IWDG was founded in 1990 to establish an Irish whale and dolphin sighting and stranding scheme and to campaign for the declaration of Irish territorial waters as whale and dolphin sanctuary in Irish waters. Since then, the group has grown in numbers to become what it is today, a diverse group of people from varying backgrounds with one thing in common, a passion for whales and dolphins and the marine environment. The IWDG is a registered charity (No. CHY11163), registered with the Charity Regulatory Authority (No. 20029913) and receives funding from a range of sources., such as core funding from the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment through the Irish Environmental Network, grants from the National Parks and Wildlife Service, membership subscriptions, corporate sponsorship, donations and consultancy work.
