Scuba diving locations in Ireland:

• The North and Northwest coasts feature a wealth of wrecks.
• On the Eastern seaboard, Dublin Bay host an unexpected assortment of marine life from huge lobsters to the famous Dublin Bay Prawn.
• The rugged coastlines of Cork and Kerry have sheer rock faces and stunning topography.

• On the west, the counties of Clare, Galway and Mayo have a number of offshore islands offering Atlantic diving with steep drop-offs and colourful walls.

• In Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, the sites range from the shelter of Strangford Lough with its wealth of marine life in an unspoilt environment, to Rathlin Island, famous for it's wall dives, to the more challenging, wreck-strewn Irish Sea.

When to scuba dive in Ireland:

There are numerous sheltered bays where the diving is relatively unaffected by the currents and winds that would otherwise limit the season, but in general the best diving season is March to October, but with summer waters around 15°C dropping down to 6°C in winter, a dry or semi-dry suit is recommended at all times.

Local standards for gear:

The best scuba diving spots in Ireland:

• The Kowloon Bridge Wreck, off Baltimore, is the world's heaviest wreck. A 300 metre super-carrier lying between 6-36 metres, weighing over 160,000 tons. It has been bought to salvage the iron ore with the possibility that the wreck could be destroyed, so take advantage of this opportunity while you still can.
• The U-260 submarine off Baltimore is a German U Boat lying between 36 to 40 metres.
• The Pinnacle in Kerry Country is a majestic dive.
• In Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, Strangford Lough holds the wreck of the MY Alastor and the Lochgarry Ferry at Rathlin Island, a passenger shipwhich went astray and hit rocks off Torr Point, finally anchoring and being abandoned half a mile east of Rathlin Island before sinking. The wreck is well preserved and sits upright in 32 metres.

The best spots to snorkel in Ireland:

Fun scuba facts:

Country data:

Administrative details

• Currency: Euro (EUR) (Pound Sterling (GBP) in Northern Ireland of the United Kingdom)
• Population: is about 4,500,000 (2011) in the Republic of Ireland (1,800,000 in Northern Ireland of the United Kingdom)
• Time Zone: WET (GMT), Summer WEST (GMT+1)
• Main languages spoken: Irish, English ## Diveable overseas territories:

Irish diving federations:

• COMHAIRLE FO THUINN (CFT) is a member of Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS)
• (in Northern Ireland of the United Kingdom, SUB-AQUA ASSOCIATION (SAA) is a member of Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS))

Local diving laws and regulations (and PADI-equivalent certifications):