Portnablagh
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
14.0°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
Portnablagh beach consists of a small sandy beach; confined by Portnablagh pier to the North and a small headland to the South. Portnablagh beach supports a variety of wildlife including birds and shellfish. The site is part of a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the E.U. Birds Directive, of special conservation interest. This is because of rare bird species present. Activities at Portnablagh beach include swimming, kayaking, boating, windsurfing, sailing, surfing, power boating, jet skiing, diving and other land based activities on the beach. The beach is located beside the small working pier and slipway. There is a very deep gradient off Portnablagh Beach with the water depth reaching 1m approx. 10m from the water line and continuing out at a deep slope.
This spot’s record
Portnablagh is in Donegal, about 12 km from Falcarragh. Portnablagh has been rated Good in each of the 4 bathing seasons classified by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland), 2022 through 2025. In the previous bathing season Portnablagh was under a short-term pollution restriction on 10 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 131 per 100 ml. The highest was taken on 14 July 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Sept | 63 | 4 | Excellent |
| 10 Aug | 86 | 5 | Excellent |
| 13 Jul | 109 | 9 | Excellent |
| 22 Jun | 10 | 4 | Excellent |
| 2 Jun | 10 | 2 | Excellent |
| 25 May | 10 | 1 | 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
- Good2022
- Good2023
- Good2024
- Good2025
This water has been rated Good in each of the last 4 years.
Facilities & access
- Lifeguard
- No
- Parking
- Yes
- Toilets
- No
- Accessible entry
- Yes
- Dogs
- Yes
- Public transport
- Yes
Official water quality
Classified Good in 2025.
Portnablagh is classified as achieving Good Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2022 to 2025. Portnablagh achieved a Good Water Quality rating for the four consecutive years 2022 to 2025. 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 Portnablagh right now?
- Portnablagh 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 Portnablagh?
- the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) classified Portnablagh 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 Portnablagh?
- There are no active bathing restrictions published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) for Portnablagh. That is not a guarantee of safety — assess conditions yourself.
- Is there a lifeguard at Portnablagh?
- No lifeguard cover is listed for Portnablagh. Never swim alone at an unguarded spot.
- What facilities are there at Portnablagh?
- Portnablagh has 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 Falcarragh — about 12 km away.