Clogherhead

About this spot

Clogherhead beach is a large open sandy beach that is gently sloping facing mainly to the east. There is an area of dunes and an area of rocks to the north. There are two small rip currents at the north end of the beach. There are areas of sand dunes and rocks. There are a variety of marine wildlife including crabs, jellyfish, sea beet and limpets. The Foreshore Byelaws 2003 are in existence to exclude motorized vehicles from the beach. The average daily visitor numbers to this beach estimated during the bathing season is 200. The bathing area is approximately 1430m in length. The beach at the bathing area is gently sloping into the sea.

Facilities & access

Lifeguard

Yes

Parking

Yes

Toilets

Yes

Accessible entry

No

Dogs

YesDuring the bathing season dogs are prohibited from the beach between 11am and 6pm

Public transport

YesPublic bus

Official water quality

Classified Excellent in 2025.

Clogherhead is classified as achieving Excellent Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2022 to 2025. Clogherhead 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.

Common questions

Can you swim at Clogherhead right now?

Clogherhead 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 Clogherhead?

the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) classified Clogherhead 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 Clogherhead?

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

Is there a lifeguard at Clogherhead?

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

What facilities are there at Clogherhead?

Clogherhead has toilets, parking. Facility information is published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland).