Cappagh Pier, Kilrush
Good to go
No current pollution alerts — always assess conditions yourself.
Checked against the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) · data last changed 2 months ago.
Sea conditions
Water temperature
14.5°C
Chilly — most swimmers want a wetsuit
Wave height
0.5 m
Significant wave height offshore; inshore conditions vary.
Tide
Going out
- Low water around UTC
- High water around UTC
Modelled values, not measurements — coastal water often differs from the open-sea model, and tide times are approximate to within about half an hour. Use official tide tables for anything that depends on precise timing.
About this spot
Cappagh is a rocky beach with stones of up to 30cm and is located on the northern side of the small pier. Due to the stony nature of the beach, the number of plants and animals, which are found on the shoreline, is low, however there is a substantial bird population. Cappagh lies in the Lower River Shannon Special Area of Conservation (SAC 2165). Activities include swimming and bird watching. Beach bye-laws are in place with horse riding and dogs prohibited between 11am and 6pm during the summer season.
This spot’s record
Cappagh Pier, Kilrush is in Clare, about 37 km from Ennistimon. Cappagh Pier, Kilrush was rated Excellent in 2025 by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland). Its previous classifications were Excellent in 2024, Good in 2023 and Good in 2022, so the rating here has moved rather than held. In the previous bathing season Cappagh Pier, Kilrush was under a short-term pollution restriction on 24 days. That is last season's record and not a forecast for today. Across the 12 most recent samples published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland), E. coli counts ranged from 10 to 259 per 100 ml. The highest was taken on 6 July 2026. A classification is calculated from percentiles across four seasons, so no single reading decides how this water is rated.
Recent sample results
The last 12 bacterial samples published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland), most recent on the right. Counts are per 100 ml of water.
Dashed line: 500 E. coli per 100 ml, the Bathing Water Directive guide value for coastal / transitional waters.
| Date | E. coli | Enterococci | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sept | 51 | 10 | Excellent |
| 24 Aug | 10 | 10 | Excellent |
| 10 Aug | 10 | 10 | Excellent |
| 20 Jul | 30 | 10 | Excellent |
| 13 Jul | 10 | 10 | Excellent |
| 6 Jul | 259 | 20 | Good |
A bathing water's official classification is calculated from percentiles across four bathing seasons, not from any single sample — so one high reading doesn't mean a spot is unsafe, and one low reading doesn't mean it's clean today.
Quality over the last 4 years
- Good2022
- Good2023
- Excellent2024
- Excellent2025
This water has improved, from Good in 2022 to Excellent in 2025.
Facilities & access
- Lifeguard
- Yes
- Parking
- Yes
- Toilets
- Yes
- Accessible entry
- No
- Dogs
- YesBefore 11 am and after 6 pm during summer season, otherwise not allowed at all times onto beach during the summer.
- Public transport
- No
Official water quality
Classified Excellent in 2025.
Cappagh Pier, Kilrush is classified as achieving Excellent Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2022 to 2025. Cappagh Pier, Kilrush achieved and Excellent Water Quality rating in 2024 and a Good Water Quality rating in 2023 and 2022. Annual water quality ratings are generally calculated using monitoring results over a four-year period and are assessed against stringent bacterial limits to protect bather health.
Official bathing-water profileCommon questions
- Can you swim at Cappagh Pier, Kilrush right now?
- Cappagh Pier, Kilrush is currently marked "Good to go". No current pollution alerts — always assess conditions yourself. This reflects the latest data published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland). Conditions change quickly — always assess the water yourself before entering.
- What is the water quality like at Cappagh Pier, Kilrush?
- the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) classified Cappagh Pier, Kilrush as Excellent in 2025. Classifications are a rolling assessment of bacterial samples taken over four bathing seasons, measured against E. coli and intestinal enterococci limits set by the EU Bathing Water Directive.
- Is there a swimming ban or warning at Cappagh Pier, Kilrush?
- There are no active bathing restrictions published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) for Cappagh Pier, Kilrush. That is not a guarantee of safety — assess conditions yourself.
- Is there a lifeguard at Cappagh Pier, Kilrush?
- Yes — Cappagh Pier, Kilrush has lifeguard cover. Cover is seasonal; check locally before relying on it.
- What facilities are there at Cappagh Pier, Kilrush?
- Cappagh Pier, Kilrush has toilets, parking. Facility information is published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland).
This spot is also in
Get told when this changes
We’ll email you when the swim status at Cappagh Pier, Kilrush moves — a pollution alert opening, or one lifting. Not a newsletter: only this spot, only when it changes, at most once every 12 hours.
Your address is used for these alerts and nothing else, is never shared, and is deleted the moment you unsubscribe — a link is in every email.