Annascaul

Annascaul or Anascaul (Irish: Abha na Scáil or Abháinn an Scáil) is a picturesque village on the Dingle Peninsula, in County Kerry, Southwest Ireland.

The village is famous for being the birthplace of Antarctic explorer Tom Crean and internationally renowned sculptor Jerome O'Connor.

Statue of Tom Crean, with the South Pole Inn in the background

Get in

By bus

Annascaul is on the regular Tralee - Dingle bus route. Buses run in each direction several times a day. See the Bus Eireann website for information on times.

By car

Annascaul is located on the main Tralee - Dingle road (N86).

It is approximately 35 minutes drive from Tralee, 20 minutes drive from Dingle and 50 minutes from Killarney.

If travelling to Annascaul from Tralee, pay attention to the signposting, as the Tralee-Dingle road diverges in two just before Camp village. One route leads to Dingle via the Conor Pass, the other via Annascaul.

If coming by car it is worth noting that there is no petrol station in the village. The nearest are in Dingle, Camp or between Inch and Castlemaine.

See

• Inch Beach. A beautiful three mile long blue flag beach jutting into Dingle Bay, Inch is a popular local surf spot and provides beautiful views of Dingle Bay. A bar/restaurant/shop on the beach offers shelter and warmth after and enjoyable stroll on the beach. The beach is popular with anglers and is renowned for bass fishing.
• The South Pole Inn. A cozy tavern once owned by Antarctic explorer Tom Crean, the South Pole Inn is full of interesting photos and memorabilia.

Do

Surfing

Surfing is popular at nearby Inch Beach. Boards and wetsuits are available to hire from the cafe on the beach. Also, during the summer months, two surf schools offer lessons and equipment hire on the beach.

• Kingdom Waves, ☎ [phone]. 
• Offshore Surf School, ☎ [phone]. 

Walking and Hikes

Hillwalking is increasingly popular in the area.

• Annascaul Walking Club. A local walking club organise scheduled walks each Sunday. 
• The Dingle Way. A 150 km long trail passes through the village. The scenic trail takes a circular route around the peninsula, leading from Tralee to Slea Head and back again. 

Buy

Be aware that there is no ATM or banking facility in the village. Some shops etc. will accept credit/debit cards, but not all.

Drink

There are a number of pubs in the village itself.

• Hanafins. 
• Patcheens. 
• The Randy Leprechaun. 
• The South Pole Inn, ☎ [phone]. 
• Teac Seáin. 

If you stop in the South Pole Inn, try a pint of Crean's Lager. Named after Tom Crean, a localman who accompanied Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton on their ill-fated Antarctic expeditions, Crean's Lager is brewed locally. After returning from Antarctica, Tom Crean opened the South Pole Inn.

Also, a few miles from the Annascaul village itself in nearby Inch:

• Foleys Bar & Restaurant (Just outside Inch village), ☎ [phone]. 
• Sammy's Bar and Restaurant (On Inch beach itself). 

Sleep

Bed & Breakfasts

• Annascaul House, ☎ [phone]. 
• Ardrinane House, ☎ [phone]. 
• The Four Winds, ☎ [phone]. 
• The Old Anchor Inn, ☎ [phone]. 
• Teac Seáin, ☎ [phone]. 

Also, in nearby Inch:

• Inch Lodge, ☎ [phone]. 

Hostels

• Dingle Gate (On the main road, two miles east of the village), ☎ [phone]. 
• Paddy's Palace (Opposite the Church), ☎ [phone]. 

Self Catering

• Inch Self Catering Cottages, ☎ [phone]. 

Connect