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Beaches & Water Quality

Beach information, bathing-water quality, coastal conditions, environmental monitoring and practical updates for communities and visitors around Ireland.

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DONEGAL • IDENTIFIED BEACH

Naran

Donegal County Council

Excellent
SWIMMING STATUS TODAY

No active EPA restriction shown

EPA alert data last synced 24 Aug 2026, 03:20.

NO ACTIVE ALERT SHOWN
Can I swim here?No active EPA restriction shownCurrent EPA alert/restriction status
Current restrictionNone shown in current EPA alertsThis is not a guarantee of swimming conditions. Always check local signs, lifeguard instructions and the latest official advice at the beach.
Latest sampleExcellentIndividual sample result only
Last tested19 Aug 2026Latest sample stored from EPA

Current restrictions and beach signage take priority over annual classifications and individual sample results. Conditions can change between samples.

Annual EPA classification · 2025ExcellentLonger-term annual classification
Latest available sampleExcellent19 Aug 2026
E. coli62Latest sample result
Intestinal enterococci9Latest sample result
Next monitoring26 Aug 2026EPA schedule where available
Short-term pollution riskYesEPA location profile field

EPA annual assessment

Naran is classified as achieving Excellent Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2022 to 2025. Naran has achieved an Excellent Water Quality rating for the four consecutive years 2022 to 2025. Annual water quality ratings are generally calculated using monitoring results over a four-year period and are assessed against stringent bacterial limits to protect bather health.

Annual water quality history

2025Excellent
2024Excellent
2023Excellent
2022Excellent

Recent water samples

DateSample statusE. coliIntestinal enterococci
19 Aug 2026Excellent629
12 Aug 2026Excellent4115
29 Jul 2026Excellent102
15 Jul 2026Excellent10<1
8 Jul 2026Excellent<102
24 Jun 2026Excellent<101
10 Jun 2026Excellent<10<1
3 Jun 2026Excellent108
27 May 2026Excellent<10<1

Facilities & access

Blue FlagYes
Green CoastNo
LifeguardYes
First aidYes
LifebuoyNo
ToiletsYes
ParkingYes
AccessibleYes
Beach wheelchairYes
Public transportYes
Information boardYes
Litter binYes
RecyclingYes
Natural sensitive areaYes

About this bathing water

Naran beach is a sheltered cove beach approximately 2km long on the Atlantic coast of Ireland. Naran beach is an extensive sandy beach with a majestic sand dune system. It has a highly diverse range of both coastal and terrestrial habitats. Naran beach is a designated National Heritage Area and a Special Area of Conservation. The catchment area is an idyllic location for bird watching and ecological activities having a wide diversity of both plant and animal species. Activities at Naran Beach include walking, swimming, kayaking, boating, windsurfing and other land-based activities such as football, kite flying, etc. The bathing area is designated and is approx. 0.9685km2 and the extent along the water is approximately is 2120m. The depth of the water on the shoreline increases within 2 meters off the shore to a depth of 1 meter and gradually increases to greater than 2 meters with the slope of the shore.