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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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GALWAY • IDENTIFIED BEACH

Cill Mhuirbhigh, Inis Mór

Galway 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 tested17 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 sampleExcellent17 Aug 2026
E. coli<10Latest sample result
Intestinal enterococci<2Latest sample result
Next monitoring7 Sep 2026EPA schedule where available
Short-term pollution riskYesEPA location profile field

EPA annual assessment

Cill Mhuirbhigh, Inis Mór is classified as achieving Excellent Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2022 to 2025. Cill Mhuirbhigh, Inis Mór 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
17 Aug 2026Excellent<10<2
5 Aug 2026Excellent103
29 Jul 2026Good97125
13 Jul 2026Excellent102
29 Jun 2026Excellent<108
15 Jun 2026Excellent<101
2 Jun 2026Excellent<101
25 May 2026Excellent<101

Facilities & access

Blue FlagYes
Green CoastNo
LifeguardYes
First aidYes
LifebuoyYes
ToiletsYes
ParkingYes
AccessibleNo
Beach wheelchairNo
Public transportNo
Information boardYes
Litter binYes
RecyclingYes
Natural sensitive areaYes

About this bathing water

Cill Mhuirbhigh beach is a sheltered sandy shore bounded by rocky shore to the west and east. There is a small area of marram dune which supports a variety of vegetation. The habitat of Machair is located within Cill Mhuirbhigh and this form of coastal grassland supports a variety of rare plants. There is also a variety of animal and bird species including rare species. The rarer plants are listed in the Irish Red Data Book and legally protected under the Flora Protection Order (1999). There is a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the island, the prehistoric fort Dún Aonghusa. The whole island is significant in terms of cultural and environmental value.