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CORK • IDENTIFIED BEACH

Fountainstown

Cork County Council

Good
SWIMMING STATUS TODAY

No active EPA restriction shown

EPA alert data last synced 19 Oct 2026, 13:36.

NO ACTIVE ALERT SHOWN
Can I swim here?No active EPA restriction shownCurrent EPA alert/restriction status
Current restrictionNone shown in current EPA alertsThis is not a guarantee of swimming conditions. Always check local signs, lifeguard instructions and the latest official advice at the beach.
Latest sampleExcellentIndividual sample result only
Last tested1 Sep 2026Latest sample stored from EPA

Current restrictions and beach signage take priority over annual classifications and individual sample results. Conditions can change between samples.

Annual EPA classification · 2025GoodLonger-term annual classification
Latest available sampleExcellent1 Sep 2026
E. coli<10Latest sample result
Intestinal enterococci14Latest sample result
Next monitoring—EPA schedule where available
Short-term pollution riskYesEPA location profile field

EPA annual assessment

Fountainstown is classified as achieving Good Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2022 to 2025. Fountainstown has achieved a Good Water Quality rating in 2025, and an Excellent Water Quality rating for 2022, 2023 and 2024. 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

2025Good
2024Excellent
2023Excellent
2022Excellent

Recent water samples

DateSample statusE. coliIntestinal enterococci
1 Sep 2026Excellent<1014
17 Aug 2026Excellent207
27 Jul 2026Excellent207
20 Jul 2026Excellent2012
29 Jun 2026Excellent2014
8 Jun 2026Excellent104
25 May 2026Excellent4144

Facilities & access

Blue FlagNo
Green CoastNo
LifeguardYes
First aidYes
LifebuoyNo
ToiletsYes
ParkingYes
AccessibleYes
Beach wheelchairNo
Public transportYes
Information boardYes
Litter binYes
RecyclingYes
Natural sensitive areaNo

About this bathing water

Fountainstown Beach is an east-facing, gently sloping, sandy/shingle beach. It is bounded to the north by a low rocky cliff, to the south by rocky outcrops and to the west by a concrete wall with the public road and car park adjoining the beach. Fountainstown Swamp which is a proposed Natural Heritage Area (pNHA 000371) is situated to the north of the beach. The beach is used to some extent by anglers and for windsurfing.

Official information

Managed by Cork County Council.

Open EPA beach profile