INCREDIBLE drone footage of a pod of about 35 dolphin frolicking in Glandore Harbour was captured recently by Liam Thompson from Leap.
Speaking to The Southern Star from Australia, where he is now living and working, Liam said he was incredibly lucky to get the images on the last day of his holiday at home in West Cork earlier in May.
His attention was first drawn to the water by a group of onlookers using binoculars.
‘I had my drone in the car and was lucky enough to have three fully-charged batteries, so I was able to spend about an hour-and-a-half filming them before having to rush home, pack, and travel to Dublin to get an evening flight back to Australia,’ he said.
Liam admits that with jet lag, and adjusting back to work, it was a week or two before he got around to editing the footage down to about 90 seconds, which he shared online with The Southern Star.
‘Although I could see it on the controls on the day, I was shocked when I saw the live footage. It was unbelievable. I was in the right place at the right time,’ he said.
It was on closer inspection that Liam said he could see a dolphin calf in the pod, and he surmised that they had come in closer to the safety of the shore specifically for that purpose.
There were two kayakers out on the water that day, but now, thanks to Liam, everyone can view the exuberant display.
Liam reported the sighting to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, and was gratified to see his footage get thousands of views from appreciative fans.
As someone who did coastal rowing with the local club for about 12 years throughout his teenage years, which meant they would be out on the water in Glandore about four times a week, Liam said: ‘I can say I have never seen anything like that before. It was incredible.’
Liam, a former engineering teacher, is now working for another man from Leap, John O’Driscoll, who named his successful company Kilmac Civil after the club back home, Kilmacabea.
‘There’s a few of us from Leap here now, and about 10 from West Cork working for the company,’ said Liam.
‘It’s great having the banter about things from home.’
