Beach · County Dublin
Dumhach Thrá
Sandymount 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 9 September 2026, was excellent. Live status on beaches.ie, which the EPA updates hourly in season.
Sandymount Strand is 2 km 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 Sandymount 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.
Sufficient (2025): Meets the minimum standard over four years.
The record, year by year
| Year | EPA classification | Samples | Excellent | Good | Sufficient | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | — | 22 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2025 | Sufficient | 20 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 2024 | Poor | 20 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 2023 | Poor | 19 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 2022 | Sufficient | 18 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | — | 20 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 2020 | — | 20 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2019 | — | 20 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
Facilities
| Lifeguards | No | |
|---|---|---|
| Toilets | Yes | YES |
| Parking | Yes | YES |
| Wheelchair access | Yes | YES |
| Beach wheelchair | No | |
| Public transport | Yes | Bus/DART |
| First aid | No | |
| Lifebuoy | Yes | YES |
| Information board | Yes | YES - Dublin City Council posts all water quality data on high visibility bathing water signage cabinets, placed at 4 separate entrances along Sandymount Strand. A smart screen is also located at one car park entrance which is updated accordingly |
| Activity zones | No | |
| Litter bins | Yes | YES |
| Recycling | Yes | YES |
Dogs and cars
- Dogs on a leadYES
- No cars on the beachYES
- Car-free zoneYES
Latest sample (2026-09-09): E. coli 97, intestinal enterococci 22 (cfu/100 ml).
The EPA's bathing water profile
Protected area: YES
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 · 2.3 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 · 3.1 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.