Man swims with 10,000 stinging jellyfish on popular Donegal beach

This is wild! 😱

Author: Emma DicksonPublished 2nd Aug 2021
Last updated 2nd Aug 2021

Last month's record-breaking Mediterranean weather was a welcome reminder that it is indeed summer.

Thousands flocked to the coast to escape the heat, our beaches were packed with sea-swimmers and paddle-board enthusiasts. But with the warmer waters, comes some unwanted pests. You guessed it...jellyfish!

Just look at this snap from Mourne Sea Tours who spotted thousands of moon jellyfish floating in Newcastle, Co. Down.

If you think that's scary...wait until you see this!

Local man Conor Bradley loves all things adventure and the outdoors. He is a regular explorer around Ireland's coast, from hidden caves to snorkelling, Conor does it all.

He visited Rossnowlagh Beach in Donegal last week, somewhere he's been many times as a child with his family.

"I was going into the water for a snorkel to capture some footage for my educational YouTube channel, something I started during the first lockdown. I teach abroad in Qatar, so I had to think of a creative way to effectively teach my students whilst working from a laptop at home.

"As I started swimming further from shore, I got the shock of my life when I glanced up and seen the sheer amount of jellyfish.

"I was almost about to get out of the water, then I thought I've never seen so many like this before, it was so rare, so I stuck it out. At first it was intimidating, some of them had tentacles up to 5m long, it was like swimming through a minefield. But as I was getting more comfortable with it, I got more confident. It actually was invigorating, it almost felt like an alien world, they moved so slowly and calmly it was sort of hypnotic and peaceful at the same time."

Check out Conor's vlog👇

Of course the question on all our lips - did Conor get stung?

"Haha, I was well protected. So I was wearing a 5mm wetsuit, which is very thick, I was quite hot in it with my flippers and mask on too. The only thing that wasn't covered was a little bit of my face and my hands, so a lot of the time I was swimming with my hands in the air."

If the warmer weather has inspired you to get outdoors, why don't you visit some of the forgotten and remote beaches of Northern Ireland.

Kearney

A long narrow road along the Ards Peninsula will lead you to the charming village of Kearney. The village dates back to the early 18th century, and it's here you'll find stunning walks, coastal floral fauna and a fantastic sand/pebble cove.

Waterfoot

Waterfoot Beach is a tranquil escape for those looking to go off-the-grid for a few hours. The backdrop of Glenariff just adds to the beauty of this location, plus if it starts to cloud over you'll have somewhere nearby to visit and escape the rain.

Rossglass

With the iconic St John's Lighthouse to your left and the majestic Mourne Mountains to the right, Rossglass is an epic hidden gem! The beach offers a mixture of sand and rocks, so there's plenty to see and do as the little ones explore the shallow pools for sea creatures.

Carnlough Beach

Carnlough Beach is crescent-shaped and sandy, with a small harbour at the northern end. The harbour is one of the must see stop offs along the Causeway Coastal route for Game of Thrones fans. Glenarm beach would be a more popular spot with locals, it's just 2km south along the coast.

Brown's Bay

This small beach can be found on the northern tip of the Islandmagee Peninsula, it's the perfect point for a quick dip or even some rock fishing with the kids. On a clear sunny day, you can even see Scotland in the far-off distance.

Read more:

Best places to spot dolphins along Northern Ireland's coast

Secret beaches in Northern Ireland you’ll practically have to yourself

50 things to see and do in Northern Ireland this summer

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