The Dingle Peninsula is a beautiful area where the sea meets rolling green hills, rocky coasts, grazing sheep and plenty of antiquity. The region is one of the few areas of Ireland where Gaelic is still the official language, however, everyone there also speaks english. A few place pictured below are the Harbor of Dingle, the ancient Christian site of the Gallarus Oratory (which has a most unusual shape), and the rocky promontory of Clogher Head. The Gallarus Oratory (Irish: Séipéilín Ghallarais, literally “The Church of the Place of the Foreigners”) is believed to be an early Christian church. Though the building is believed to have been built between the 6th century and 9th century, some believe it could have been built as late as the 12th century. The oratory uses corbel vaulting, a technique developed by Neolithic tomb-makers. The stones are all laid at a slight angle, lower on the outside than on the inside, thus allowing rainwater to run off. This design has kept the interior relatively dry over the centuries despite the lack of any mortaring between the stones. It is dimly lit structure, with only a tiny window opposite the entrance door. According to local legend, if a person climbs out of the oratory via the window, their soul will be cleansed.
