Goat Island
Not monitored
This spot isn't an officially designated bathing water, so it has no annual classification and no pollution-alert monitoring. The EPA does sample it: the most recent reading was rated excellent. Assess conditions yourself before entering.
Checked against the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) · data last changed 25 days ago.
Sea conditions
Water temperature
14.4°C
Chilly — most swimmers want a wetsuit
Wave height
1.6 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
Goats Island Beach is located approx 5km west of Ardmore in Co Waterford. The beach is located in an inlet that faces south and is sheltered to the west side by the island itself.
This spot’s record
Goat Island is in Waterford, about 6 km from Youghal. Across the 12 most recent samples published by the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland), E. coli counts ranged from 10 to 97 per 100 ml. The highest was taken on 9 June 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Sept | 31 | 4 | Excellent |
| 17 Aug | 63 | 39 | Excellent |
| 20 Jul | 10 | 2 | Excellent |
| 22 Jun | 10 | 1 | Excellent |
| 25 May | 10 | 1 | Excellent |
| 1 Sept | 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.
Facilities & access
- Lifeguard
- No
- Parking
- No
- Toilets
- No
- Accessible entry
- No
- Dogs
- Yes
- Public transport
- No
Official water quality
This spot has no official annual classification.
Common questions
- Can you swim at Goat Island right now?
- Goat Island 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. The EPA does sample it: the most recent reading was rated excellent. 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 Goat Island?
- No lifeguard cover is listed for Goat Island. Never swim alone at an unguarded spot.
This spot is also in
Get told when this changes
We’ll email you when the swim status at Goat Island 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 Youghal — about 6 km away.