Puffins of Ireland - All You Need to Know

Atlantic Puffins spend a good bit of their lives living on the open ocean, where they live off of local fish and zooplankton (the type of fish will depend upon their location). Once they attain breeding age (roughly five years old though it can vary), the puffins come ashore in remote coastal regions in order to breed and fledge their chicks, or pufflings.

The puffin breeding season usually starts in late March or early April, finishing in July or August, though of course, they follow their own schedule which means that predicting their movements down to an exact week or even month isn’t always possible. At this time, the puffins leave Ireland and the rest of Northern Europe to winter in warmer waters down south.

If you are set on spotting a puffin, the most surefire times to see one are in May and June.

The Skellig Islands are one of Ireland’s most popular and iconic locations. Situated 11km off the coast, the Skelligs are a collection of two rocky pinnacles, Skellig Michael and Little Skellig. Once home to monks looking to retreat from the world, in recent times, the Skelligs have played host to Jedis as a Star Wars filming location.

The islands also house a resident puffin colony during breeding season – visit between April to July to see a puffin or two! Fun fact: those adorable little alien birds in the Star Wars films – the porgs – were added into the films because of the number of puffins on the Skellig Islands! As a protected species, the filmmakers were not permitted to move them, and it was too much work to edit them all out… and thus, the porg was born. It even looks a bit like a puffin.

Practical info: Skellig Michael island is open from May to September, and there are several boatmen who operate boat services out of Portmagee, or on a smaller scale, Derrynan. These places fill up fast, so book early. The crossing is long, and the weather is unpredictable, therefore the boats are not guaranteed to run. Learn more about the Skelligs

These small privately-owned islands off the coast of Wexford in the southeast of Ireland are uninhabited and therefore perfect for seabirds. The Great and Little Saltee are about 5 km off the coast of Kilmore Quay.

It’s on the larger of the two Saltee Islands where you’ll likely find the puffins, as well as other seabird species like Gannets, Gulls and Manx Shearwaters – making these islands a birdwatcher’s haven. As for history, the Saltee Islands have been inhabited in some way by Neolithic humans, as well as early Christian hermits, Vikings, Normans, monks, and later on, the islands housed fishing communities. The Saltees ideal location in the Celtic Sea on the way to the UK and mainland Europe made the islands popular with pirates and smugglers. The island still contains vestiges of these various civilisations from promontory forts and ringforts to Ogham stones and romantically-named caves. There’s even a throne for the island’s local king, King Michael the I.

Practical info: Only the Great Saltee is available to visit (the landing conditions of the Little Saltee are too hazardous for boat landings). There is no regular ferry, but there are charter boats available from Kilmore Quay. No overnight stays are allowed (except by the residing family), and the islands are open daily from 11:30 – 4:30pm. 

Once home to the impressive (and formidable) Pirate Queen Grace O’Malley, a semi-legendary figure from the 16th century who once ruled the high seas from Clew Bay (where Clare Island is located) down to Galway Bay, Clare Island still houses vestiges of her pursuits, notably the Pirate Queen’s Castle and her tomb in a beautiful Cistercian abbey. (Learn more about the Pirate Queen here).

If you want to try to spot puffins, be sure to pack a good pair of hiking boots and take to the coastal trails as puffins generally stay away from human habitation when possible.

Practical info: Catch the ferry from Roonagh Quay. Though it runs all year round, the winter service is spotty. If visiting outside of the summer months, be sure to bring a picnic lunch.