Fountainstown
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
1.6 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
Fountainstown Beach is an east-facing, gently sloping, sandy/shingle beach. It is bounded to the north by a low rocky cliff, to the south by rocky outcrops and to the west by a concrete wall with the public road and car park adjoining the beach. Fountainstown Swamp which is a proposed Natural Heritage Area (pNHA 000371) is situated to the north of the beach. The beach is used to some extent by anglers and for windsurfing.
This spot’s record
Fountainstown is in Cork, about 18 km from Cork. Fountainstown 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. Across the 12 most recent samples published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland), E. coli counts ranged from 10 to 63 per 100 ml. The highest was taken on 30 June 2025. 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 | 10 | 14 | Excellent |
| 17 Aug | 20 | 7 | Excellent |
| 27 Jul | 20 | 7 | Excellent |
| 20 Jul | 20 | 12 | Excellent |
| 29 Jun | 20 | 14 | Excellent |
| 8 Jun | 10 | 4 | 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
- Yes
- Dogs
- NoDogs are not allowed on this beach between 10.30 a.m. & 7.00 p.m. during the bathing season which runs from 1st June to 15th September.
- Public transport
- YesPublic bus
Official water quality
Classified Good in 2025.
Fountainstown is classified as achieving Good Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2022 to 2025. Fountainstown has achieved a Good Water Quality rating in 2025, and an Excellent Water Quality rating for 2022, 2023 and 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 Fountainstown right now?
- Fountainstown 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 Fountainstown?
- the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) classified Fountainstown 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 Fountainstown?
- There are no active bathing restrictions published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) for Fountainstown. That is not a guarantee of safety — assess conditions yourself.
- Is there a lifeguard at Fountainstown?
- Yes — Fountainstown has lifeguard cover. Cover is seasonal; check locally before relying on it.
- What facilities are there at Fountainstown?
- Fountainstown has toilets, parking, accessible entry. Dogs are restricted. 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 Cork — about 18 km away.