#MarineWildlife - Ireland’s annual whale watch day takes place next Saturday 25 August — and the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group invites the public to join its land-based whale watches around the island of Ireland.
From 2pm to 5pm next Saturday, the IWDG’s volunteers will be raising awareness of the 25 species of cetaceans — porpoises, dolphins and whales — recorded to date in all Irish waters, and giving the public a great opportunity to look for and observe some of these wonderful marine mammals in their natural environment.
Whale Watch Ireland also provides IWDG researchers with a unique snapshot of whale and dolphin activity around the Irish coast on the day.
This annual, all-island citizen science event, organised by the IWDG in association with Inis the Energy of the Sea, is free and open to all as part of Heritage Week, co-ordinated by The Heritage Council.
All watches are land-based and will be led by experienced IWDG researchers and whale watchers, who will show you how to observe and identify some of the more commonly recorded cetacean species in Irish waters and who will be available to discuss the conservation work of the IWDG.
To make the most of the day, bring binoculars or a spotting scope, and dress appropriately for outdoor weather conditions. There are no boat trips involved and there is no guarantee that you will see whales or dolphins at your chosen site.
But at last year’s event, whales or dolphins were recorded at three-quarters of sites around the Irish coast.
The full list of watching locations, with watch leader contacts, is as follows:
- Clogherhead, Co Louth - Port Oriel Upper Car Park - Breffni Martin 087 9145363/[email protected]
- Howth Head, North Dublin - Balscadden Car Park - Conal O’Flanagan 086 3537900/[email protected]
- Killiney Bay, South Dublin - Vico Road - Meadhbh Quinn 087 2759529/[email protected]
- Bray Head, Co Wicklow - Pitch & Putt Car Park - Justin Ivory 087 6833898/[email protected]
- Wicklow Town - Black Castle Car Park - Brian Glanville 087 1390665/[email protected]
- Hook Head, Co Wexford - Hook Head Lighthouse - Noel Lynch 087 3226656/[email protected]
- Ardmore Head, Co Waterford - Ram Head Signal Tower - Andrew Malcolm 087 7952061/[email protected]
- Galley Head, Co Cork - Lighthouse - Pádraig Whooley 086 3850568/[email protected]
- Valentia Island, Co Kerry - Bray Head Signal Tower - Sean O’Callaghan 085 7764918/[email protected]
- Clogher Head, Co Kerry - Layby - Nick Massett 087 6736341/[email protected]
- Loop Head, Co Clare - Loop Head Lighthouse - Simon Berrow 086 8545450 / [email protected]
- Black Head, Co Clare - Black Head Lighthouse - Sandra O’Donovan 086 6061869 / [email protected]
- Downpatrick Head, Co Mayo - Car Park - Mark Holmes 086 7376369 / [email protected]
- Mullaghmore Head, Co Sligo - Mullaghmore Head - Miriam Crowley 085 8535823 / [email protected]
- Bloody Foreland, Co Donegal - Foreland Heights Car Park - Gareth Doherty 086 2223328 / [email protected]
- Inishowen Head, Co Donegal - Tower - Trish Murphy 087 6748183 / [email protected]
- Portstewart, Co Antrim - Ramore Head - Jim Allen 078 76516032 / [email protected]
- Portmuck, Co Antrim - Car Park - Cathy Hinds 075 11160658 / [email protected]
- Bloody Bridge, Co Down - Car Park - Dave Wall 077 71762355 / [email protected]
