Beach · County Wexford
Dún Canann
Duncannon
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 1 September 2026, was excellent. Live status on beaches.ie, which the EPA updates hourly in season.
Duncannon beach is a peaceful firm-sand beach with a relatively gentle slope. The sand dunes extend between 5m and 100m to the rear (north) of the beach. There is no significant vegetation growing in the waters off the beach. Wild Sage (Salvia verbenaca), a rare species listed in the Irish Red Data Book is found in the dunes. There is a sand sculpting festival which takes place each summer. Attractions include a maritime museum, cockleshell art centre, artist studios, café and craft shop. The beach is also used by a limited number of surfers, windsurfers and canoeists. The bathing area is approximately 1.0 km long and approximately 0.2 km² in area.
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 | — | 16 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025 | Excellent | 15 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | Good | 15 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | Sufficient | 15 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2022 | Sufficient | 15 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | — | 15 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2020 | — | 15 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2019 | — | 15 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Facilities
| Lifeguards | Yes | |
|---|---|---|
| Toilets | Yes | |
| Parking | Yes | |
| Wheelchair access | Yes | Access ramp |
| Beach wheelchair | Yes | Available for 2024. |
| Public transport | No | |
| First aid | Yes | Available from Lifeguard hut |
| Lifebuoy | No | |
| Information board | Yes | |
| Activity zones | No | |
| Litter bins | Yes | |
| Recycling | Yes |
Dogs and cars
- Dogs on a lead
- Cars allowed on the beach
- Car-free zone
Latest sample (2026-09-01): E. coli 10, intestinal enterococci 3 (cfu/100 ml).
The EPA's bathing water profile
Outdoors in County Wexford this week
Best day outdoors: Sat, 10 Oct — dry by day, breezy, up to 13°C
- Fri, 9 Oct15° / 9°Drizzle
- Sat, 10 Oct13° / 7°Sun with light cloud
- Sun, 11 Oct14° / 14°Drizzle
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 · 6.4 km awayColclough Walled GardenGardenNew RossColclough Walled Garden, near Saltmills in County Wexford, was built by the Colclough family in the early 19th century. After a period of restoration work, the garden was reinstated to its original 1838 layout. It is close to Tintern Abbey.
Nature spot · 9.4 km awayKilmokea Country Manor GardensGardenCampileDiscover the picturesque delights of Kilmokea Country Manor Gardens overlooked by a pretty Georgian house at the River Barrow, Campile, County Wexford. Visit these wonderful gardens or stay in one of three holiday homes nestled around the gardens.