Unknown PlanetPress24 section: beaches-water-quality
CORK • IDENTIFIED BEACH
Barley Cove
Cork County Council
SWIMMING STATUS TODAY
NO ACTIVE ALERT SHOWN
No active EPA restriction shown
EPA alert data last synced 19 Oct 2026, 13:36.
Current restrictions and beach signage take priority over annual classifications and individual sample results. Conditions can change between samples.
EPA annual assessment
Barley Cove is classified as achieving Excellent Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2022 to 2025. Barley Cove has achieved an Excellent 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
2025Excellent
2024Excellent
2023Excellent
2022Excellent
Recent water samples
| Date | Sample status | E. coli | Intestinal enterococci |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Sep 2026 | Excellent | <10 | 1 |
| 10 Aug 2026 | Excellent | <10 | <1 |
| 13 Jul 2026 | Excellent | 41 | <1 |
| 15 Jun 2026 | Excellent | 63 | 18 |
| 25 May 2026 | Excellent | <10 | <1 |
Facilities & access
Blue FlagYes
Green CoastNo
LifeguardYes
First aidYes
LifebuoyYes
ToiletsYes
ParkingYes
AccessibleYes
Beach wheelchairNo
Public transportNo
Information boardYes
Litter binNo
RecyclingNo
Natural sensitive areaYes
About this bathing water
Barley Cove Beach is a south facing sandy beach backing onto extensive sand dunes. It is located in Barley Cove Bay which provides some shelter to the beach and there is an extensive sand dune to the rear of the beach. There is a large tidal lagoon (Lissagriffin Lake) to the rear of the beach. The beach is used to some extent by anglers, walkers, surfers and windsurfers.
Official information
Managed by Cork County Council.
Open EPA beach profile