Swimming in Portmarnock/Malahide

Goolay

Hiya,

Just wondering if anyone knows how safe it is to swim in Portmarnock or Malahide beaches. Have been swimming at low rock lately and it's been lovely. Yesterday I got a "are you mad? it's not safe there, pollution/sellafield" etc. I haven't started to grow green yet. But wanted to check if it's been advised not to swim.

cheeers

Alan Farrell

I know people swimming there for 40 years, its fine.

There was a storm on the day that water quality samples were taken by the EPA, that's why we lost our blue flag. Malahide's foul and surface water system is combined and with the extra rain, the treatment plant in the Marina overflowed hence the poor rating.

Low rock & high rock are perfectly safe, although it must be said I've not swum the Irish sea in years!

Watch out for sharks!

ixoy

Pretty sure Portmarnock has its blue flag currently - it lost it a few years ago due to poor quality water but nowadays it's no bother. I certainly would have swum there as a kid and I only developed one extra eye

woodseb

malahide beach can be very dangerous to swim from due to the high currents, low rock and high rock are probably the best places

Alan Farrell

ixoy wrote: »

Pretty sure Portmarnock has its blue flag currently - it lost it a few years ago due to poor quality water but nowadays it's no bother. I certainly would have swum there as a kid and I only developed one extra eye

Nope, no blue flag in Portmarnock. Portrane has the only Blue Flag in Fingal.

Alan Farrell

woodseb wrote: »

malahide beach can be very dangerous to swim from due to the high currents,

You mean the channel is very dangerous to swim in, the beach is fine. The channel is that little bit beside the Island Golf Club.