Cill Mhuirbhigh, Inis Mór
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
15.0°C
Cool — comfortable for a shorter swim
Wave height
1.5 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
Cill Mhuirbhigh beach is a sheltered sandy shore bounded by rocky shore to the west and east. There is a small area of marram dune which supports a variety of vegetation. The habitat of Machair is located within Cill Mhuirbhigh and this form of coastal grassland supports a variety of rare plants. There is also a variety of animal and bird species including rare species. The rarer plants are listed in the Irish Red Data Book and legally protected under the Flora Protection Order (1999). There is a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the island, the prehistoric fort Dún Aonghusa. The whole island is significant in terms of cultural and environmental value.
This spot’s record
Cill Mhuirbhigh, Inis Mór is in Galway, about 37 km from Ennistimon. Cill Mhuirbhigh, Inis Mór has been rated Excellent in each of the 4 bathing seasons classified by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland), 2022 through 2025. Across the 12 most recent samples published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland), E. coli counts ranged from 10 to 97 per 100 ml. The highest was taken on 29 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Sept | 10 | 4 | Excellent |
| 17 Aug | 10 | 2 | Excellent |
| 5 Aug | 10 | 3 | Excellent |
| 29 Jul | 97 | 125 | Good |
| 13 Jul | 10 | 2 | Excellent |
| 29 Jun | 10 | 8 | 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
- Excellent2025
This water has been rated Excellent in each of the last 4 years.
Facilities & access
- Lifeguard
- Yes12-6 7 days July & Aug weekend June/Sept
- Parking
- Yes
- Toilets
- Yes
- Accessible entry
- No
- Dogs
- NoNo dogs allowed on designated blue flag beaches during lifeguard hours. Dogs allowed on a lead at all other times.
- Public transport
- No
Official water quality
Classified Excellent in 2025.
Cill Mhuirbhigh, Inis Mór is classified as achieving Excellent Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2022 to 2025. Cill Mhuirbhigh, Inis Mór has achieved an Excellent 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 Cill Mhuirbhigh, Inis Mór right now?
- Cill Mhuirbhigh, Inis Mór 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 Cill Mhuirbhigh, Inis Mór?
- the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) classified Cill Mhuirbhigh, Inis Mór 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 Cill Mhuirbhigh, Inis Mór?
- There are no active bathing restrictions published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) for Cill Mhuirbhigh, Inis Mór. That is not a guarantee of safety — assess conditions yourself.
- Is there a lifeguard at Cill Mhuirbhigh, Inis Mór?
- Yes — Cill Mhuirbhigh, Inis Mór has lifeguard cover. Hours: 12-6 7 days July & Aug weekend June/Sept. Cover is seasonal; check locally before relying on it.
- What facilities are there at Cill Mhuirbhigh, Inis Mór?
- Cill Mhuirbhigh, Inis Mór has toilets, parking. Dogs are restricted. Facility information is published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland).
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