Carrowmore Beach, Louisburgh
Caution
This spot is classified Sufficient — it meets the minimum bathing-water standard, but it's the lowest passing grade.
Checked against the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) · data last changed 1 month ago.
Sea conditions
Water temperature
14.3°C
Chilly — most swimmers want a wetsuit
Wave height
0.7 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
Carrowmore Beach is a fine sandy beach consisting of a sandy dune area to the east. Swimming is prohibited towards the eastern end of the beach in the general area of Bunowen River and Tulin Beach. Carrowmore Strand forms part of the Cloghmoyle Dunes proposed National Heritage Area (pNHA) (Site Code 001483). Activities include swimming, surfing, windsurfing, sailing, canoeing, waterskiing, jet skiing, scuba-diving/snorkelling and fishing. The bathing water is approximately 0.3km2 in area. The medium and maximum water depth within the designated bathing water is 0.5m and 5.0m respectively depending on tides.
This spot’s record
Carrowmore Beach, Louisburgh is in Mayo, about 1 km from Louisburgh. Carrowmore Beach, Louisburgh was rated Sufficient in 2025 by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland). Its previous classifications were Sufficient in 2024, Good in 2023 and Good in 2022, so the rating here has moved rather than held. In the previous bathing season Carrowmore Beach, Louisburgh was under a short-term pollution restriction on 30 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 660 per 100 ml. The highest was taken on 8 September 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Sept | 10 | 1 | Excellent |
| 24 Aug | 40 | 3 | Excellent |
| 10 Aug | 10 | 1 | Excellent |
| 27 Jul | 20 | 3 | Excellent |
| 20 Jul | 250 | 3 | Excellent |
| 15 Jul | 120 | 40 | 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
- Sufficient2024
- Sufficient2025
This water has declined, from Good in 2022 to Sufficient in 2025.
Facilities & access
- Lifeguard
- Yes
- Parking
- Yes
- Toilets
- Yes
- Accessible entry
- YesAccess ramp to the beach
- Dogs
- YesDogs only allowed before 12pm and after 6.30pm during the bathing season (1st June to 15th September), otherwise allowed at all times onto beach.
- Public transport
- No
Official water quality
Classified Sufficient in 2025.
Carrowmore Beach, Louisburgh is classified as achieving Sufficient Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2022 to 2025. Carrowmore Beach, Louisburgh achieved a Sifficient Water Quality in 2024 and a Good Water Quality rating in 2023 and 2022. 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 Carrowmore Beach, Louisburgh right now?
- Carrowmore Beach, Louisburgh is currently marked "Caution". This spot is classified Sufficient — it meets the minimum bathing-water standard, but it's the lowest passing grade. 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 Carrowmore Beach, Louisburgh?
- the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) classified Carrowmore Beach, Louisburgh as Sufficient 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 Carrowmore Beach, Louisburgh?
- There are no active bathing restrictions published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) for Carrowmore Beach, Louisburgh. That is not a guarantee of safety — assess conditions yourself.
- Is there a lifeguard at Carrowmore Beach, Louisburgh?
- Yes — Carrowmore Beach, Louisburgh has lifeguard cover. Cover is seasonal; check locally before relying on it.
- What facilities are there at Carrowmore Beach, Louisburgh?
- Carrowmore Beach, Louisburgh has toilets, parking, accessible entry. Facility information is published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland).
This spot is also in
Get told when this changes
We’ll email you when the swim status at Carrowmore Beach, Louisburgh moves — a pollution alert opening, or one lifting. Not a newsletter: only this spot, only when it changes, at most once every 12 hours.
Your address is used for these alerts and nothing else, is never shared, and is deleted the moment you unsubscribe — a link is in every email.
Nearby swimming spots
See all swimming spots near Louisburgh — about 1 km away.