Lion’s Mane jelly fish washed up at Fintra beach

A LION’S Mane jelly fish was pictured at Fintra Beach this weekend.

Three young runners spotted the large jelly fish washed up.

Ailbe Doherty (13), Nine Brannigan (13) and Saoirse McGonagle (12) had just finished a long session of cross country running when they went to the beach for a cool down.

Lion’s Mane are said to be able to deliver a verminous sting which may cause medical complications.

Swimmers are advised to proceed with caution.

The HSE says that the Lion’s Mane is the ‘most serious jellyfish in Irish waters’ and its ‘stinging cells are much sharper and can pierce skin easily resulting in a painful sting.’

Earlier this summer, John Leech, the CEO of Irish Water Safety, said: “Each summer, we are seeing more and more jellyfish. Global warming and overfishing are the two main reasons for this.

“When the jellyfish are small, fish will feed on them. But if we don’t have those fish to eat those smaller jellyfish, because they have been fished, these jellyfish will continue to breed in very large numbers and that’s what we’re seeing.”