19 Beaches to Explore in Munster

The beautiful Ardmore Beach is one of the more popular places to visit in Waterford. Especially as you can pair a visit here with a ramble along the Ardmore Cliff Walk and then lunch in the Cliff House Hotel, if you fancy! A day trip to the beach is much more special when it comes imbued with history, tradition and plenty of other activities for the outdoor-minded visitor.

A beautiful beach which was down the hill from Allihies and is the best beach in the locality. While the area provides spectacular views and there are marvellous coves, most of the coves are stony and sandy beaches are relatively rare. The whole coastline here is rugged and rocky and apparently too wild for sand to accumulate.

Ballyheigue Beach is an extensive sandy beach located beside Ballyheigue in County Kerry. This stretch of coast is ideal for taking scenic walks along the coastline. The beach is also popular for swimming and surfing and there is a lifeguard service during the summer months.It looks out over Tralee Bay and is great place for swimming, surfing, walking and other water sports activities.

This frontline beach land is a once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire a breathtaking piece of West Cork. It consists of 2 beaches, each approximately 150m in length.This beach forms part of a Special Area of Conservation and a National Heritage Area Ballyrisode Beach is an extremely valuable resource to both residents and visitors for a number of reasons, including its scenery and landscape and for its safe and sheltered location for swimming and other recreational activities.

An extensive sandy beach in Derrynane Bay, County Kerry. The sheltered dune-backed beach is a crescent of white sand overlooking Abbey Island with its ancient burial ground and ruins of a long-forgotten mediaeval church. The area is rich in biodiversity and of significant national importance. It is a safe and sheltered beach, ideal for swimming and other water sports.

A fine beach and extensive sand dune system located in Fanore. It is a popular bathing place and has some fantastic views on a clear day. Fanore is a haven for anglers who enjoy fishing for the rocks along this coast road as far as Black head on the road to Ballyvaughan. The area is very popular with walkers, surfers, tourists and is particularly interesting to botanists, owing to its location on the edge of the Burren – renowned for its unique flora and fauna.

Fountainstown beach is located on the South Cork coast, west of the entrance to Cork Harbour and on the northern side of Ringabella Bay. The Front Beach is located at the entrance to the village, facing east towards Ringabella, and is the more frequently used. The beach can be pebbly or sandy, depending on the tides. The Back Beach, which also faces east, is located on a promontory in Ringabella Bay and is generally sandy, though the water is shallow.

Goat Island is a beach located roughly 5 kilometres west of Ardmore, County Waterford. The inlet where the beach is located faces south and is sheltered to the west side by the island itself. The beach can be found via a windy lane signposted for Goat Island.

This vast, sandy beach is one of the most beautiful to be found along this stretch of the coastline. The beach has two separate sections, divided by the rocky Virgin Mary Headland. The swell here can be excellent and there are good opportunities for surfing. The beach is also popular with families who come here to play in the sand, picnic and hunt for shells or marine life in the rockpools around the headland.

This popular beach with its golden sand is sheltered by remarkable cliffs inland. It is one of the most well known and popular areas amongst photographers on the Copper Coast. There is plenty of features there especially if you are willing to explore some more unique areas and compositions. I’m going to break up this post into 2 parts, one focusing on the east side and the second the west side of the beach.

Lahinch is a sandy, crescent-shaped beach in Liscannor Bay on the north west coast of County Clare. The beach directly faces the Atlantic Ocean, meaning it gets the full force of the swells. Lahinch is not always an ideal beach for swimming as the currents can be strong, but there is a lifeguard service during the summer months, and zoning of the beach helps with some safety issues.

Owenahincha is a beach located in Rosscarbery in County Cork. It is a Blue Flag beach. It is an exposed beach and the sea can be quite rough at times. Public car parking and public toilet facilities are provided at the beach.

Red Strand is Green Flag Beach located in a horseshoe bay near Rosscarbery in County Cork. It is quite popular for surfing and has reasonably consistent surf all year round. Nestling between two lush green headlands, one of which contains the iconic Galley Head lighthouse, the water here is exceptionally clean and suitable for swimming in good weather.

Rossbeigh strand is located five kilometres outside the village of Glenbeigh. It is an extensive sandy beach in a rural environment and is great for swimming, walking, surfing and a wide range of other activities. Rossbeigh contains a large volume of sand dunes and herbaceous vegetation. It is considered an important habitat for flora and fauna, including wildfowl.

This beach is situated half a mile from the Kildermot Crossroads. There is a long lane from the Coastal road to the beach. This lane can be narrow and overgrown in parts, but leads to a lovely unobstructed sandy beach, which is surrounded by caves which are well worth a visit.

A beautiful Sandy beach located near MiItown Malbay in County Clare. The beach itself is sandy with a rocky shoreline, and becomes very wide at low tide, but narrows considerably when the tide is in. It is popular with swimmers and is a good beach for surfing. The beach is located on the northern side of Spanish Point and has ample parking.

A beautiful and small sandy beach at the end of a narrow rock-flanked bay. The beach also forms part of the Valentia Harbour and Portmagee Channel Special Area of Conservation and the Iveragh Peninsula Special Protection Area. The view from White Strand Beach looks across to Doughmore Strand which is a very popular surfing, swimming and family beach. White Strand Beach and surrounding coastline are also popular with fishing enthusiasts.

Woodstown Beach is a long sandy beach surrounded by private woodlands. It is a tidal beach which extends out around a kilometre at low tide, exposing a large and flat beach. The water here is glorious and it’s a fine spot for a walk at any time of the day. It is one of the most popular beaches in the area, particularly with families. It is a great spot for kids and is ideal for picnics.

A beautiful sandy beach located within walking distance of Youghal town just off the N25. The beach is located just to the west of the mouth of the great River Blackwater. It is a pleasant beach for walking and joins up with neighbouring Claycastle and Redbarn beaches to form a 3 mile stretch of beach.