Trá Saorphort (Bóithrín Mags), Bearna

Trá Saorphort (Bóithrín Mags), Bearna has been newly identified in 2024 as a beach for monitoring, management and assessment under the requirements of the 2008 Bathing Water Quality Regulations. Annual water quality assessment has not yet been undertaken.

Trá Saorphort/Freeport (Mags Boreen) Beach is situated close to Bearna village centre, which is located circa 7kms west of Galway City. The beach can be accessed from the R336 coastal roadway, via Mags Boreen. There is a public footpath along the full length of this boreen (along the eastern side) which facilitates pedestrian access to the beach. The beach itself is a sandy, moderately sloping beach which faces southwards across Galway Bay. Freeport beach is a sandy (fine to medium/coarse sand), moderately sloping beach, which grades into an extensive, more gently sloping, white sandy platform which is visible at low tide. There are a couple of subsidiary sandy areas located on the eastern side of the main Freeport beach. The main beach area has a gentle curved shape, approximately 110m wide, bounded to the west and east by granite boulders which extend out to sea.