Beach · County Donegal

Lady's Bay, Buncrana

Water quality: Sufficient (2025)ToiletsParkingWheelchair accessDogs on a lead

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 14 September 2026, was excellent. Live status on beaches.ie, which the EPA updates hourly in season.

Lady's Bay beach consists of a sandy beach in Lough Swilly confined by Buncrana pier to the South and a small rocky outcrop 550m to the North. It is one of a series of beaches along the West of Inishowen. Lady's Bay beach supports a number of different plant and wildlife species. Important wildlife species include otters and Mallard, while important plant species include Lady's fern and wood sage. Lady's Bay beach is part of The Lough Swilly SAC which is of conservation importance and contains good examples of at least four habitats listed on Annex I of the EU Habitats Directive. Activities at Lady's Bay beach include swimming, boating, power boating, jet skiing and other land-based activities on the beach. The designated bathing area is approx. 0.02633 km2 and the extent along the water is approximately 550m. There is a medium gradient off Lady's Bay Beach continuing out at a medium slope before beginning to get gradually deeper until it reaches the channel.

Sufficient (2025): Meets the minimum standard over four years.

The record, year by year

YearEPA classificationSamplesExcellentGoodSufficientPoor
2026—159312
2025Sufficient116410
2024Poor118300
2023Poor119200
2022Poor1110100
2021—65001
2020—65100
2019—65010

Facilities

LifeguardsNo
ToiletsYes
ParkingYes
Wheelchair accessYes
Beach wheelchairNo
Public transportYes
First aidNo
LifebuoyNo
Information boardYes
Activity zonesNo
Litter binsYes
RecyclingNo

Dogs and cars

  • Dogs on a lead
  • No cars on the beach

Latest sample (2026-09-14): E. coli 52, intestinal enterococci 8 (cfu/100 ml).

The EPA's bathing water profile

Outdoors in County Donegal this week

Best day outdoors: Sun, 11 Oct — dry by day, breezy, up to 13°C

Status Yellow - Rain warning for Donegal

From Thu, 8 Oct, 09:00 until Fri, 9 Oct, 04:00

Heavy spells of rain. 

Be aware of potential impacts:

  • Difficult travelling conditions
  • Localised flooding possible

Issued by Met Éireann · met.ie/warnings

  1. Fri, 9 Oct12° / 10°Medium rain showersWeather warning in force
  2. Sat, 10 Oct12° / 9°Medium rain showersGood day outdoors
  3. Sun, 11 Oct13° / 11°Sun with grey cloudGreat day outdoors

Make a day of it

The nearest trails, beaches, woods and heritage within 25 km.