Padraig, a grey seal pup born in Dublin Bay, was rescued by Padraig O’Connor, known locally as the ‘Harbour Master’, a backbone of the Great South Wall walking and swimming community (the Half Mooners), on 3 December 2007.

Padraig spotted the seal on the bay side of the Pump House at the start of the Great South Wall. When rescued, Padraig was 3 to 4 weeks old and was in the process of moulting his white coat but was clearly struggling to survive, still just at his birth weight of 15 kilos, with wounds on his back and flippers.

Thankfully, Padraig has made a great and speedy recovery under the care of the Irish Seal Sanctuary and was returned to his rescuer at his place of rescue, and indeed his birth place, Dublin Bay on 16 January at the start of the Great South Wall.