Slea Head

Slea Head (Irish: Ceann Sléibhe[1]) is a promontory in the westernmost part of the Dingle Peninsula, located in the barony of Corca Dhuibhne in southwest County Kerry, Ireland. It belongs to the province of Munster and the county of Kerry and is served by the R559 road; the nearest villages are Ballyickeen and Coumeenoole. The headland itself, together with the larger part of Mount Eagle's southern slopes is formed from steeply dipping beds of the pebbly sandstones and conglomerates of the Slea Head Formation, dating from the Devonian period and traditionally referred to as the Old Red Sandstone.[2]

Abandoned farmhouse, Slea Head, 1986

Slea Head is the promontory in the back to the right in this photo, taken from the very end of Dunmore Head, the westernmost point of Ireland.

The Ranga, here pictured in 1986, was wrecked in 1982

Just to the northwest of Slea Head is Dunmore Head, the westernmost point of Ireland. Slea Head is a well known and recognised landmark and also a very scenic viewpoint, with a dramatic view of the Blasket Islands.[3] On the 11 March 1982, the Spanish container ship, Ranga, was wrecked at Dunmore Head, close to Slea Head after losing power in a storm.

The Slea Head Drive

The Slea Head Drive is one of the Dingle Peninsula's most stunning routes. En route are several famous landmarks such as Ventry Beach, Pre-historic Fort and Beehive Huts, The Dingle Famine Cottage, views of the Blaskets Islands and Coumenole Beach and Gallarus Oratory. The loop road returns towards Dingle (the capital of the Kerry Gaeltacht Irish-speaking area)

A view of Blasket Islands and Dunmore Head from Slea Head.

References

1. "Ceann Sléibhe". Placenames Database of Ireland. Archived from the original on 26 August 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
2. Higgs, K. and Williams, B. Geology of the Dingle Peninsula, Geological Survey of Ireland 2018
3. "Dingle Peninsula". Discover Ireland. Retrieved 1 October 2010.