Beach · County Galway
Traught, Kinvara
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.
Traught beach is a long, sandy, gently sloping beach consisting of a lower sand/mud shore with shingle on the upper shore. There is a wide variety of animals, plants, shellfish and birds supported at Traught beach. Seals and otters are sometimes spotted along the coastline. Traught Beach is located within the conservation areas of Galway Bay and Inner Galway Bay which is a protected area for birds. Activities include swimming, bathing, windsurfing and angling.
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 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | Excellent | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 | Excellent | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2023 | Excellent | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2022 | Excellent | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | — | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | — | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2019 | — | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Facilities
| Lifeguards | Yes | 12-6 7 days July & Aug weekend June/Sept |
|---|---|---|
| Toilets | Yes | |
| Parking | Yes | |
| Wheelchair access | Yes | Access to shore. |
| 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 8 (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 · Co. Clare · 7.0 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.
Nature spot · 8.6 km awayRinville ParkParkRamble through the beautiful grounds of Rinville Park and take in stunning views of the adjacent ancient castle and 16th century estate demesne.