Beach · County Galway
Trá Inis Oírr (Main 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.
Inis Oírr is situated 17km off the Galway coast and 9km off the Clare coast. The beach is on the northern coast of the island and is known as Trá Inis Oírr. Traditional farm practices have helped maintain the high ecological status of the island. The birdlife of Inis Oírr is of international importance due to the presence of species listed under Annex 1 of the Birds Directive. Choughs breed on the island. Other protected birds on the island include Little Tern, Artic Tern and Sandwich Tern.
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 | — | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | Excellent | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | Excellent | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | Excellent | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | Excellent | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | — | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | — | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | — | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Facilities
| Lifeguards | Yes | 12-6 weekends July Aug |
|---|---|---|
| Toilets | Yes | |
| Parking | No | |
| Wheelchair access | No | |
| Beach wheelchair | No | |
| Public transport | Yes | |
| First aid | Yes | lifeguard huts during lifeguard season |
| Lifebuoy | Yes | |
| Information board | Yes | |
| Activity zones | No | |
| Litter bins | Yes | |
| Recycling | No |
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 (2026-09-07): E. coli <10, intestinal enterococci <2 (cfu/100 ml).
The EPA's bathing water profile
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
Forests & woodlands
Parks, gardens & islands
Nature spot · 5.3 km awayInis Meáin (Inishmaan)BeachEscape the noise of the modern world and experience Inishmaan (Inis Meáin), a place where beauty, tradition and culture combine in a rugged windswept landscape.
Nature spot · Co. Clare · 16 km awayMurrooghtoohyBeachFanoreReach the pinnacle of Murrooghtoohy in County Clare and enjoy the amazing views of Galway Bay, the Aran Islands, Oranmore Bay and Galway City.