If you read our guide to whale watching in Cork, you’ll know that this corner of Ireland is a little bit special.
Aside for the many incredible places to visit in West Cork on the mainland, and the many islands close by, the waters around Cork are home to some very special visitors.
From beautiful basking sharks and mighty humpback whales to dolphins, seals and much, much more, many magnificent creatures call Ireland’s waters ‘home’.
Yet, few have been captured as wonderfully as this basking shark in West Cork, several years ago.
A basking shark in West Cork
Ireland’s Wildlife Tours caught the mesmerising footage above of a magnificent basking shark in West Cork.
Hit play and take some time to appreciate the fact that these stunning creatures can be found in our waters.
Hold on – what actually is a Basking Shark?
In late spring and early summer, one of the largest sharks in the world visits Irish waters.
The Basking Shark is the second biggest shark in the world, falling in at second place behind the Whale Shark.
These sharks are completely harmless, and feed off the plankton that’s found along the Irish coast.
Go on – hit play again, you know you want to!
Keith O’Hara has lived in Ireland for 35 years and has spent most of the last 10 creating what is now The Irish Road Trip guide. Over the years, the website has published thousands of meticulously researched Ireland travel guides, welcoming 30 million+ visitors along the way. In 2022, the Irish Road Trip team published the world’s largest collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries. Keith lives in Dublin with his dog Toby and finds writing in the 3rd person minus craic altogether.