Nine-foot shark found stranded on West Cork beach

Animal washed up on Sheep's Cove near Clonakilty was identified as a blue shark

The 9ft blue shark spotted stranded on a Sheep's Cove near South Ring in Co Cork.  Picture: Danielle Orrell via Twitter

A group of researchers were alerted to the scene of a dead 9.5ft shark after it was found stranded on a West Cork beach over the weekend. 

On Sunday evening, marine biologist Dr Danielle Orrell, PhD Student Jasmine Stavenow and conservationist Victoria Knight were able to identify the dead animal on Sheep's Cove near Clonakilty as a blue shark.