Mullaghmore Beach
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
14.4°C
Chilly — most swimmers want a wetsuit
Wave height
1.0 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
Mullaghmore Beach is a sheltered sandy beach, backed by sand dunes. Mullaghmore beach forms part of the Bunduff Lough and Machair Special Area of Conservation (SAC). The beach consists of sandy dunes which support a wide variety of plant species. There is a wide variety of wildlife and also reefs are located off the coast. Mullaghmore beach forms part of the Bunduff Lough and Machair Special Area of Conservation (SAC). Mullaghmore Sailing Club is nearby and they provide sailing courses during the summer off shore. The bathing area is approximately 300m in length however the beach is approximately 2km in length.
This spot’s record
Mullaghmore Beach is in Sligo, about 17 km from Ballyshannon. Mullaghmore Beach was rated Excellent in 2025 by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland). Its previous classifications were Good in 2024, Sufficient in 2023 and Sufficient in 2022, so the rating here has moved rather than held. Across the 12 most recent samples published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland), E. coli counts ranged from 10 to 135 per 100 ml. The highest was taken on 31 August 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Sept | 10 | 1 | Excellent |
| 31 Aug | 135 | 14 | Excellent |
| 17 Aug | 20 | 1 | Excellent |
| 4 Aug | 10 | 8 | Excellent |
| 20 Jul | 31 | 2 | Excellent |
| 6 Jul | 10 | 1 | 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
- Sufficient2022
- Sufficient2023
- Good2024
- Excellent2025
This water has improved, from Sufficient in 2022 to Excellent in 2025.
Facilities & access
- Lifeguard
- No
- Parking
- Yes
- Toilets
- YesToilets in the vicinity of the beach
- Accessible entry
- No
- Dogs
- YesA person in charge of a dog on any of this beach shall keep such dog on a leash of fixed length of less than 2 metres, and otherwise under adequate control from 10am each day, throughout the year. Before 10am dogs must be kept under effective control.
- Public transport
- YesLocal Link bus operates between Sligo to Ballyshannon (route 982) stopping at a number of villages including Mullaghmore.
Official water quality
Classified Excellent in 2025.
Mullaghmore Beach is classified as achieving Excellent Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2022 to 2025. Mullaghmore Beach achieved a Good Water Quality rating in 2024 and Sufficient 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 Mullaghmore Beach right now?
- Mullaghmore Beach 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 Mullaghmore Beach?
- the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) classified Mullaghmore Beach 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 Mullaghmore Beach?
- There are no active bathing restrictions published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) for Mullaghmore Beach. That is not a guarantee of safety — assess conditions yourself.
- Is there a lifeguard at Mullaghmore Beach?
- No lifeguard cover is listed for Mullaghmore Beach. Never swim alone at an unguarded spot.
- What facilities are there at Mullaghmore Beach?
- Mullaghmore Beach has toilets, parking. 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 Ballyshannon — about 17 km away.