Portnablagh
Donegal County Council
No active EPA restriction shown
EPA alert data last synced 19 Oct 2026, 13:50.
Current restrictions and beach signage take priority over annual classifications and individual sample results. Conditions can change between samples.
EPA annual assessment
Portnablagh is classified as achieving Good Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2022 to 2025. Portnablagh achieved a Good 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
Recent water samples
| Date | Sample status | E. coli | Intestinal enterococci |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Sep 2026 | Excellent | 63 | 4 |
| 10 Aug 2026 | Excellent | 86 | 5 |
| 13 Jul 2026 | Excellent | 109 | 9 |
| 22 Jun 2026 | Excellent | <10 | 4 |
| 2 Jun 2026 | Excellent | <10 | 2 |
| 25 May 2026 | Excellent | <10 | <1 |
Facilities & access
About this bathing water
Portnablagh beach consists of a small sandy beach; confined by Portnablagh pier to the North and a small headland to the South. Portnablagh beach supports a variety of wildlife including birds and shellfish. The site is part of a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the E.U. Birds Directive, of special conservation interest. This is because of rare bird species present. Activities at Portnablagh beach include swimming, kayaking, boating, windsurfing, sailing, surfing, power boating, jet skiing, diving and other land based activities on the beach. The beach is located beside the small working pier and slipway. There is a very deep gradient off Portnablagh Beach with the water depth reaching 1m approx. 10m from the water line and continuing out at a deep slope.
Official information
Managed by Donegal County Council.
Open EPA beach profile