Dingle, Ireland (CNN)When Ireland entered one of the world’s most restrictive pandemic lockdowns in early 2020, Jimmy Flannery was worried how one of his best friends would cope.Fungie, a bottlenose dolphin, had been living in Dingle, in southwest County Kerry, since 1983. From the day he arrived there, Fungie set himself out from the rest, throwing fish he’d caught onto local fisherman’s boats and accompanying cold-sea swimmers as they trained.Bottlenose dolphins’ mouths naturally curve upwards, giving the appearance that they are always smiling. But locals would say that Fungie — pronounced Fun-ghee — was doing just that. It was this quality that compelled droves of tourists from around the world to visit this remote part of Ireland, and how a booming tourism industry was established at Europe’s edge.
