Turtle returns to sea after 22 years at Kerry aquarium

Updated / Thursday, 29 Oct 2026 09:49

A sea turtle that washed up on a Co Kerry beach with severe injuries in 2004 has been released into the Atlantic ocean after spending 22 years at an aquarium in Co Kerry.

Molly the turtle washed up on an Irish beach in 2004 with her flippers damaged. She has spent much of the last 22 years living in a shark tank in the Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium.

Yesterday, Molly was released back into the sea from a naval ship 12 nautical miles off the Portuguese coast.

Maria Foley has worked with Molly at the aquarium for the last 12 years, and was there to release her into the sea yesterday.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland programme, Ms Foley said: "Molly was probably the largest turtle that we got into our aquarium in the last 22 years. I can safely say she was always known as the queen of the shark tank. Everyone always came back to see Molly."

Ms Foley said when they received Molly in 2004 her flippers were damaged, either from the blade of a boat or a shark bite. Molly weighed only 20kg at that time.

"Back then that was severe damage for a turtle that young," Ms Foley explained.

Ms Foley said there was a lot of research carried out in the last 10 years, with sea turtle stranding groups in Europe, showing that turtles with two to three flippers have returned to original nesting sites.

She said the minute Molly went into a box at the back of the naval vessel during her release, she was getting a lot more active and was "ready to go".

"Once the front hatch opened… she just gently walked off the ramp and straight into the water."

Ms Foley said it is naturally programmed in the turtles to return to where they were born.

Molly is currently tagged and the team are hoping that Molly returns home to her original nesting site.