We love connecting to nature by the seaside. As a former tour guide and year-round sea swimmer, Cat has seen a lot of different Irish beaches. In this blog she shares her top 10 favourite beaches with you in no particular order.
Important note: If you want to swim, only do so when it’s safe.
Barley Cove, Mizenhead peninsula, county Cork
Barley Cove is a little piece of paradise. The beach is so pretty, and the water is so blue. The ideal place to spend a sunny summers day. Overlooking the beach is the Barley Cove Beach Hotel where they have an excellent restaurant and a terrace with view of the bay.
Brittas Bay, county Wicklow
I used to live very close to Brittas Bay and it’s still one of my favourite beaches to go for a walk. It’s 5 kilometres of yellow sand, lovely dunes, and a great place to spot seals.
Derrynane Beach, county Kerry
This beach is located on the popular Ring of Kerry. The sand is so white, and the water is so blue that on warm sunny days you might mistake it for a tropical beach. Especially the smaller, second beach is a piece of heaven and great for swimming.
Murder Hole beach, county Donegal
This is one of Irelands ‘secret’ beaches, although since the uprise of social media there is nothing secret about it anymore. It is a gorgeous beach though. Dark golden sand, dramatic waves and surrounded by impressive rock cliffs. Not very safe for swimming, as the currents here are quite strong and unpredictable.
Inch beach, Dingle, county Kerry
Inch beach stretches like a narrow peninsula more than 5 kilometres into Dingle Bay. Great for sandy walks but be careful of the cars driving on the beach as well. The waves are popular with surfers, but I just love jumping in them like a little kid. And afterwards grab a bite to eat or go for a drink at Sammy’s café and restaurant.
Another Dingle gem is Coumeenoole Beach, but I might be biased because this is where Remco proposed to me.
Curracloe beach, county Wexford
With a length of 11 kilometres, Curracloe is considered one of Irelands longest sandy beaches. Again, great for walks (I’m starting to see a pattern here). The beach was made famous because it doubled as Normandy in the opening scene of the movie Saving Private Ryan. The adjacent Raven Nature Reserve is also well worth a visit.
Kinsale beach, county Cork (photo Ireland.com)
A tiny beach just outside the colourful town of Kinsale. This is one of my favourite places to go for a swim. But be careful, because the river Bandon flows into the sea at this point, bringing cold fresh water into the bay, making the water quite cold year-round. There’s a sauna and a pub nearby, what more could you ask for?
Coral Strand Connemara, county Galway
This beach is unique because of its white coral like sand. This isn’t actually coral, but maërl (small fragments of dead, calcified red seaweed) that wash ashore. This makes the water incredibly clear and great for snorkelling.
Omey Island Beach, county Galway
Another Connemara gem is Omey Island and the small beach on the western side of the island. It’s basically one big sand dune. You can only reach the island during low tide, so make sure you make your way back to the mainland in time, or be prepared to spend a good few hours there.
Keem Beach, Achill island, county Mayo
I saved the best for last. Keem Beach is often called Ireland’s most beautiful beach. It is located in a sheltered bay, surrounded by spectacular cliffs. The drive down to the beach is very scenic, the water is incredibly blue, and it’s a great place to swim on calm days. I once saw a pod of dolphins hunting in the bay and basking sharks are frequently spotted in the area.
What beaches did we miss? Let us know your favourite Irish beaches.
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