The 150 residents of Tory Island have been cut off from the mainland for almost a week following several frightening encounters with basking sharks.
The giant creatures, which come to the warmer waters off Ireland in the summer, have arrived in the past couple of weeks.
The docile sharks, which measure an average of 20ft, do not prey on other fish or meat but their diet consists of plankton which they hoover up with their huge mouths.
However, in recent days the sharks have been gathering at the harbour at Tory Island and are refusing to move out of the path of the local ferry company and other boats.
In at least one case, one of the sharks left a large dent in a local fishing boat.
Many islanders are refusing to take to sea in smaller vessels because of the threatened danger from the sharks.
Council officials arrived by helicopter on Thursday evening in a bid to move the sharks from the entrance to the local harbour.
Special underwater speakers have now been put in place to emit high-pitch frequencies and more modern music including The Beachboys in a bid to confuse the creatures and send them back out to deeper waters.
Marine biologist Dr Sandy Waters said he is baffled by the behaviour of the sharks.
One theory for the ‘blockade’ is that a local boat may have accidentally struck one of the large creatures.
Dr Waters said he is hopeful that after a week or so blocking the mouth of the harbour, the sharks could start to leave today, April 1st.
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