Beach · County Dublin
Trá Mhuirfean
Merrion Strand
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 8 September 2026, was sufficient. Live status on beaches.ie, which the EPA updates hourly in season.
Merrion beach is a sandy beach with a gradual slope which makes the water too shallow for any real swimming. There is a large inlet of water that remains even at low tide and is known locally as "Cockle Lake". Although Merrion Strand itself has little flora or fauna due to its positioning and coastal connection to Sean Moore Park and the lrishtown nature Reserve, it is a nationally important area for migrating birds.Merrion Strand had been an identified/regulated bathing water and was monitored and managed under the terms of the 2008 Bathing Water Quality Regulations. Merrion Strand was declassified in 2020 due to Poor water quality - it had been classified as Poor for five consecutive years (2015 to 2019). Merrion Strand is no longer an identified/regulated bathing water, but continues to be monitored by Dublin City Council as an other monitored water.
The record, year by year
| Year | EPA classification | Samples | Excellent | Good | Sufficient | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | — | 21 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | — | 20 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 2024 | — | 20 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023 | — | 20 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 2022 | — | 20 | 16 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 2021 | — | 20 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 2020 | — | 20 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 2019 | — | 27 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
Facilities
| Lifeguards | No | |
|---|---|---|
| Toilets | No | |
| Parking | No | |
| Wheelchair access | No | |
| Beach wheelchair | No | |
| Public transport | Yes | The beach is served by both train and bus |
| First aid | No | |
| Lifebuoy | No | |
| Information board | Yes | |
| Activity zones | No | |
| Litter bins | No | |
| Recycling | No |
Dogs and cars
- Dogs on a leadReference bye law for the control of dogs
Latest sample (2026-09-08): E. coli 457, intestinal enterococci 240 (cfu/100 ml).
Outdoors in County Dublin this week
Best day outdoors: Sun, 11 Oct — dry by day, light winds, up to 13°C
- Fri, 9 Oct14° / 8°Drizzle
- Sat, 10 Oct12° / 7°Scattered clouds
- Sun, 11 Oct13° / 13°Scattered clouds
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 · 1.4 km awayBlackrock ParkParkBlackrockBlackrock Park is a pleasant green area overlooking Dublin Bay, in Blackrock, County Dublin, and boasts a well equipped children's playground, cycle path, sports area, picnic area, gardens and trees.
Nature spot · 2.2 km awayDublin Garden TrailGardenBlackrockThe Dublin Garden Trail (formerly the Dublin Garden Group) is an organisation which includes some of Dublin's most distinguished private gardens which are not otherwise open to the public. Let them help organise a tour that will give gardening enthusiasts a unique and memorable experience.