Good dive sites in western ireland?

[driftwood]

I'll be going to the town of Galway on the western coast of Ireland in early May. Anybody know if the diving there is any good? Trying to decide if it is worth bringing my dive gear.
driftwood

 

[cebaztian]

me too

And I am heading to the north western tip of ireland during summer 2005 (sailing) and would like to freedive aswell. Any freedivers around that area?

 

[paddythefrog]

If you're in Galway, make your way out to Spiddal from Galway town and catch a boat to the Aran Islands, there's a few nice local chaps that regularly spear over there and it's so small there's no way you won't find them. I was invited by the bus driver between Spiddal and Galway to come over for some spearing with them and if I wanted to scuba -- they can cater for that too! He saw my gun/fish on my return journey to Dublin, we got chatting and I found some fellow spearo's I have yet to meet. At a guess a cab ride would set you back €20+ but there's a bus you can catch from the square, right opposite the trains/buses.

Alternatively just get out to the coast and get in the water, you could be nicely surprised! That's what I did last time I was there and I found myself with a nice 2K Pollack on my belt after a short dip, there were no currents since it is a bay apart from a small tidal drift which can be stronger with neap tides so just ask a few local people once there.

People were laughing as I got into the water behind the pier at Spiddal and locals were telling me there was no fish to be had -- it wasn't biting. I hopped to and came back shortly with my fish. The long line of fishing rods on the pier had nothing to show for their afternoon/evenings work and when I arrived on the rocks with my fish at 8pm all of a sudden there was this massive interest in what I was doing and rod fishers were eyeballing me and gathering around in disbelief while I gutted my fish and fed it to the gulls.

I hope you read this before you take your holiday and even if you don't, I'm sure you'll find a nice spot with fish aplenty -- there's no shortage of them here! Any of the local scuba clubs in Galway do shore dives so I'm sure you'll find everything you need once you both get here.

Bring your dive gear or you will live to regret having missed some incredible diving

 

[dcfreediver]

I am in the Northwest, in County Donegal, where are you going to be sailing?

 

[funkyuser]

i've been free diving from the shore around ballyconnelly in galway and baltimore in cork.

I've been diving for about 4 months mostly solo, 40 dives, reaching 15 metres at most.

just bought a foldspear and want to try and spear a few fish.

I'm not a competitive diver and am safety conscious.

just a quick post, might elaborate some ot