March 4, 2020 Heatons Dingle – Where it all began

Welcome to my on-line diary about Heaton’s Dingle which I hope you will enjoy reading.

In this diary, I hope to bring you stories concerning Heaton’s Dingle and also snippets about our own little piece of heaven, the beautiful Dingle Peninsula, on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way.

I am looking forward to the 23rd season in Dingle at Heatons. It all started when my parents, Cameron and Nuala Heaton, took a huge leap of faith, sold up, and moved lock stock and barrel from Limerick to Dingle to build and open Heatons Guesthouse.

My mum, Nuala, originally from Kerry, having raised her family, my siblings Brian, John, Jacqueline and myself, had a longing to go into the hospitality business. Mum and Dad came to Dingle to view the site that Heaton’s Dingle now stands on. Mum just fell in love with the location, and Dad arranged to engage a solicitor and the rest as they say “is history”.

Mum and Dad built Heatons on a greenfield site overlooking Dingle Bay, and welcomed their first guests in 1996. It was quite a change for my them to work and live together, as in his previous life, my Dad’s job involved a lot of travelling, so they would be apart quite a lot.

They were both very dedicated and determined to make it work, and their combined love of meeting new people, and my Mum’s love of cooking, meant that this was the ideal business for them.

A few years went by and it was decided that my sister Jacqueline would get involved in the business. Making it a real family affair, I joined the business in 2008, and I can honestly say I have never looked back. I’d like to think that Jacqueline and I continue to offer that good old fashioned Irish hospitality standard, set by our Mum and Dad all those years ago and that has become synonymous with Heatons Dingle.

Over the last 23 years we all have seen tourism grow in Dingle. Still the town retains its small town charm. There are so many activities to enjoy, traditional Irish music, a myriad of restaurants offering locally produced food, adventure activities, a cookery school, a falconry school, boat trips to the islands and of the bay, and of course lots of interesting places to visit.

The number of annual festivals has also grown over the years, and in 2020 we will have the Animation Festival in March, St. Patrick’s Weekend, Feile na Bealtaine in April, Dingle Adventure Race, Dingle Marathon, Dingle Food Festival, Dingle Literary Festival and finally Other Voices on the first weekend in December. You can find out more about these on our website.

I always welcome questions regarding any of these festivals or any other activities, as I believe truly in helping get the most out of your stay in Dingle. So, don’t hesitate, email me using this link and pick my brains!

I look forward to welcoming you to Dingle in 2020.