Sharks basking off Dingle Bay

LIKE a family of returned Yanks treading homeward to the Blaskets, the sight of a group of rare visitors heading towards the shores of Dingle Bay has caused great excitement among locals on Ireland’s western-most point.

From Dingle harbour itself, across the 10 miles of water south to Kell’s Bay and from Valentia to Cahersiveen, a school of around 30 basking sharks could be seen flashing and shimmering in the waters that slice the Dingle and Iveragh peninsulas.

While fishermen bemoaned the recent sunshine that all but scuppered their lobster catches, the arrival of the sharks — each bigger than a double- decker bus and weighing more than an elephant – brought enthusiasts out in boats hoping to catch a glimpse of these enormous yet docile creatures.