Just in time for the warm weekend, people have been warned to stay away from certain beaches in the east and south due to the presence of the dangerous Portuguese man o’war and lion’s mane jellyfish.
Beaches around Sandycove, south Dublin, are now under red flag, and people have been warned not to enter the water after a lion’s mane jellyfish was spotted in the area. Its sting, while painful, does not usually cause long-lasting effects.
Elsewhere, the venomous man o’war jellyfish has been spotted in Ballybunion beach in Co Kerry. The creature’s venom causes severe pain and may induce anaphylactic shock in susceptible subjects, which may lead to death.
Beach-goers have been clearly warned not to mess with these creatures, and leave them alone even if they wash ashore dead, as the venom may remain active in their tentacles for hours and even days after death.