Beach · County Galway
Silverstrand Beach
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.
Silverstrand Beach is a popular shallow, sandy beach bounded on one side by a cliff and the other by rocks. The beach is largely covered during high tides. It has a bathing area of approximately 0.25km.
Excellent (2025): The highest standard: results over four years were consistently very clean.
The record, year by year
| Year | EPA classification | Samples | Excellent | Good | Sufficient | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | — | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | Excellent | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | Excellent | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | Excellent | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | Excellent | 9 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2021 | — | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | — | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | — | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Facilities
| Lifeguards | Yes | Life Guard hut marked on beach map and is yellow & orange in colour, easily identifiable |
|---|---|---|
| Toilets | Yes | Disabled toilet facilities available |
| Parking | Yes | Free parking available |
| Wheelchair access | Yes | Access ramps available |
| Beach wheelchair | No | |
| Public transport | No | |
| First aid | Yes | First aid available from lifeguard hut |
| Lifebuoy | Yes | Lifebuoy available at beach |
| Information board | Yes | Beach information board is present |
| Activity zones | No | |
| Litter bins | Yes | Bins available |
| Recycling | No |
Dogs and cars
- Dogs are not allowedRefer to beach code of conduct and dog control bye-laws 2008
- No cars on the beachCars not allowed on beach
Latest sample (2026-09-07): E. coli <10, intestinal enterococci 2 (cfu/100 ml).
The EPA's bathing water profile
Protected area: Natural Sensitive Area
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
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Forests & woodlands
Parks, gardens & islands
Nature spot · 2.8 km awayCircle of Life National Organ Donor Commemorative GardenGardenGalway CityCircle of Life is Ireland's National Organ Donor commemorative garden and is Galway's International Heritage Garden. Its welcoming design, and its richness of imagery and symbolism offer visitors an inspirational and memorable experience.
Nature spot · Co. Clare · 10 km awayNa LeacachaFlaggy ShoreBeachNewquayFeast your eyes on the limestone pavements, historical fossils and views of Aughinish Island and the wider Atlantic from the peacefully secluded beach of Flaggy Shore.