Lough Hyne Marine Nature Reserve West Cork

29/12/2025

Keys found at Lough Hyne - left on the wall at the head of the lake ....

14/10/2025

They are back, adults included, and in significant numbers too....

Jellyfish alert!
Quite high numbers of mauve stingers (including adults) seen all around Lough Hyne this morning, including at Kelly's Pier and South Basin and East Shore ... the advice from Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, UCC is to proceed with caution if you do decide to swim as they can give quite a nasty sting.
So just be careful out there....

28/09/2025

Good advice ....

Unfortunately the mauve stinger jellyfish are back in numbers in Lough Hyne with a report of a Portugese Man'o War near Ballyalla too ... so please 'be careful out there'.

(photo courtesy of School of BEES UCC)

22/08/2025

It's tomorrow!

One more sleep to Touch Tanks at Lough Hyne!

Come along and welcome tomorrow 11:30-13:15 at North Pier Lough Hyne to enjoy this fantastic family friendly event. Please note that traffic will be heavy so do allow time for parking ......

Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, UCC will be on hand to interpret marine species from the Lough so you can see, touch and learn about what's normally only seen underwater.

20/08/2025

Watch out swimmers please!

Jelly fish alert at Lough Hyne!

Around 100 Pelagia Mauve Stingers recorded around the circumference of the South Basin in Lough Hyne but moving northwards so will affect swimmers at the Lough so swimming is not advisable at present.
Please spread the word....
UPDATE: some are in the juvenile brown stage but still pack a nasty sting!

Lough Hyne

03/08/2025

A very busy weekend at the Lough with a lot of 'left behinds' at the North pier ... please leave no trace folks

29/04/2025

Hurrah!

11/02/2025

The famous Poem about the Lough....

West Cork people of a certain 'vintage' will be able to recite the 'Lough Ine Poem' from their school days and it's a pity that this is no longer taught to local children.

But the man behind the poem is equally interesting and has strong ties to Creagh, the Lough and West Cork - Michael Fitz-James O'Brien - and he was somewhat of a 'character'.

Click here to read this lovely poem and hear his story https://skibbheritage.com/lough-ine-poem/

04/12/2024

A wonderful event every year at the Lough....

24/11/2024

Excellent article on Lough Hyne, well worth reading....

https://hakaimagazine.com/features/for-the-love-a-little-sea/

15/11/2024

Still not safe to swim...

UPDATE on jellyfish at Lough Hyne!

Scientists have been in touch to say that, while the surface waters appear clear, sonar images show mass aggregations in deeper waters. These are assumed to be the jellyfish (but further studies will confirm) so they can come to the surface at any time.

So the message is that it is still not safe to swim at Lough Hyne....

More updates as we get them but please spread the word.

(Photo credit: Prof. Rob McAllen)

Lough Hyne Lappers