A potentially dangerous Lion’s Mane jellyfish has been washed up on a beach off Donegal.
The massive jellyfish was found by a passer-by at Carn Beach in Ardara.
The find comes after Irish Water Safety issued a warning to swimmers to beware of the dangerous species, which have been spotted in their numbers along Ireland’s east coast in recent days.
The jellyfish’s sting is much stronger than those of other species found in Irish waters and can cause anaphylactic reactions in people who are allergic.
The Lion’s Mane jellyfish can reach a diameter of 2m, but are normally much smaller.
They have 150 tentacles each and their colour ranges from deep red to yellow.
John Leech of Irish Water Safety revealed that there is at least one hospitalisation in Ireland each year following a sting from a Lion’s Mane jellyfish.
“Everyone who is swimming this week in beaches along the East coast should be conscious of these Lion’s Mane jellyfish, which have been brought in with the spring tide in their numbers,” he said.
“They have the potential to cause an anaphylactic reaction in someone who is stung, if they should be allergic, but much like a bee sting, you don’t know until you’ve been stung.
“We have seen a number of people hospitalised from this jellyfish and its sting is quite painful and different to other jellyfish found in Irish waters.
“The sting from their tentacles may last for days after they have died,” he said.
“They should ease off in about five days when the tide goes out again, there will be fewer of them,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Irish Water Safety spokesperson also revealed that peeing on a jellyfish sting is an old wives’ tale and will not alleviate the pain.
“If you get stung, you need to wash it with salt water and remove the tentacles as soon as you can. Place a dry cold pack against it. As with anything, if the pain does not die down or the sting appears particularly bad, seek medical attention and go to A&E,” he said.