Want to go whale watching in Ireland? Follow these handy tips

RTÉ News​

18 hours ago

Outdoor adventurer Marius Monaghan shares his tips for whale watching in Ireland.
If you've been scrolling through TikTok or Instagram this summer, you'll likely have seen some incredible videos of sea pups, basking sharks, dolphins, and humpback whales along the Irish coastline.
As it turns out, Ireland's coastal waters are buzzing with activity, with recent Google Search trend data showing a significant surge in searches for 'whale watching' across Ireland.
Searches increased by 30% between June and July, with an overall increase of 10% this year, compared to the same period last year.
Cork has emerged as the top location in Ireland as the most interested in whale watching, but Donegal appears to be the breakout location for the activity itself.
Travel content creator and outdoor adventurer Marius Monaghan has been lucky to capture some incredible footage of marine life in Ireland over the past few years, as well as coming across a heartbreaking stranding of whales in 2020.
We caught up with the Tyrone-born, Kerry-based creator to find out more.
When did you first get interested in snapping sea life?
My first stand-out interaction with marine life was when I was surfing with dolphins in Donegal. I was probably only 13 or 14, and almost 15 years later, I can still remember so clearly the pod popping up right by my surfboard. It was amazing.
I've always been around the sea, so it is just a bit of what I am (very luckily) used to. However, it was usually microfauna, which is crabs, fish, starfish and other life around this size. In recent years, there has been a huge rise in sightings of megafauna (think dolphins, whales and sharks) - most notably basking sharks.
The interest in taking photos and videos came from wanting to share and show people what amazing life we have here. As a volunteer for Seal Rescue Ireland, I help to collect and transport sick or injured seals to a rehabilitation centre for treatment. Recording and uploading this process is actually a great way to encourage other people to join as volunteers or even raise awareness for other similar groups.
Where should someone start if they're interested in whale watching?
The best way to see sea life in Ireland is, of course, a boat trip. Over the years, I have found these three pretty reliable:
Dingle Sea Safari (Kerry)
Kiwi Girl Mullaghmore (Sligo)
Sliabh Liag Boat Trips (Donegal).
Sightings are never guaranteed when you're hoping to see wild animals, but almost every trip I have taken on Dingle Sea Safari, I have seen some amazing life around the Blasket Islands.
Before heading out on a trip, I would recommend heading to IWDG's online resources to get some of the key info for what exactly to look out for - spouts, fins, and even breaching. It's a great website to help identify what animal you're looking at.
Most exciting moment for you so far?
It was definitely my first encounter with basking sharks. I was with friends at Dunquin Pier, Dingle, for sunset, and as soon as we arrived, we noticed three basking sharks swimming a couple of metres from the cliff edge - right along the coast. To see them so close at such an iconic location was amazing.
Are there any resources you could recommend ahead of a day trip?
The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) have a sightings log where you can browse reported sightings all around the Irish coast. They post real-time reports of whales, dolphins, and porpoises that people spot around Ireland, not just from researchers but also members of the public.
It's great for seeing what species are around where you live, so it can be useful to check the activity level before heading out try to spot them. Ideally, you want to plan your trip when the swell is fairly minimal.
You had a heartbreaking video of whales washed up on a beach - what happened, and who can people get in touch with if this happens?
Yes, this was the largest live stranding in Irish history. A pod of seven to eight Northern Bottlenose whales became stranded about 2km north of the main Rossnowlagh beach in August of 2020, and unfortunately, after a rescue attempt by IWDG, the whales sadly passed.
If you encounter a live stranding:
Contact the IWDG stranding hotline: [phone]
Email [e-mail]
Provide location, time, and photos to help experts identify the species.
The IWDG website recommends setting up or joining an existing local group of whale watchers if you're interested in whale watching. Irish Whale and Dolphin Group officers can support groups by offering training in cetacean species identification and stranding response.
When whale watching, they say to:
Find a good vantage point, like a headland, on a calm day with clear visibility.
Use binoculars or a spotting scope to scan the horizon
Look out for large flocks of birds circling one specific area, meaning that there's something feeding in the water.
Look for a large vertical column of spray - whales create these when they come up for air
Look for large pods of dolphins (50+) are a good sign that something larger is present.