Only a week until the IWDG’s National Whale Watch Day, 2018

The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) invites you to join them for a land-based whale watch next Saturday, 25th August 2018 from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. The purpose of whale watch day is to raise awareness of the 25 species of cetaceans (porpoises, dolphins and whales) recorded to date in all Irish waters, and gives the public a great opportunity to look for and observe some of these wonderful marine mammals in their natural environment. This event also provides IWDG researchers with a unique snapshot of whale and dolphin activity around the Irish coast on the day.

This annual, all-island event, organized by the IWDG in association with Inis is free and open to all. All watches are land-based and will be led by experienced IWDG researchers and whale watchers, who will show you how to observe and identify some of the more commonly recorded cetacean species in Irish waters and who will be available to discuss the conservation work of the IWDG.

You should bring binoculars or a spotting scope and dress appropriately for outdoor weather conditions. There are no boat trips involved, and there is, of course, no guarantee that you will see whales or dolphins at your chosen site; but at last year’s event, whales or dolphins were recorded at 15 of 20 sites (75%). So if the weather is suitable on the day, you’ve quite a good chance of seeing some really interesting marine wildlife, and in the process, you’ll be supporting whale and dolphin conservation in Ireland by becoming actively involved in Citizen Science.

Please contact your local organizer for further details (see below) or visit the IWDG website www.iwdg.ie for the latest information on whale and dolphin sightings and strandings in Irish waters.

Whale Watch Ireland, is part of Heritage Week, coordinated by the Heritage Council www.heritagecouncil.ie. Whale Watch Ireland 2018 is sponsored by Inis www.seathebeauty.net

#HeritageWeek #ShareAStory

Any media enquiries to:

Pádraig Whooley, IWDG, Phone: 086- 3850568 or email: padraig.whooley@iwdg.ie

Local contact details for enquiries

Watch location	Meeting Point	Watch Leader	Contact	Email
Clogher Head, Louth	Port Oriel Upper Car park	Breffni Martin	087 9145363	bmartin@regintel.com
Howth Head, North Dublin	Balscadden Car Pk	Conal O' Flanagan	086 3537900	candhof@gmail.com
Killiney Bay, South Dublin	Vico Road	Meadhbh Quinn	087 2759529	meadhbh.quinn@iwdg.ie
Bray Head, Wicklow	Pitch & Putt car park	Justin Ivory	087 6833898	jcivory67@gmail.com
Wicklow town, Wicklow	Black Castle car park	Brian Glanville	087 1390665	brianglanville1@hotmail.com
Hook Head, Wexford	Lighthouse	Noel Lynch	087 3226656	ann@hookheritage.ie
Ardmore Head, Waterford	Ram Head Signal Tower	Andrew Malcolm	087 7952061	oxmoron@gmail.com
Galley Head, West Cork	Lighthouse	Pádraig Whooley	086 3850568	padraig.whooley@iwdg.ie
Bray Hd, Valentia Isl. Kerry	Signal Tower	Sean O' Callaghan	085 7764918	seanocallaghan212@gmail.com
Clogher Head, Kerry	Layby	Nick Massett	087 6736341	nickmassett@hotmail.com
Loop Head, Clare	Lighthouse	Simon Berrow	086 8545450	simondberrow@gmail.com
Black Head, Clare	Lighthouse	Sandra O' Donovan	086 6061869	sanod2@gmail.com
Downpatrick Hd, Mayo	Car Park	Mark Holmes	086 7376369	markholmesmayo@gmail.com
Mullaghmore Head, Sligo	Mullaghmore Head	Miriam Crowley	085 8535823	miriam.crowley@chg.gov.ie
Bloody Foreland, Donegal	Foreland Heights bar car park	Gareth Doherty	086 2223328	selchiesailing@yahoo.ie
Inishowen Head, Donegal	Tower	Trish Murphy	087 6478183	trishjmurphy@gmail.com
Portrush, Co. Antrim	Ramore Head	Jim Allen	078 76516032	jallen3597@yahoo.co.uk
Portmuck, Antrim	Car Park	Cathy Hinds	075 11160658	chinds05@qub.ac.uk
Bloody Bridge, Down	Car Park	Dave Wall	077 71762355	dave.wall@iwdg.ie