North Kerry IWDG

31/10/2026

*Common dolphin rescue*

The equipment wasnt long in storage from the last stranding when the local network were alerted to two Common dolphins who had become trapped in the mud at low water just after lunch on Friday in Cloghane estuary.

Quickly it was all hands on deck! And thanks to the fast response from the amazing local community they were quickly rescued and taken to deeper water and successfully refloated once more! 🌊🐬

We are so very lucky to have so many individuals willing to drop everything and help without a moments hesitation! 🐬🩵🐬



Once again thank you to all those in this stranding and those in the past too! 💕
And also thank you to those who have helped the group to secure stranding equipment which makes every rescue so much faster and easier 🩵✨️

O'Connor's Cloghane Micheal O'Dowd Mary Moriarty NIall Murphy Lisa Murphy Colm, Michiel, Geoff Tabitha Overy
Irish Whale and Dolphin Group

25/10/2026

*White-sided dolphin stranding*

Today the North Kerry responders were given the alert of a dolphin stranded on Stradbally beach and this was an unusual one for the team as it turned out to be an adult White-sided dolphin and a first live-stranding of its kind for the team 🌊🐬

Given the sheer energy in the seas today the team decided the best approach for both the responders and dolphin was to get it to the more sheltered deep waters off Brandon Pier for refloating 🌊

And ️we are glad to say after an acclimation period he swam off and we are delighted that he is now back to safety, swimming in the deep blue once more! 🌊✨️🩵🐬

✨️We cannot say thank you enough to those who raised the alarm and to all of those who helped to transport the dolphin to the vehicle and back out again 💪, the rescue would not have been possible with out every single volunteer ! 🩵✨🐬

And we would also like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who has supported or donated in the past to help in the purchase of the stranding equipment which has most definitely made rescues far more efficient and safer for all involved 🙏



Irish Whale and Dolphin Group

The Heritage Council Kerry County Council Environment

Cloghane Brandon Clochán Bréanainn
Tabitha Overy Poppy Overy Abbie Lynch Brian Murphy Louise Overy

25/10/2026

*White-sided dolphin stranding*

Today the North Kerry responders were given the alert of a dolphin stranded on Stradbally beach and this was an unusual one for the team as it turned out to be an adult White-sided dolphin and a first live-stranding of its kind for the team 🌊🐬

Given the sheer energy in the seas today the team decided the best approach for both the responders and dolphin was to get it to the more sheltered deep waters off Brandon Pier for refloating 🌊

And ️we are glad to say after an acclimation period he swam off and we are delighted that he is now back to safety, swimming in the deep blue once more! 🌊✨️🩵🐬

✨️We cannot say thank you enough to those who raised the alarm and to all of those who helped to transport the dolphin to the vehicle and back out again 💪, the rescue would not have been possible with out every single volunteer ! 🩵✨🐬

And we would also like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who has supported or donated in the past to help in the purchase of the stranding equipment which has most definitely made rescues far more efficient and safer for all involved 🙏



Irish Whale and Dolphin Group

The Heritage Council Kerry County Council Environment

Cloghane Brandon Clochán Bréanainn
Tabitha Overy Poppy Overy Abbie Lynch Brian Murphy Louise Overy

25/10/2026

21/10/2026

IWDG volunteers to complete Rescue 3 Europe Mud Safety training and for supporting the purchase of vital equipment, including rescue PFDs, safety throw ropes and mud flotation shoes.

The training took place recently in Cloghane, where IWDG responders from the west and southwest were trained by Simon Megaw from Lagan Search & Rescue.

Local responders and the community have long been helping common dolphins left stranded by the outgoing tide in the Owenmore estuary. Here, the tide can retreat up to 3km, exposing tidal channels, sandbars and a muddy area responders have nicknamed the “glue trap”.

Common dolphins are an open-water species, found in both offshore and coastal waters. In shallow tidal estuaries like the Owenmore, they can become trapped in channels or stranded on sandbars as the water recedes.

This specialist training builds on that long-standing experience, while the additional equipment strengthens our volunteers’ safety and readiness. We’re very grateful for this practical support for their work to help stranded dolphins.

A huge thank you also to the IWDG responders and local community who, come rain, hail or shine, give their all to help common dolphins in this live-stranding hotspot.

The Heritage Council

Kerry Local Authorities

21/10/2026

In very exciting news...the resident bottlenose dophins in Fenit are now confirmed to be the *Fenit Five*!! 🐬🩵🥳

Photos courtesy of John Moriarty 🐬

Irish Whale and Dolphin Group Tralee Bay Experience Fenit The Kerryman Kerry's Eye Traleetoday.ie

21/10/2026

🐬 Supporting live-stranding response in Kerry

So far in 2026, 43 dolphins and whales have live stranded across eight events in Kerry—all on the Di**le Peninsula. Brandon Bay is a recognised hotspot, with strandings more recently occurring further west around Smerwick Harbour and Feohanagh.

We’re delighted to have received €602.95 through the Local Enhancement Programme 2026 to purchase two common dolphin rescue slings and two head torches for local IWDG volunteers.

We’re continually building up the rescue equipment available to our volunteers, and this funding is another valuable step. The slings help volunteers support and move stranded dolphins safely, while head torches provide essential hands-free lighting when responses continue into darkness.

A heartfelt thank you to Kerry County Council and the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht. Your support makes a real difference to our volunteers’ readiness and safety, and their ability to help animals in distress.


Photos: 2026 mass stranding Ballydavid & 2024 mass stranding Cloghane

21/10/2026

19/10/2026

Huge thank you to everyone who made this possible!
It is wonderful to now have some of our North Kerry stranding responders equipped and trained with the best approaches for any future mud-based strandings 🐬🙏

06/09/2026

On Saturday 22 August the Irish Whale & Dolphin Group ran a community dolphin watching event ‘Estuary Watch 2026’ around the Shannon Estuary as part of National Heritage Week.

There were seven watch points around the estuary which is an SAC (special area of conservation) stretching from Killimer to Loop Head lighthouse in Clare, from Tarbert out to Bromore Cliffs in Kerry.

The one-hour continuous watch recorded and counted all dolphins observed, helping to build a snapshot of distribution and activity across the inner and outer Shannon Estuary at the time.

Filmmaker Tony Whelan spent the hour at Bromore Cliffs with Joanne O’Brien, a lecturer and researcher in marine mammal ecology and bioacoustics at ATU. Wonderful location, wonderful weather, Joanne engaging as always and there were dolphins.

https://vimeo.com/littletfilms/estuarywatchbromore?share=copy&fl=cl&fe=ci