Glassilaun, Killary

Co. Galway, Galway County Council. Sea bathing water.

Not classified Latest sample 7 September 2026 No lifeguard listed

Icy.ie is a data aggregator, not a safety assessment.

Swim status: CAUTION

The nearest temperature reading is more than 3 hours old.
It is dark or close to dark here (sunset 18:38, first light 07:37).
No lifeguard is listed for this beach.

Conditions can change. Check flags and signs, never swim alone, know how to Float to Live. Float to Live | Cold water checklist

Icy.ie checked 18 Oct, 21:50. This is a count of warning signs in public data, not a safety assessment.

EPA alert details

Before you go in

Water qualityLast sample 7 September 2026, rated Excellent.
Water temperature13.1°C at the nearest sensor (inshore buoy, 24 km away, read 17 hours ago). Cold water shock can occur below 15°C, and is strongest between 10°C and 15°C.
LifeguardsNo lifeguard is listed for this beach.
DaylightSunrise 08:12, sunset 18:38 today. It is dark or close to dark now.
TideModelled as rising, high water about 23:40. Confirm with local tide tables.
Waves and wind0.5 m waves (inshore buoy, 32 km away); 7 knot wind from ENE (67°) (inshore buoy, 24 km away). Conditions at the beach can be very different.

Read before you swim: cold water safety checklist, cold water shock and Float to Live, bathing water quality, tides and currents, jellyfish and stings.

Latest water quality sample

Excellent

Sampled 7 September 2026 (41 days ago)

E. coli: 30 per 100 ml
Intestinal enterococci: 2 per 100 ml

Routine monitoring runs from 22 May to 15 September. There is no routine testing in winter, so a sample can be months old. A sample shows one moment, and conditions can change quickly after rain.

Icy.ie checked 18 Oct, 21:50. Sample date 7 September 2026. Source: EPA.

Tide at the beach

Rising

Modelled height now 0.1 m at 21:50

Next high water: 23:40, 0.4 m
Next low water: 05:20 tomorrow, -0.4 m

Next 24 hours

High23:400.4 m
Low05:20-0.4 m, tomorrow
High12:100.6 m, tomorrow
Low19:00-0.7 m, tomorrow

Next 24 hours. The dot marks the model's reading for now.

Times are Irish local time. These are modelled predictions at the nearest model point, 1.0 km from the beach. They are not a substitute for local tide tables, and do not include weather effects such as surge and wind. Heights are relative to the model's mean level, not chart datum. See tides and currents.

Icy.ie checked 18 Oct, 21:50. Source: Marine Institute model.

Sea temperature

13.1°C

Cold. Cold water shock can occur below 15°C, and is strongest between 10°C and 15°C.

Source: Inshore buoy: Lehanagh Sentinel buoy, Bertraghboy Bay
Distance: 24 km from the beach
Reading time: 18 Oct, 05:00 (17 hours ago)

Old reading. This sensor has not reported for more than 3 hours.

Water near the shore, in shallow bays and in estuaries can be several degrees colder or warmer than a sensor offshore. More at Irish sea temperature today.

Icy.ie checked 18 Oct, 21:50. Sensor reading 18 Oct, 05:00. Source: Marine Institute.

Waves and wind

Wave height: 0.5 m
Wave source: Inshore buoy, Mace Head buoy, Galway Bay, 32 km away, 18 Oct, 05:00 (17 hours ago)
Wind speed: 7 knots
Wind direction: From ENE (67°)
Gusts: 8 knots
Air temperature: 8.6°C
Wind source: Inshore buoy, Lehanagh Sentinel buoy, Bertraghboy Bay, 24 km away, 18 Oct, 05:00 (17 hours ago)

Offshore sensors differ from your beach. Waves and wind at a buoy far out can be stronger or weaker than at the shore, and a beach sheltered from one direction may be exposed to another.

Icy.ie checked 18 Oct, 21:50. Wind reading 18 Oct, 05:00. Source: Marine Institute.

Daylight today

After sunset

First light (civil twilight): 07:37
Sunrise: 08:12
Sunset: 18:38
Last light (civil twilight): 19:14

Plan to be out of the water before sunset. Read dawn, dusk and night swimming safety.

Calculated by Icy.ie for this beach's position. Irish local time. No data feed is used.

Not checked by Icy.ie

These matter for your safety and are not in our data. Check them yourself before you go in.

Beach flags. Obey lifeguard and red flags. Safety checklist
Rip currents. Tides and currents
Met Éireann warnings. Check current weather warnings and the marine forecast. Storms and swell
Jellyfish and algal bloom. Marine hazards
Storm overflow and sewage discharge. Bathing water quality

Facilities

Blue Flag: No
Green Coast: No
Toilets: No
First aid: No
Lifebuoy: Yes
Lifeguard: No
Parking: No
Dogs: On a lead
Accessible: No
Beach wheelchair: No

Icy.ie checked 18 Oct, 21:50. EPA record last updated 16 September 2023.

Water quality class by year

No classification history is listed. Some beaches are not classified yet.

An annual class summarises four years of testing. It does not describe the water today.

Icy.ie checked 18 Oct, 21:50. EPA record last updated 16 September 2023.

About this water

Glassilaun is a long white sandy beach situated between Killary (Little) and Renvyle bays. It is over 600m long and is popular for swimming, snorkelling and walking. It is located in a very scenic area within a protected landscape. The nearest village is Tullycross just over 6km to the south west of the beach.

Icy.ie checked 18 Oct, 21:50. EPA record last updated 16 September 2023.

Where the data comes from

Bathing water details, classifications, samples and alerts: Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland), published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence (EPA bathing water API).

Modelled tide, inshore and offshore buoy readings: Marine Institute (Ireland), published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence via ERDDAP. Readings are provisional and can be missing or delayed. Icy.ie refreshes this page about every 10 minutes.

Sunrise, sunset and twilight are calculated by Icy.ie from the beach position.

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