RTE’s Fungie Documentary Had The Nation Bawling This Week

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Dingle Dolphin Tours (@fungiethedolphin)

Fungie’s disappearance is up there with some of the worst things that happened in 2020, and that list is long.

For anyone slightly confused, Fungie is a wild dolphin that lived off the coast of Dingle in Co Kerry, and is also a national mascot. Tourists from all over Ireland and beyond flock to see the famous dolphin in his natural habitat on boat trips off the Kerry coast.

The nation has long been very fond of the friendly and cheeky, Fungie so naturally everyone was devastated when he went missing earlier this year.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Baz Ashmawy (@bashmawy)

At first, many thought it was just because there were no tourists heading out to see him but now, months later, it seems he is not coming back!

Baz Ashmawy for RTE, made a documentary about his mysterious disappearance called Fungie’s Kingdom, which aired this week and had the nation in bits.

After 37 years creating tourism for the Kerry peninsula, the town of Dingle are saddened at the loss of their county mascot. Baz spoke to numerous people about his loss and they all had their own stories to tell.

If you were on social media the night it aired you would have seen Twitter lit up as the nation mourned for poor old Fungie.

Bawling😭😭 like an egit watching #fungieskingdom Remarkable& beautiful how much love & respect the locals had for #fungi Thanks @bazashmawy and @RTEOne for such a poignant documentary. I’m still hoping he will appear!

— Helena Farrell (@HelenaFarrell77) December 27, 2020

This Fungie documentary is like a Christmas text from an ex bringing up all the heartbreak again 😢 #FungiesKingdom

— Eimear Nollaig (It’s on my birth cert!) (@munsterpixie) December 27, 2020

Bhí Fungie foirfe. A fine tribute to a great dolphin & the town that loved him. #FungiesKingdom https://t.co/rMOtOHMjEm

— Embassy of Ireland USA (@IrelandEmbUSA) December 27, 2020

Is a documentary about a dolphin peak Irishness? 🤔😂🐬#Fungie #FungiesKingdom pic.twitter.com/dp71EqlEYe

— Pádraig McCann🎄 (@Padraig_McCann) December 27, 2020

#fungieskingdom what a doc 💔 beautifully heartbreaking. 🐬 You can come back now Fungie 😔 @rte pic.twitter.com/vYOL5SO1Ce

— 𝚂 𝙷 𝙰 𝚄 𝙽 𝙰 ✌🏽 (@shaunscullen) December 27, 2020

Watching #FungiesKingdom beautifully presented programme. @bazashmawy sharing the evocotive tales and memories of a gentle giant and friend to us all from the people of Dingle. Feels like while we mourn his loss, this programme is a dedication to him and his memory.💔😭@RTEOne pic.twitter.com/53vkIIAmrG

— Gail O’Connor ☘ (@DublinGail) December 27, 2020

Only in Ireland could we all be sobbing over a national dolphin, but TBH we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Tags:

• fungie the dolphin