Heavenly creatures at play on high seas

In a forward-thinking and significant initiative, the Government declared the coastal waters of Ireland a whale and dolphin sanctuary in the early 1990s.

It was the first safe haven of its kind in Europe. Coastal waters off the southwest of Ireland are a summer feeding ground for numerous whale species and provide a year round sanctuary for several resident dolphin species.

Even the mighty Humpback Whale can be seen off the southwest coast in the autumn months. They feed in Irish waters for over seven months of the year on a variety of small shoaling fish. Some lucky observers have sighted them just a few kilometres off shore.