Whale Watch Ireland 2025 Results

IWDG report on Whale Watch Ireland 2025 

On Saturday 17^th May the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) delivered another Whale Watch Ireland event. All Ireland Whale Watch day, now in its 23rd year, comprises free, guided land-based whale watches, which this year was planned for and delivered at 14 sites in 14 coastal counties, throughout the four provinces.  The main objective of Whale Watch Ireland is to raise awareness of the 26 species of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoise) recorded to date in Irish waters, and to promote their conservation by highlighting public participation in our successful recording schemes, which encourage members of the public to report sightings and strandings to the IWDG.  This event continues to be one of the largest in the Irish wildlife calendar.

We maintained the changes we introduced after our 2023 event and so once again brought it forward to coincide with Ireland’s Biodiversity Week, thus enabling us to introduce Whale Watch Ireland 2025 to a potentially more relevant domestic audience, than was previously the case, when it was linked to Heritage Week.  Another factor in our decision to switch the event was a clear trend of worsening weather in recent years during August, with typically more reliable weather for outdoor events in late May.  Again, this proved to be a good decision as the weather on the day at all sites was very good, with high pressure firmly established over the country.

The timing of this year’s event meant fewer overseas visitors to our watches, and that’s ok, as our target audience is ideally people living in Ireland who can contribute to our recording schemes.  For some, this was their first encounter with a wild cetacean in Irish waters, which can be a powerful experience.  Those attending were provided with interpretation by IWDG personnel, who have considerable experience regarding cetacean identification, ecology, biology and the conservation threats facing our marine mammals. An assortment of whale artifacts were on view at some sites, and there was plenty of Inis material and handouts which included the recently re-printed 2^nd edition of the “Coastal Whale Trail” map of Ireland, which was produced with funding support from our core sponsors Inis www.seathebeauty.net

This year’s event was attended by c500+ wildlife enthusiasts at 14 sites. Fortunately, there were no cancellations to weather.  This year’s attendance was similar to that of 2024, and while we could have expected a higher turnout with a 40% increase in sites being covered, it’s possible that the exceptional weather combined with a lot of other Biodiversity Week events, meant that people along the coast went to beaches or were drawn to some of the many local biodiversity events that were on the same day.

This year, 12 sites (86%) described the conditions on the day as fair to excellent and the benign conditions not surprisingly resulted in a higher sighting rate, with cetacean sightings at 8 of 14 sites (57%), comparing favourably with 40% in 2024. The standout result was at Slea Head, Co. Kerry which enjoyed sightings of no less than three cetacean species, with a single minke whale, c.20 bottlenose dolphins and a small group of c15 common dolphins. Well done to Nick Massett.  No animals were recorded at 5 contiguous sites along the Irish Sea and south coast between Howth Head, Co. Dublin and Cloghna Head, west Cork.

                    Montage of images from some of the14 sites covered by Whale Watch Ireland 2025

Some locations from top left in clockwise direction:

• Group watching at Clogher Head, Co. Louth led by Breffni Martin
• Andrew Malcolm in High Viz vest at Helvic Head, Co. Waterford
• Serious scoping at Cloghna Head, Rosscarbery Bay, West Cork
• Girl with Inis shoulder Bag at Mullaghmore Hd., Co. Sligo
• Pádraig Whooley, discussing whales with local family
• Bottlenose dolphins that came close to the Slea Hd View Point
• Nick Massett with group at Slea Head, Co. Kerry who won top prize for best sightings!
• Nice group in lovely sea conditions at Loop Head, Co. Clare
• Nimmo’s Pier, Galway City paid off again in 2025 with bottlenose dolphins.
• Selection of 3 images from Mullaghmore, Co. Sligo….big thanks to Rossa Meade & Darren Craig
• Inis gift set at Erris Head, Co. Mayo
• Erris Head after a good walk in, worth it for the views alone!
• A very chilled approach was taken in Portmuck Co. Antrim
• Three Amigos at Bloody Bridge, Co. Down. Big thanks to Andy Carden

IWDG is very pleased with the results of this year’s event.  The feedback from the watch leaders was very positive with everyone happy with the decision to run it earlier in the year and later in the day between 17:00-19:00. They were also pleased to receive the generous Inis gift pack, which were used as spot prizes on the day at many sites.

We hope that among those who attended, there will be some new members and dedicated whale watchers who are willing to volunteer some time and energy in furthering our understanding of the whales and dolphins that live in Irish coastal waters. In 2023 we said that our challenge, post pandemic, was to find new and innovative ways to rebuild this important wildlife event. This process is now well under way.

From all of us in IWDG, we extend a big thanks you to both Inis and the Irish Environment Network (IEN) for their continued support for Whale Watch day, and a special acknowledgment to all the watch leaders, who gave up their time to lead their local events and without whom this event just could not happen. In clockwise order they are: Breffni Martin, Ronan Hickey, Siofra Quigley, Rory O’Hanlon, Andrew Malcolm, Pádraig Whooley, Nick Massett, Simon Berrow, Cilia Kootstra, Tom Breathnach, Rossa Meade, Brendan Farren, Ian Enlander & Andy Carden.

Young whale watcher at Loop Head, Co. Clare watch, Sat. 17th May

By Pádraig Whooley, IWDG Event organizer

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