Can you swim at Dollymount Strand right now?

Dollymount Strand 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 Dollymount Strand?

the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) classified Dollymount Strand 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 Dollymount Strand?

There are no active bathing restrictions published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) for Dollymount Strand. That is not a guarantee of safety — assess conditions yourself.

Is there a lifeguard at Dollymount Strand?

Yes — Dollymount Strand has lifeguard cover. Cover is seasonal; check locally before relying on it.

What facilities are there at Dollymount Strand?

Dollymount Strand has toilets, parking, accessible entry. Facility information is published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland).

Dollymount Strand

Good to go

No current pollution alerts — always assess conditions yourself.

Checked 41 minutes ago against the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) · data last changed 28 days ago.

Sea conditions

Water temperature

14.1°C

Chilly — most swimmers want a wetsuit

Wave height

0.9 m

Significant wave height offshore; inshore conditions vary.

Tide

Coming in

High water around 00:00 UTC
Low water around 05:00 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

<span style="text-align: justify; color: #606060; text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; font-family: Arial, 'helvetica neue', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; word-spacing: 0px; float: none; display: inline !important; white-space: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-color: initial; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial;">Dollymount Strand is the closest large beach to Dublin City Centre and is situated on North Bull Island, a coastal sand spit located in Dublin Bay. Dollymount Strand is a sandy beach that runs from the north Bull wall to the northern tip of the Island. There is a wide variety of activities available which include walking, kite flying, rowing and canoeing. North Bull Island is one of the finest sand dune systems in Ireland, is internationally important in terms of its conservation value and has high quality examples of several rare and threatened coastal habitats. The area is protected by the Flora Protection Order (S.I. No. 94 of 1999) and Red Data Book (Curtis & McGough 1988).</span>

This spot’s record

Dollymount Strand is in Dublin, about 8 km from Dublin. Dollymount Strand 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 Dollymount Strand was under a short-term pollution restriction on 18 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 1,904 per 100 ml. The highest was taken on 8 September 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.

Recent bacterial sample results for this bathing water
Date	E. coli	Enterococci	Assessment
15 Sept	63	15	Excellent
11 Sept	72	12	Excellent
9 Sept	722	82	Sufficient
8 Sept	1904	710	Poor
7 Sept	345	42	Good
31 Aug	31	20	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: Yes
Parking: YesParking available along the Causeway and North Bull Wall.
Toilets: YesPublic toilet at the North Bull Wall entrance to Dollymount Strand.
Accessible entry: YesBeach wheelchairs available, from North Bull Wall entrance.
Dogs: YesDogs must be kept on a lead at all times. This bathing area is a designated bird sanctuary, dogs can scare birds and destroy protected habitats when off the lead.
Public transport: YesPublic transport available to Clontarf Road. Short walk to bathing location.

Official water quality

Classified Good in 2025.

Dollymount Strand is classified as achieving Good Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2022 to 2025. Dollymount Strand had 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 profile

What Excellent, Good, Sufficient and Poor actually mean

Common questions

Can you swim at Dollymount Strand right now?: Dollymount Strand 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 Dollymount Strand?: the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) classified Dollymount Strand 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 Dollymount Strand?: There are no active bathing restrictions published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) for Dollymount Strand. That is not a guarantee of safety — assess conditions yourself.
Is there a lifeguard at Dollymount Strand?: Yes — Dollymount Strand has lifeguard cover. Cover is seasonal; check locally before relying on it.
What facilities are there at Dollymount Strand?: Dollymount Strand 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 Dublin — about 8 km away.