I arrive back from the Canary Islands, with a brief stop-over in London, and have messages on my telephone which make me wonder if there is more exotic wildlife to be seen in West Cork than in many far-flung places.

I was outraged as I read an article entitled “Sprat —worthless dead but priceless alive” by Cork Whale Watch skipper Colin Barnes in The West Cork People, my excellent local community newspaper.

COLIN BARNES, originally from Sussex, has been fishing in Irish waters for over 30 years.

If you want to see someof the largest whales onearth, the entire south coast of Ireland is now seen as one of the best places on the planet to whale watch.

Two leading wildlife specialists have joined forces to help people get close to the wild side of Ireland.

Richard Hawley stood on picket lines with his dad. His new album is a protest against callous government, says Nicki ffrench Davis

A major sea and air search is due to resume off the Cork coast this morning for a missing diver who failed to surface after a deep dive expedition.

The carcass of a 30-tonne whale which died when it beached in a west Cork harbour will be to towed out to sea and submerged.

A 50ft fin whale stranded at Baltimore pier was spared a planned euthanising by navy officials after it died naturally shortly after 11am yesterday.

THE seagulls danced overhead.

Damien Enright on his encounters with whales

A 1,200KM JOURNEY by a baby humpback whale through treacherous waters is at the centre of a discovery that has Irish and Dutch whale researchers leaping for joy.