A FIVE month old seal called Festy was released into the sea yesterday afternoon at Curracloe, Co Wexford. The orphaned seal had been rescued in the area and reared in the Irish Seal Sanctuary.
Festy started his journey in a man made pond at the back of Kevin Murphy's summer sweet shop on the beach in Curracloe. He was loaded into a basket on Mr Murphy's beach bike and taken to a roped off area.
He took about 20 minutes to "waddle down the corridor of freedom", according to Mr Murphy. His journey was watched by a large crowd of people including the Minister for the Environment, Mr Howlin.
Mr Murphy has opened a three week long exhibition on seals in his shop. He is hoping Festy will join a nearby seal colony. Festy has a mark on his head, which will wash off in about six weeks, so that his progress can be monitored.