Beach · County Cork
Garraí Bhoithe
Garryvoe
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.
Garryvoe beach is a south east facing, gently sloping, sandy/pebble beach located on a long stretch of sandy coastline. It is quite open to rough weather and rough seas. There is an area of sand dunes to the rear (west). The bathing water is located within Ballycotton, Ballynamona and Shanagarry proposed Natural Heritage Area (pNHA 000076) and is also located within Ballycotton Bay Special Protection Area (SPA 004022). The beach is used to some extent by anglers, walkers, surfers and windsurfers.
Good (2025): A good standard over four years.
The record, year by year
| Year | EPA classification | Samples | Excellent | Good | Sufficient | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | — | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | Good | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | Good | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | Good | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | Good | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | — | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | — | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | — | 9 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Facilities
| Lifeguards | Yes | |
|---|---|---|
| Toilets | Yes | |
| Parking | Yes | |
| Wheelchair access | Yes | Wheelchair Ramp |
| Beach wheelchair | No | |
| Public transport | No | |
| First aid | Yes | With Lifeguards |
| Lifebuoy | Yes | |
| Information board | Yes | |
| Activity zones | No | |
| Litter bins | Yes | |
| Recycling | Yes |
Dogs and cars
- Dogs on a lead
- No cars on the beach
Latest sample (2026-09-07): E. coli 20, intestinal enterococci 13 (cfu/100 ml).
The EPA's bathing water profile
Outdoors in County Cork this week
Best day outdoors: Sat, 10 Oct — dry by day, breezy, up to 13°C
- Fri, 9 Oct14° / 8°Sun with light cloud
- Sat, 10 Oct13° / 7°Sun with light 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 · 15 km awayMillennium Garden of TimeGardenYoughalSituated in Youghal, County Cork, the Millennium Garden of Time is a spectacular place that was developed by the local Tidy Towns Committee. The garden is based on the Chi-Rho page from the Book of Kells and features a number of ponds.