Beach · County Kerry
Cúas Crom
Can I swim here? Outside the bathing season
The bathing season runs from 1 June to 15 September. Outside it the water is not tested weekly and lifeguards are not on duty. The last sample, on 7 September 2026, was excellent. Live status on beaches.ie, which the EPA updates hourly in season.
Cúas Crom Beach is one of the most popular beaches in the Caherciveen area and is well known for great swimming as there are very few currents in the sheltered cove. The beach itself is stony but the water is surprisingly warm and clear. It holds an annual Christmas Day Swim and is located next to several great walking routes along the coast, to Knocknatobar Mountain, Dolus Head, Ballycarbery Castle and House and the amazing and historic stone forts of Cahergal and Leacanabuaile.
Excellent (2025): The highest standard: results over four years were consistently very clean.
The record, year by year
| Year | EPA classification | Samples | Excellent | Good | Sufficient | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | — | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | Excellent | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | Excellent | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | Good | 13 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | Good | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | — | 13 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2020 | — | 10 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2019 | — | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Facilities
| Lifeguards | No | |
|---|---|---|
| Toilets | Yes | A public convenience is located at the beach |
| Parking | Yes | Public parking is available at the beach. |
| Wheelchair access | No | |
| Beach wheelchair | No | |
| Public transport | No | |
| First aid | No | |
| Lifebuoy | Yes | Lifebuoys are available at the beach. |
| Information board | No | |
| Activity zones | No | |
| Litter bins | No | |
| Recycling | No |
Latest sample (2026-09-07): E. coli 10, intestinal enterococci <1 (cfu/100 ml).
The EPA's bathing water profile
Outdoors in County Kerry this week
Best day outdoors: Fri, 9 Oct — a little daytime rain, windy, up to 13°C
- Fri, 9 Oct13° / 11°Drizzle
- Sat, 10 Oct13° / 11°Grey cloud
- Sun, 11 Oct15° / 14°Light rain
Make a day of it
The nearest trails, beaches, woods and heritage within 25 km.
Trails & walks
Beaches & bathing waters
Forests & woodlands
Parks, gardens & islands
Nature spot · 11 km awayPortmagee HarbourIslandPortmageeTake a quick walk from Portmagee village in County Kerry to Portmagee Harbour to enjoy lovely views of the surrounding coastline.