Beach · County Galway
Omey Island 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 7 September 2026, was excellent. Live status on beaches.ie, which the EPA updates hourly in season.
Omey is a sheltered island located 600m approx. off shore. The island is 1 sq. mile and is covered by wind blown sandy soils. Access is by Connemara's only sub sea road via the village of Claddaghduff. The beach is to the northern edge of the island. There is an early Christian monastic site and it is a good place to view rolling Atlantic surf, dolphins and choughs. The interior of the island is taken up by Fahy Lough where swans, ducks, brown trout and the occasional pair of otters can be seen.
The record, year by year
| Year | EPA classification | Samples | Excellent | Good | Sufficient | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | — | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | — | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | — | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | — | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | — | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | — | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | — | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | — | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Facilities
| Lifeguards | No | |
|---|---|---|
| Toilets | No | |
| Parking | No | |
| Wheelchair access | Yes | drive onto beach |
| Beach wheelchair | No | |
| Public transport | No | |
| First aid | No | |
| Lifebuoy | Yes | |
| Information board | No | |
| Activity zones | No | |
| Litter bins | No | |
| Recycling | No |
Dogs and cars
- Dogs on a lead
- Cars allowed on the beach
Latest sample (2026-09-07): E. coli 10, intestinal enterococci 8 (cfu/100 ml).
Outdoors in County Galway this week
Best day outdoors: Sun, 11 Oct — dry by day, breezy, up to 15°C
Status Yellow - Rain warning for Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo
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
- Fri, 9 Oct13° / 9°Scattered clouds
- Sat, 10 Oct13° / 7°Sun with light cloud
- Sun, 11 Oct15° / 14°Sun with light cloud
Make a day of it
The nearest trails, beaches, woods and heritage within 25 km.
Trails & walks
Beaches & bathing waters
Parks, gardens & islands
Nature spot · 9.6 km awayInishbofin Island (Inis Bó Finne) - GalwayIslandInishbofinJust 11km off the Galway coast, Inishbofin Island is perfect for a relaxing escape as well as the opportunity to hear some of the best traditional music around. It's a far cry from the 6,000 years of tumult and upheaval that shaped the island's past.
Nature spot · 14 km awayConnemara National ParkParkLetterfrackVisit County Galway and explore the spectacular Connemara National Park. It covers some 3,000 hectares of scenic mountains, expansive bogs, glorious grasslands and enchanting woodlands.