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<\/p>\nStunning footage of marine life – including giant sharks, dolphins and very cute puffins<\/p>\n
13:23, 10 Jun 2026Updated 13:27, 10 Jun 2026<\/p>\n
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A beautiful, giant basking shark filmed by Gio Prince(Image: Instagram: @giosdiving)<\/p>\n
A scuba diver with millions of views online has shared a glimpse of the marine life teeming along the west coast of Ireland.<\/p>\n
Experienced diver Gio Prince, who has 161,000 followers on Instagram<\/a>, uploaded the crystal-clear footage of his underwater adventure after he was joined by some unexpected visitors. Gio, who is based in Cornwall in the UK, said: “The waters around Ireland are teeming with life this time of year. On the west coast I saw my first ever puffins and basking sharks! Some of my favourite animals in the whole world – and iconic seasonal visitors to Ireland.”<\/p>\n The clip begins on the sea’s surface, with a dolphin<\/a> skimming through the waves. Beneath the surface, a pair of gigantic basking sharks slowly swims beside Gio. You can see the incredible footage below:<\/p>\n Content cannot be displayed without consent<\/p>\n While they present a frightening image, basking sharks are virtually harmless. Unlike their Great White cousins, these eight-metre behemoths are true gentle giants, moving slowly through the water and feeing off plankton.<\/p>\n A shot at the beginning of Gio’s video shows a glimpse of Granuaile’s Castle, on Clare Island off the coast of Mayo – though basking sharks and dolphins frequently patrol the waters further south, too, here in Cork. Earlier this month, some very lucky whale watchers got an incredible encounter as basking sharks appeared right next to their boat<\/a>, just outside Baltimore Harbour in West Cork<\/a>.<\/p>\n Baltimore Sea Safari – surrounded by basking sharks off Baltimore in West Cork(Image: Baltimore Sea Safari)<\/p>\n According to Wilderness Ireland, there are a variety of marine habitats to learn about and explore around Ireland’s coast, the Irish Mirror<\/a> reports.<\/p>\n “One example are estuaries, filled with brackish water and home to an intricate ecosystem,” they advise online. “The most famous being the Shannon Estuary in the southwest and the Sligo estuary in the northwest.”<\/p>\n Wilderness Ireland continues: “As well as this, there are a great number of bays and reefs dotted along the coastline – great places for small crustaceans, shellfish and shallow-water fish.<\/p>\n “Further out in the open Atlantic Ocean you’ll find larger species such as Fin Whales, Basking Sharks and Common Dolphins. These cetaceous species are said to widespread and abundant in Irish waters.<\/p>\n “The cliffs and rocky outcrops of the mainland and many islands off the coast offer sanctuary for seabirds, such as Puffins, Gannets, Guillemot and Fulmars.”<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2_Screenshot-2026-05-06-at-165008.png\")
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