All Island Whale Watch day: Two Donegal locations and one at Mullaghmore in Sligo today

There are two locations in Donegal where the public is being invited to join representatives of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) for a land-based whale watch from 2:00-5:00 pm today, Saturday, August 24.
Thanks to the arrival of minke and humpback whales and other species of whales and dolphins along the Irish coast, Saturday promises to be a great day for All Island Whale Watch day.
The Donegal events will be at Bloody Foreland, Co. Donegal, the Heigh’ts Bar car park, Bloody Foreland (Contact is Gareth Doherty, 086 2223328), and Inishowen Head (Contact is Brendan Farren, 086 2187242). There will also be a whale watch from Mullaghmore Head, Co. Sligo (Contact is Sophie Bresnihan, 085 8732077).
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, by giving the public an 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.
This annual, all-island event, organized by the IWDG and sponsored by Inis the Energy of the Sea, is free and open to all. All watches are land-based and will be led by experienced IWDG researchers, enthusiasts and whale watchers, who will show you how to observe and identify some of the more commonly recorded cetacean species in Irish waters.
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 14 of 19 sites (73.6%).
Whale Watch Ireland, will once again be part of Heritage Week, co-ordinated by the Heritage Council www.heritagecouncil.ie