The information video before actually seeing the church was brilliant and really helped to set the scene and to tell the incredible story of this beautiful church. Such a fascinating piece of Irish history. The facilities were brilliant - adequate parking, a decent WC block and a very informative and welcoming attendant. No question too big or small.

The Gallarus Oratory is the oldest church in Ireland and it's located in a beautiful serene setting. Very scenic and extremely quiet. I was awestruck and the majesty of this simple stone building. Our driver, Michael Blake, The Killarney Driver, took us here as a spur of the moment stops and we are glad he did. The visiter's center is very nice and the movie about the church is very well done. highly recommended.

We had such a lovely time here. It was a very quick walk. They believe this old Christian church was built sometime between the 9th and the 12th century. Traditionally it is believed whoever could climb out through the small window would have their soul cleansed, allowing them guaranteed access to heaven. Well, I definitely couldn’t get through, ha. The man working at the front was extremely kind. My father suffered from a Covid related injury, leaving it difficult for him to walk. He let my father drive through so that he could see the historic landmark.

The paid access through the 'Visitor Centre' is a SCAM. Access to the oratory, a National Monument, is free 24/7, by going 200/300m further east. There is a parking area there (no charge) and the walk from your car is far shorter. The unwary visitor is led to believe that the 'Gallarus Oratory' that appears on Google Maps, for example, is the official carpark, visitor centre, and only access. It is not. Remember, the free access, which is a shorter and better way to visit the Oratory is 200/300m eastwards from the SCAM and unfortunately better signposted access. I repeat, avoid the scam. It is a disgrace that it is there. The information there is poor at best. It leaves a bad taste. AVOID and DO NOT PAY the disgraceful scammers.

Church was a standing ancient church outside of Dingle near an end of Slea Head Drive. It is a fully intact stone structure, including roof. There is a small ancient cemetery attached to the location. The facility offers a video overview as well. They are more than accommodating and permit the cars of those who cannot walk the distance to drive up much closer.

I visited the Gallarus Oratory with my wife, kids (14, 11, 7yo), and parents (70s). The whole stop is not very long, but, if this kind of thing is interesting to you, then I highly recommend it. We stopped at the pay lot, which has a small shop, nice facilities, and an orientation video. This costs money, obviously. Down the road, there is a free lot from which one can also access the Oratory. Our group really got a lot out of the video presentation, which is ~ 10 minutes long and provides a huge amount of context for the oratory, from its beginnings over 1000 years ago to its use for Easter Mass today. We also used the facilities. The Oratory itself is a simple, one-room, dry stone church surrounded by a low stone wall and situated among green hills crisscrossed with more stone walls. Its boat-like shape and clever, sturdy construction really evoked a solid, lasting antiquity like few other monuments that we saw in Ireland. Our whole party enjoyed quietly standing in the church and walking around it, thinking of the Christians so many years ago worshipping there. It was so peaceful and wholesome. Visiting the Gallarus Oratory is not likely to take a long time. We spent less than an hour, and that was with the video presentation. Nonetheless, we really felt that we had experienced something deep and rich and meaningful. My sense is that if you have no interest in religion, ancient construction, sacred spaces, or the like, that this monument may well not change your mind. (It also may not be very interesting to you if you are a very small child or are acting like one.) However, if these things are interesting to you, then this is a brief but powerful stop worth making.

The visit to the oratory was wonderful. The introductory film was very informative but standing in the actual church space was amazing and awe inspiring. We had to remind ourselves that this building and the stele which shows how Patrick blended the Celtic circle with the Christian cross are truly 1400 years old, not reproductions. The visit doesn’t take long, but is more than worth your time! Also, the gentleman in the gift shop was very kind and concerned that we have a good experience.

Gallarus Oratory is located in Dingle Peninsula and it is a stone church built between the 6th and 9th centuries. It is one of the most well preserved early christian churches in Ireland. It is a small and very tiny church, which you can visit and enter inside the little hall. In fact, the building seems like an inverted boat, very curious.

Gallarus Oratory was a perfect ending of our one-day Slea Head trip. The territory is well maintained, has everything you need for a comfortable visit. It was extremely interesting for me to look around the Oratory itself, stand inside, imagine people visiting it hundreds of years ago, learning more about this place. I highly recommend visiting Gallarus Oratory while traveling around Slea Head.