If you are planning an autumn trip to Ireland, whale watching is worth adding to your list. Minke whales, humpbacks and dolphins are all recorded along Ireland’s western and southern coasts, and autumn is a good time to look for them.
Where to look
Most of the best-documented sightings come from West Cork and West Kerry, where the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) has been recording marine mammals since it was founded in 1990. Minke whales are most often reported from May to October. Humpbacks are regularly recorded off the southwest coast in summer and into autumn. Sightings vary from year to year, so no date is guaranteed.
Check recent sightings before you go
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The IWDG keeps a database of validated sightings, and its sightings map at iwdg.ie shows where whales and dolphins have been reported. It is a record of past reports rather than a live tracker, so use it to choose a stretch of coast, then ask local boat operators for the latest news.
Watching from shore or by boat
You can watch from headlands and clifftops along the coast, and boat trips from West Cork and Kerry take you further out. Choose an operator that keeps a respectful distance from the animals. Bring binoculars and warm layers, because Atlantic winds can be strong in autumn.
If you are combining whale watching with the Atlantic coast, our guide to the Cliffs of Moher covers the landscape further north along the Clare coast.
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