The beach once home to world’s biggest jellyfish with golden sand & celeb dolphin

THIS is the breathtaking Irish beach that was once home to the world’s biggest jellyfish – with stunning golden sand, a blue flag and a celebrity dolphin.

The gorgeous seaside spot neighbours the tiny village of Fanore in Co Clare, which can be found on the road between Ballyvaughan and Doolin.

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It features a spectacular dune system which stretches across the full beach front, making for an incredible scenic view.

Fanore beach is a lovely blue flag beach – it’s ideal for swimming and is loved by surfers across Ireland.

The Aloha surfing school has been operating since 2004, offering visitors surfing lessons for beginners and even paddle boarding.

And with lifeguards present seven days a week in the summer months, parents can have some extra peace of mind.

There is a large car park beside the beach.

However, visitors have been warned that it’s easy to miss when you’re driving the coastal road, so keep an eye out for signs on the trip down.

The picturesque beach is a very unique sight, with the stunning golden arc of the beach being backed by the bare limestone hills.

And the limestone rock regularly becomes exposed when the beach is at a low tide.

Archaeologists have even found evidence of people living amongst the Fanore sand dunes, dating back to over 6,000 years ago from examining the lime rock.

This has also made Fanore beach one of the most important historical sites in the west of Ireland.

DUSTY THE DOLPHIN

If you’re lucky enough to take a trip down to the gorgeous sea front at Fanore, on a clear day, you might even get to see some friendly sea creatures.

Dolphins are regular visitors of the Fanore waters, and previous visitors have even spotted a couple of pods of the dolphins circling in the sea.

The famous Irish dolphin ‘Dusty’ is also a regular at Fanore beach – the bottlenose dolphin has thrilled crowds along the Wild Atlantic Way for over 20 years.

Dusty is not afraid of humans and has been known to actively look for swimmers.

However, she can be aggressive and the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group previously warned people not to swim with her.

In 2013, a woman suffered a broken rib, compressed vertebrae and lung damage after she was rammed by Dusty.

This incident came just ten days after another swimmer was injured by the dolphin.

WHAT THE JELL

As well as the wonderful dolphins visitors have spotted at Fanore, there’s one more sea creature that has been discovered along the sandy sea front.

The world’s largest jellyfish was found washed up by a beachgoer at Fanore beach in 2021.

Liam MacNamara encountered several lion’s mane jellyfish on Fanore Beach while taking an early morning walk.

The jellyfish is reputed to be the biggest in the world, with the largest specimen ever found trailing tentacles 120ft long, while its head – known as the bell – spanned seven feet.

It can also deliver a nasty sting – one study from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden described “pain which can persist for hours or days”.

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