IRELAND · COAST

Beaches & Water Quality

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

IRELAND NEWSPAPERIndependent editorial desk
EXPLORE

More sections

← Back to all beaches
MAYO • IDENTIFIED BEACH

Keem Beach, Achill Island

Mayo 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 tested10 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 sampleExcellent10 Aug 2026
E. coli20Latest sample result
Intestinal enterococci<1Latest sample result
Next monitoring24 Aug 2026EPA schedule where available
Short-term pollution riskYesEPA location profile field

EPA annual assessment

Keem Beach, Achill Island is classified as achieving Excellent Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2022 to 2025. Keem Beach, Achill Island 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
10 Aug 2026Excellent20<1
20 Jul 2026Excellent<10<1
6 Jul 2026Excellent<103
22 Jun 2026Excellent<10<1
8 Jun 2026Excellent<10<1
25 May 2026Excellent<10<1

Facilities & access

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

About this bathing water

Keem Beach is a sheltered sandy beach facing southeast with a steep gradient. Two freshwater streams flow into the sea from the surrounding land at Keem beach. Keem Beach has a variety of habitats including large shallow bays and inlets, reefs and mudflats and sandflats which support a variety of plant, animal and bird species. Keem Beach forms part of the Croaghan/Slievemore SAC and pNHA (Site Code 001955) and Achill Head SAC (Site Code 002268). Activities include swimming, surfing, sailing, canoeing, water skiing, jet skies, scuba-diving / snorkelling and fishing. The designated bathing area is approximately 300m in length and approximately 0.14km2 in area. The medium and maximum water depth within the designated bathing water is 0.5m and 5.0m respectively depending on tides.