In medieval times the harbour was the departure point for pilgrims to the grave of St James at Santiaog de Compostela in Spain. So important was the pilgrimage that the Spanish are said to have built the first church on the site of the present Church of Ireland in Main Street, which is called St James's after the Spanish patron.
Today it is a thriving tourist area and fishing port whose beauty has attracted musicians, artists and craft persons from many countries. Dingle in the Irish language is "Daingean Uí Chúis". "Daingean" means fortress; "Uí Chúis" is generally accepted as translating to Hussey . . . Fortress of Hussey, the Husseys being a Flemish family that came to the area in the 13th Century.
There are approximately two thousand people living in the town itself. The principle industries in the town are tourism, fishing and farming. SHU hopes that in the years to come, that education will also be seen as an important contributor to the local economy.
Dingle is situated in a Gaeltacht region. An Ghaeltacht, refers to any of the districts where the government recognizes that the Irish language is the predominant language, that is, the vernacular spoken at home. These districts were first officially recognised during the early years of the Irish Free State, after the Gaelic Revival, as part of government policy to restore the Irish language.
