Update

Whales.

This blog's whale correspondent wrote:

"Sadly the whale was dead when you saw it. She was very emaciated and unwell when stranded on Tuesday 12th September at Strandhill. She died in the evening. You must have seen the removal attempt."

Rodney, of Malin Head Sandrock hoste, said that you can often see live whales swimming past Malin Head if you have a pair of binoculars and the sea is flat.
Unfortunately neither conditions were present when I was there.