Lahinch
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
14.4°C
Chilly — most swimmers want a wetsuit
Wave height
1.1 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
Lahinch is a sandy beach, subject to strong waves and strong currents. There is a defence barrier consisting of large boulders to prevent coastal erosion. Below the rocky defence barrier the bathing area is sandy with the absence of vegetation. Activities include surfing, kite surfing, wind surfing, horse riding and angling. The use of personal watercraft and fast power craft is prohibited. Beach bye-laws are in place with horse riding and dogs prohibited between 11am and 6pm during the summer season.
This spot’s record
Lahinch is in Clare, about 4 km from Ennistimon. Lahinch was rated Good in 2025 by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland). Its previous classifications were Excellent in 2024, Excellent in 2023 and Excellent in 2022, so the rating here has moved rather than held. In the previous bathing season Lahinch was under a short-term pollution restriction on 29 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 197 per 100 ml. The highest was taken on 10 June 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Sept | 122 | 10 | Excellent |
| 1 Sept | 10 | 10 | Excellent |
| 24 Aug | 10 | 10 | Excellent |
| 10 Aug | 10 | 10 | Excellent |
| 20 Jul | 10 | 10 | Excellent |
| 13 Jul | 10 | 10 | Excellent |
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
- Excellent2022
- Excellent2023
- Excellent2024
- Good2025
This water has declined, from Excellent in 2022 to Good in 2025.
Facilities & access
- Lifeguard
- Yes
- Parking
- Yes
- Toilets
- Yes
- Accessible entry
- YesSteep ramp leads onto beach
- Dogs
- YesBefore 11 am and after 6 pm during summer season, otherwise not allowed at all times onto beach during summer.
- Public transport
- Yes
Official water quality
Classified Good in 2025.
Lahinch is classified as achieving Good Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2022 to 2025. Lahinch has achieved a Good Water Quality reating for 2025 and an Excellent Water Quality rating for the years 2022 to 2024. 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 Lahinch right now?
- Lahinch 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 Lahinch?
- the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) classified Lahinch as Good 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 Lahinch?
- There are no active bathing restrictions published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) for Lahinch. That is not a guarantee of safety — assess conditions yourself.
- Is there a lifeguard at Lahinch?
- Yes — Lahinch has lifeguard cover. Cover is seasonal; check locally before relying on it.
- What facilities are there at Lahinch?
- Lahinch has toilets, parking, accessible entry. Facility information is published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland).
This spot is also in
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Nearby swimming spots
See all swimming spots near Ennistimon — about 4 km away.