Omey Island Strand
Not monitored
This spot isn't an officially designated bathing water, so it has no annual classification and no pollution-alert monitoring. Past sample results are shown below, but none is recent. Assess conditions yourself before entering.
Checked against the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) · data last changed 7 days ago.
Sea conditions
Water temperature
14.7°C
Chilly — most swimmers want a wetsuit
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
Omey is a sheltered island located 600m approx. off shore. The island is 1 sq. mile and is covered by wind blown sandy soils. Access is by Connemara's only sub sea road via the village of Claddaghduff. The beach is to the northern edge of the island. There is an early Christian monastic site and it is a good place to view rolling Atlantic surf, dolphins and choughs. The interior of the island is taken up by Fahy Lough where swans, ducks, brown trout and the occasional pair of otters can be seen.
This spot’s record
Omey Island Strand is in Galway, about 34 km from Louisburgh. Across the 12 most recent samples published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland), E. coli counts ranged from 10 to 52 per 100 ml. The highest was taken on 6 August 2024. 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 | 8 | Excellent |
| 10 Aug | 10 | 2 | Excellent |
| 13 Jul | 20 | 1 | Excellent |
| 15 Jun | 10 | 2 | Excellent |
| 27 May | 10 | 2 | Excellent |
| 1 Sept | 41 | 14 | 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.
Facilities & access
- Lifeguard
- No
- Parking
- No
- Toilets
- No
- Accessible entry
- Yesdrive onto beach
- Dogs
- Yes
- Public transport
- No
Official water quality
This spot has no official annual classification.
Common questions
- Can you swim at Omey Island Strand right now?
- Omey Island Strand is currently marked "Not monitored". This spot isn't an officially designated bathing water, so it has no annual classification and no pollution-alert monitoring. Past sample results are shown below, but none is recent. Assess conditions yourself before entering. This reflects the latest data published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland). Conditions change quickly — always assess the water yourself before entering.
- Is there a lifeguard at Omey Island Strand?
- No lifeguard cover is listed for Omey Island Strand. Never swim alone at an unguarded spot.
- What facilities are there at Omey Island Strand?
- Omey Island Strand has accessible entry. Facility information is published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland).
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