Rosses Point 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
14.0°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
Rosses Point Beach is a sheltered sandy beach, backed by sand dunes. The beach lies between the Drumcliff Bay Special Protection Area (Ref. SPA 004013) to the north which contains the Drumcliff Bay Designated Shellfish Area, and the Cummeen Strand/Drumcliff Bay (Sligo Bay) Special Area of Conservation (Ref. SAC 000627) to the south which contains the Sligo Bay Designated Shellfish Area. There is a nice coastal walk along Rosses Point Penninsula and harbour which continues along the headland to Rosses Point beach. The beach is popular for running, walking and kite surfing. Rosses Point beach is approximately 1.5km in length however the bathing area is approximately 300m in length.
This spot’s record
Rosses Point Beach is in Sligo, about 8 km from Sligo. Rosses Point Beach 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 85 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 | 85 | 2 | Excellent |
| 24 Aug | 10 | 1 | Excellent |
| 17 Aug | 20 | 13 | Excellent |
| 4 Aug | 30 | 13 | Excellent |
| 20 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
- Excellent2022
- Excellent2023
- Excellent2024
- Excellent2025
This water has been rated Excellent in each of the last 4 years.
Facilities & access
- Lifeguard
- Yes
- Parking
- Yes
- Toilets
- Yes
- Accessible entry
- Yes2 no. designated parking spaces, footpath to beach, concrete access ramps in place
- Dogs
- NoDogs are not permitted in the bathing area between 10am and 7pm from 1st June to 15th September
- Public transport
- YesBus Eireann service to and from Rosses Point - Sligo -Strandhill
Official water quality
Classified Excellent in 2025.
Rosses Point Beach is classified as achieving Excellent Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2022 to 2025. Rosses Point Beach 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 Rosses Point Beach right now?
- Rosses Point 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 Rosses Point Beach?
- the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) classified Rosses Point 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 Rosses Point Beach?
- There are no active bathing restrictions published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) for Rosses Point Beach. That is not a guarantee of safety — assess conditions yourself.
- Is there a lifeguard at Rosses Point Beach?
- Yes — Rosses Point Beach has lifeguard cover. Cover is seasonal; check locally before relying on it.
- What facilities are there at Rosses Point Beach?
- Rosses Point Beach has toilets, parking, accessible entry. Dogs are restricted. 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 Sligo — about 8 km away.