Beach · County Galway
Trá an Dóilín, An Ceathrú Rua
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.
Trá an Dóilín is an unusual beach formed from a plethora of dead fragments of "maerl", a twig-like calcareous seaweed. This type of beach material is washed up at only a few locations in Ireland. It is an exposed beach which is subject to very strong wave action at times. The bathing area comprises a number of different habitats in close proximity to the beach including rocky outcrops, rock pools, off shore reefs and a fresh water lagoon. These different habitats support a variety of different plant, animal and bird species. It is a popular beach for snorkelling and diving.
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 | — | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | Excellent | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | Excellent | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | Excellent | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | Excellent | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | — | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | — | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | — | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Facilities
| Lifeguards | Yes | 12-6 7 days July & Aug weekend June/Sept |
|---|---|---|
| Toilets | Yes | |
| Parking | Yes | |
| Wheelchair access | No | |
| Beach wheelchair | No | |
| Public transport | No | |
| First aid | Yes | lifeguard huts during lifeguard season |
| Lifebuoy | Yes | |
| Information board | Yes | |
| Activity zones | No | |
| Litter bins | Yes | |
| Recycling | Yes |
Dogs and cars
- Dogs are not allowedNo dogs allowed on designated blue flag beaches during lifeguard hours. Dogs allowed on a lead at all other times.
- No cars on the beach
Latest sample (2026-09-14): E. coli 10, intestinal enterococci 10 (cfu/100 ml).
The EPA's bathing water profile
Outdoors in County Galway this week
Best day outdoors: Sun, 1 Nov — dry by day, light winds, up to 11°C
- Thu, 29 Oct14° / 11°Scattered clouds
- Fri, 30 Oct15° / 10°Grey cloud
- Sat, 31 Oct13° / 5°Grey cloud
- Sun, 1 Nov11° / 4°Clear weather sun
Forecast: Met Éireann · outdoor rating by Winsome Planet
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 · 5.0 km awayDroichead Charraig an Logáin (Carrickalegaun Bridge)IslandLettermoreThis causeway links two of the islands of Kilkieran Bay, Gorumna and Lettermore.
Nature spot · 5.0 km awayCalafort Ros an Mhíl (Rossaveel Harbour)IslandRossavealWander down to Rossaveel Harbour (Calafort Ros an Mhíl) in County Galway and watch the colourful boats sail in and out.