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Excellent: 120Good: 23Sufficient: 7Not classified: 2Poor: 1
⚠️ Rated Poor in Ireland — think twice
A Poor classification means persistent contamination across recent seasons. Authorities must advise against bathing, or ban it, at these sites.
- Dun Laoghaire Baths Poor 🆕 New site — not enough seasons for a track record
✅ The safest bets in Ireland
Sites that have held the top rating five seasons in a row — not a one-year fluke.
- Portmarnock, Velvet Strand Beach Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Forty Foot Bathing Place Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Seapoint Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Greystones South Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Brittas Bay South Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Clogherhead Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Dooey Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Carrigaholt Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Spanish Point Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Redbarn Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Garrylucas, White Strand Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Inchydoney West Beach Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
📈 Turned around
These were rated Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago and are Excellent today.
- Duncannon Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now
- Youghal Front Strand Beach Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now
- Youghal Claycastle Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now
- Cúas Crom Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now
- Mullaghmore Beach Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now
- Donabate, Balcarrick Beach Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now
- Rush North Beach Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now
- Bunmahon Beach Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now
- Skerries, South Beach Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now
- Portarthur, Derrybeg Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now
📍 Destinations in Ireland
- Dublin
12 excellent of 22 within 35 km - Galway
8 excellent of 12 within 35 km - Cork
2 excellent of 5 within 35 km
Common questions about swimming in Ireland
Is it safe to swim in Ireland?
Mostly yes. 79% of Ireland's 153 officially monitored bathing sites hold the top "Excellent" class in the 2025 assessment, but 1 site is rated Poor — bathing there is advised against or banned all season.
Which beaches in Ireland should I avoid?
The 1 rated Poor: Dun Laoghaire Baths. Poor means the site failed the minimum standard across four seasons of sampling.
Where is the water cleanest in Ireland?
96 sites have held the top rating five seasons running — a far better signal than a single good year. Around Dublin, Galway, Cork you will find the densest clusters.
How often is water quality tested in Ireland?
Through the whole bathing season. National sanitary authorities sample each official site for E. coli and intestinal enterococci, report to the European Environment Agency, and the published class reflects the last four seasons combined.
Ratings are the official season-long classification, computed from the last four seasons of sampling — not a live reading. After a storm any site can be temporarily worse; local advisories win.