Move to Courtown has brought many benefits
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FOR many years, the Irish Seal Sanctuary was based in a private back garden at Garristown in Co. Dublin. The organisation was founded in 1986, and established as a Wildlife Hospital, Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in 1995 for seals found in difficulty on Ireland's coast.
The move to Courtown meant they could expand their facility; provide more appropriate accommodation for the seals; and also welcome members of the public in to see the work they do.
Because they can now do public tours of the facility, it has meant that donations are now steadier than they were before.
The Irish Seal Sanctuary had used other methods of raising funds, and still invites people to become members for a small annual fee; adopt a seal; or support specific fundraising efforts; but the visitors' donations are also proving to be very useful in helping care for the seals.
Seals, which are found in difficulty around the Irish coastline, are brought by Irish Seal Sanctuary ambulance to Courtown, or to their regional partner centre at Dingle Wildlife and Seal Sanctuary, where ISS volunteers are also based.
Three of the current pups based in Courtown arrived down from Northern Ireland; while two are from Sligo; one from Galway; and one from Carne in Wexford.
'We do have seals almost all the year round,' said Lynn Moore, one of the managers at the centre. 'Right now, it's the end of the harbour seal season. The grey seal season begins around the end of September and into October.'
'We have had grey seal pups as early as July, but this year is a bit calmer weatherwise,' she added. 'Around October is our busiest season and through the winter. We have a couple of months in the Spring where it's a bit quieter, and that gives us the chance to catch up on everything else.'
She said that they love their new home by the sea. One of the visitors at the centre last week was Mandy Curran from Garristown.
She had been a regular supporter of the Sanctuary in its former home, and had come down with her family to check out the new facility. 'It's much better,' she said. ' There's so much more space. It's lovely. The visitors' centre is so much nicer than the caravan in Garristown!'
' We were very sad to see them go,' she added. 'But it's much better for the seals and for the volunteers, and for the public. It will be great to see a lot of families coming down now and educating them about the seals. It's much more appropriate for the seals, and it's great to be close to the sea.'
