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A Dingle Boat tour operator has posted a heartbreaking update on the ongoing search for Fungie as fears mount about the dolphin’s whereabouts.
Concerned boatmen have been searching for the past few days after the iconic dolphin was not spotted.
And sadly, searches carried out by various ships were canceled Sunday night after Fungie was nowhere to be found.
An update issued by Jimmy Flannery, who runs Dingle Sea Safari, read: “After an extensive search today together with Mallow Search and Rescue Divers, Dingle Coast and Cliff and Dingle Dolphin Tour along with other boats, we are sadly not aware of the whereabouts of Fungies.
“At this stage, we are canceling the search in the hope that Fungie has gone on an adventure and, if he wishes, will one day return with us.
(Image: Domnick Walsh)
“We can’t thank Mallow Search and Rescue enough for trying to locate our dear friend and as they say, no news is good news.
“Wherever you are, my friend, I hope you are safe and happy, thank you for all the years of joy that you have brought to so many people.”
Jimmy, who has known Fungie the dolphin for 37 years, insisted that the bottlenose is priceless to the local area in terms of its importance and value.
He added: “It is priceless, there is no doubt.”
“Because everything revolves outside of him.
“You have the restaurants, you have the bars, you have the vacation homes and the boats would probably be the smallest part.” An entire industry has grown around the animal in the resort town of West Kerry since Fungi arrived 37 years ago. .
“Fungie will be a massive loss to the entire community.” They will mourn it massively; it’s a pet, it’s our sentinel [a guard] at the entrance of the port, it is our pride and joy.
“When talking to people at home and talking to my own son, who grew up with him, there is a terrible air of sadness in him. [Dingle] Peninsula to think if we have lost our friend.
“You see, the thing is, this was probably the best case, believe it or not.” I mean, I’ve been taking people to see it for 33 years and I’ve always said the best scenario is for it to disappear.
“[The] the worst case scenario is that we see him die or we would see him die; we would see him get sick and we couldn’t help him … “
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