Whale and dolphin spotters were training their binoculars on seas around the coast today in the hope of spotting a glimpse of the Ireland's largest visitors.
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The organisers of the country's first WhaleWatch Day, the Irish Whale & Dolphin Group, have set up six watch sites around the coastline of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Following the recent visit of three killer whales to Cork Harbour which drew crowds from around the country, there is renewed interest in the mammals.
With almost a quarter of the world's whale species having been spotted around Ireland, the government designated the 200 miles around its coast a whale sanctuary in 1991.
Group Chairman, Dr Simon Berrow said: "Ireland is one of the most important places in Europe for cetaceans whales, dolphins and porpoises.
"Since 1991, the group has received over 3,000 sighting records of 14 different species."
Arctic species of whales travelling south and Mediterranean species moving north can both be seen around the Irish coast, he added.
The most frequent sightings are of minke whales and fin whales.
Dr Berrow said: "People in Ireland can make a real contribution to the conservation and welfare of cetaceans in Irish waters by adopting their local headland as a whale-watching site.
"In doing so they can build up a better understanding of what creatures inhabit the sea in their neighbourhood."
He said passengers on the DART to Greystones in Wicklow, have a one in three chance of spotting harbour porpoises in Killiney Bay.
A watch is being mounted at the Old Head Kinsale, Co Cork, Loop Head, Co Clare, Kilcummin Head, Co Mayo, Ramore Head, Co Antrim, Howth Head, Co Dublin and Hook Head, Co Wexford, from 2pm to 5pm.