Cork beaches: all the information you need

Sunbathers Lynn O'Sullivan and Eleanor Busteed enjoy the fine weather at Garrylucas beach on Thursday.  Picture: David Creedon

People flocking to beaches and waterways in the fine weather should choose lifeguarded areas if they are swimming, Water Safety Ireland has urged.

Sticking to areas with lifeguards on duty can help prevent further drownings ahead of World Drowning Prevention Day on July 25, John Leech, chief executive of Water Safety Ireland advised.

Beach facilities

Fountainstown

Public toilets are available and a Portaloo has been installed for summer 2021 (June to September).

No wheelchair accessible facilities. Note the stony beach does not lend itself to wheelchairs.

Two lifeguards are in place for the summer months.

There is a large public car park adjacent to the beach.

Garretstown

Garrylucas and Garretstown are located next to each other, with Garretstown considered a surfing beach and Garrylucas a swimming beach, although people can swim at both beaches.

There are public toilets at both beaches.

There are no showers at either beach.

Both beaches are accessible by wheelchair.

Both beaches have lifeguards on duty for the Summer months.

There is free parking at both beaches.

Inchydoney

Toilets and showers are available.

Inchydoney West has a tarred path to the beach but may not be suitable for all wheelchair users.

Lifeguards are on duty for both East and West beaches.

There is a Cork County Council car park and on-road parking.

Owenahincha

Toilets are available.

The beach is not wheelchair accessible.

Lifeguards are on duty.

There is a Cork County Council car park and on-road parking

Long Strand

This beach is dangerous for swimming and swimming is not advised. Signs are in place to indicate same.

Toilets are available.

This beach is not wheelchair accessible.

Parking is available at the Cork County Council car park.

Youghal

All three of Youghal’s beaches (Claycastle, Front Strand and Redbarn) have toilet facilities with additional facilities added for the summer season.

There are no shower facilities available.

Front Strand and Claycastle have toilets with disability access.

All beaches have disabled persons parking.

Claycastle has ramps on to the beach.

All three Youghal beaches have lifeguard service.

All three beaches have adequate parking facilities and designated disabled persons parking.

Inch, East Cork

No toilets or showers available.

No wheelchair accessible facilities or beach access.

No lifeguard service.

There is a surfaced car park on the western side of beach and unsurfaced/undefined parking area to eastern side of beach.

Last year, 76 people drowned in Ireland. That is the lowest annual drowning death toll since 1936 when 73 people died and Ireland's population was much smaller, with almost 2m fewer people.

And if everyone is more water safety conscious, that annual death toll can drop further, Mr Leech said.

A full list of lifeguarded beaches across Ireland can be found on watersafety.ie.

Sticking to areas with lifeguards on duty can help prevent further drownings ahead of World Drowning Prevention Day on July 25, John Leech, chief executive of Water Safety Ireland advised. File picture: Brian Lougheeed

But for those who go somewhere without a lifeguard on duty, he gave additional advice to stay safe.

“Tens of thousands of people will not swim in places with lifeguards this weekend and we would encourage them to swim in traditional bathing areas and use local knowledge,” Mr Leech said.

He advised people to always wade into the water and wade out of the water to make sure that they always stay within their depth. Immediately swimming out instead could lead to someone getting into deep water quickly and without their knowledge.

“Only swim within your depth. And stay in areas with a yellow ring buoy nearby,” he said.

If you have not been swimming for a while do not jump into cold water out of your depth. That is where the majority of drownings happen. You can suffer from cold shock, where you get out-of-breath, dizziness and that brings on panic.

“If people do find themselves falling into cold water the advice is to calm down and float. Just float, get your breath back and then swim back to shore.

“But a lot of people panic when they hit the cold water and that means they inhale water into their lungs and drown unfortunately.” 

Wear buoyancy aids

He urged the "tens of thousands of people" going out on boats and boards this weekend to always wear buoyancy aids or lifejackets and to carry a means of communication, be it a mobile phone or a radio in waterproof casing.

“If you’re planning a long passage – say from Cork harbour to Glandore, contact the coastguard first and give them your estimated time of arrival. If they don’t hear from them on your arrival into Glandore, then they can go and investigate. We have a world-class coastguard, four helicopters, RNLI lifeboats or Community Rescue Boats Ireland that can be out in the water in 15 minutes.” 

Mason and Isla Mae O'Driscoll, Rossmore, enjoying a vist to Courtmacsherry, Co Cork. Picture: Denis Minihane.

He advised anyone contemplating open water swimming to look at the watersafety.ie website first, which has videos and documents on safe open water swimming, water temperature forecasts, tides and information on water quality.

Now is the time to take up sea swimming if you plan on doing it all year. It will give your body time to acclimatise to the water during the summer months. It’s the safest way to do it. It’s a very sociable activity as well as being good for your mental and physical health.” 

He advised using a bright swimming hat and a tow float – a light, brightly coloured buoy that floats above you as you swim – so that other water users, especially boats, can see you in the water.

Some bathing areas are currently closed due to eColi contamination and he urged people to check the website
www.beaches.ie for up-to-date information on water quality.

• A map detailing the location of public conveniences throughout the county, along with their opening hours is now available on Cork County Council’s website corkcoco.ie 
• Cork County Council offers a Hippo Campe Beach Wheelchair at The Warren beach, which is available free of charge and bookable via Rosscarbery Pitch & Putt Club 
• During the summer season, the council’s beach lifeguard service operates on the following Co Cork beaches from 10.30am to 7pm daily: Inchydoney, Owenahincha, The Warren, Tragumna, Barleycove, Garretstown, Garrylucas, Fountainstown, Garryvoe, Redbarn, Claycastle and Front Strand Beaches. 
• Members of the public should check the conditions and flags flying on the beaches before setting off by visiting Cork Beachlifeguard Service Facebook and to always swim between the red and yellow flags.