NEW YORK BOSTON |#Popular: Irish Celebrity Gossip Irish in US Politics Irish Festivals Irish Roots Irish Entertainment Offbeat Irish

Home Page > News > Record number of dolphins visit Ireland’s shores - PHOTOS

Record number of dolphins visit Ireland’s shores - PHOTOS

Several bottlenose dolphins have made a home in Dublin

KARLA RODRIGUEZ,

Published Saturday, June 11, 2011, 7:50 AM

Updated Saturday, June 11, 2011, 7:50 AM

Larger Text

E-mail

15 Comments

There has been a surge of dolphin sightings in Irish waters this year.

PHOTOS-Dolphins visit Ireland’s shores photo gallery

There has been a surge of dolphin sightings in Irish waters this year, with wildlife experts finding a 1,000-strong feeding group off the coast. With the recent weather change, a lot more people are expected to spot the friendly creatures swimming around the coasts of Ireland.

The Irish Whale and Dolphin group reported 14 new dolphin sightings around Irish waters in the last week alone. Three dolphins have been accounted for as being frequent visitors around Dublin, and are beginning to earn the title of “residents” around the Darkley area.

These bottlenose dolphins were spotted swimming within 50 metres of the shore between Cove and South beach in Greystones and the recent good weather has been said to be a major factor in the increase in sightings.

Stunning views as record number of Dolphins visit Ireland’s shores - Photo Gallery

"It's amazing that these three dolphins are only ever seen off the coast of Dublin. They're enthusiastic, they're sociable, they're so much fun and it's always a lovely surprise when they are spotted,” said Simon Berrow of the Irish Whale and Dolphin group to the Herald.

Nster.com

E-mail

15 Comments

See all comments

deburca | Jun 13, 2011, 06:31 AM EDT

Never heard of "Darkley" but I have seen quite a few dolphins off of Ireland' western coast.

Report abuse

Towngate | Jun 12, 2011, 12:41 PM EDT

Antomindless: You might be interested to know I am very familiar with the layout there from my visits on "D'Innis..."; including being on her bridge on the night of the 'Fastnet Storm' when many lives were lost in the yacht race. Some of our passengers suffered only slight injuries! I was glad to see welcome lights of Cork having fought for fifteen hours to make the usually four-hour passage from Pembroke in Wales. Maritime Historians might be interested in that. As for you personally building the waterfront in 1922 ~ I am truly impressed as this means you may be around 80 years if you started working at 10!. You are great for your age so I will go easy in you in future ... and wasn't it terrible of the Queen Elizabeth and her evil henchman Towngate to be so careless with their box of matches ~ especially as the partial burning of 'Cork' happened so long before either of them was even born!

Report abuse

antoman | Jun 12, 2011, 07:08 AM EDT

@towntroll-Call it whatever you like.We've drained the bog and built dock facilities around what is the second largest natural harbour in the world.We rebuilt our city after you and your Queen burned it to the ground in 1921.So go ahead mate call it what you like.Only smile when you do it.We put fluoride in the tap water to so if you decided to visit it would do you no harm at tall to drink buckets of it and finally put a sheen on those distincly English choppers of yours.

Report abuse

Towngate | Jun 12, 2011, 06:15 AM EDT

@ oaklongan : don't worry about getting here to see them - we'll send them over to you. How many tins would you like? ~ ~ ~ NB:Shock for @antomind - it is known as 'Bogland'.(and worse!).

Report abuse

oaklongan | Jun 11, 2011, 07:10 PM EDT

I'm IN LOVE...What a BEAUTY. My daughter and I are definitely coming to Dolphin-Rich Ireland now. Where's there's a will there's a way...

Report abuse

antoman | Jun 11, 2011, 05:47 PM EDT

Thanks be ta jasus twas an Irishman that founded Corcaigh.Left to towntroll and his beautiful descriptive English language we might have ended up with the enviable name of Bogland.

Report abuse

Towngate | Jun 11, 2011, 04:44 PM EDT

Is that chap from the south west still in jail for what he was doing to that Dingle dolphin? Or are you out now and making a nuisance of yourself on this site?

Report abuse

jacersagain | Jun 11, 2011, 02:03 PM EDT

Karla – the Dolphins have appeared off the Irish coast in Killiney Bay around Dalkey, not Darkley. And yes, many famous people live in this Dalkey area, south of Dublin City – U2 member The Edge, Eddie Irvine of Formula 1 Racing fame and singer Van Morrison amongst them. A particular view of beautiful Killiney Bay likens it to the Bay of Naples and many roads in the area have names associated with Naples area e.g. Sorrento, Vico, and Capri. I suggest we give these names to the three dolphins which have taken up residence in front of the famous – names that sound much more suitably upper-class than Funghi.

Report abuse

antoman | Jun 11, 2011, 11:54 AM EDT

Towntroll in his haste to leave another spiteful comment must not have read my own.Fungee has more money than the natives of Kerry and the poor crater has no pockets at tall.For 30 years Fungee has lived alone off shore.Entertaining tourists and locals alike.

Report abuse

mamaginnty | Jun 11, 2011, 11:48 AM EDT

Such beautiful creatures, I got a kiss from Fungi a few years ago, I think we are both getting too old for that craic now but I still love him. They trust humans so lets take care of them and they will stay.

Report abuse

Towngate | Jun 11, 2011, 11:34 AM EDT

cillowen: we'll see how welcome they are when the peaceful pristine natives find out the dolphins have no money! Slainte!

Report abuse

RedBranch | Jun 11, 2011, 11:17 AM EDT

Tuna Fleet on its way then

Report abuse

cillowen | Jun 11, 2011, 10:12 AM EDT

ireland of the welcomes - its no wonder they head for such peaceful and prestine settings.

Report abuse

antoman | Jun 11, 2011, 09:21 AM EDT

The dolphins deemed Ireland worthy as having a dolphin ambassador.In Dingle,Co.Kerry you can go out in a boat to visit Fungee.Even swim with it if you are hardy enough.

Report abuse

Towngate | Jun 11, 2011, 09:19 AM EDT

This news has sent friend PorgieDillon into a coma! He demanded to see their Passports! Either that, or curpeter is abandoning his old deerskin plan to sneak into the Dublin Pale via Greystones disguised as a wet fish! ~~~ Btw: Dolphins are thought to be very intelligent so they won't stay long when they realise where they have landed up!

Report abuse