Beach information, bathing-water quality, coastal conditions, environmental monitoring and practical updates for communities and visitors around Ireland.
Ireland continues to have overwhelmingly high bathing-water standards, with 98 per cent of officially designated sites meeting the required standard in the latest national…
Read articleCork County Council
EPA alert data last synced 24 Aug 2026, 03:20.
Current restrictions and beach signage take priority over annual classifications and individual sample results. Conditions can change between samples.
Youghal, Claycastle is classified as achieving Excellent Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2022 to 2025. Youghal, Claycastle 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.
| Date | Sample status | E. coli | Intestinal enterococci |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Aug 2026 | Excellent | <10 | <1 |
| 13 Jul 2026 | Excellent | <10 | 1 |
| 22 Jun 2026 | Excellent | 10 | 12 |
| 25 May 2026 | Excellent | <10 | <1 |
Claycastle Beach is a gently sloping sandy beach with a narrow area of marsh/dunes (part of Ballyvergan Marsh). Ballyvergan Marsh (Site Code 000078) is located to the west of the beach. Activities include surfing, windsurfing, canoeing and angling.
Managed by Cork County Council.
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