Where to See Basking Sharks in Ireland: A Guide to the Best Coastal Viewing Spots

Along the rugged coastal reaches of western Ireland, the chilly waters of the North Atlantic hold a hidden world of marine biodiversity. As warmer spring and summer temperatures take hold, nutrient-rich currents provoke massive blooms of microscopic plankton along Ireland's coastline. This biological event draws in the world's second-largest living fish species: the basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus).