Ballyloughane Beach

Galway, Ireland, Ireland

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Ballyloughane Beach is a popular urban sandy beach located on the east side of Galway City, Ireland, about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the city center.

It is a shallow beach with a gentle slope and approximately 320 meters in length, making it ideal for families and children to swim safely at both high and low tide. The beach is also a hot spot for windsurfing and kitesurfing due to its calm, shallow waters, and it offers stunning views of Galway Bay and the Clare Hills in the distance.

During the summer months (June to August), lifeguards trained and certified by the Irish Water Safety Association are on duty from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, providing first aid and water safety advice. Facilities include free parking at the beach entrance, public toilets (open 10:00 am to 8:00 pm in summer and 10:00 am to 6:00 pm in winter), outdoor showers, picnic tables and benches, and bins for rubbish, though barbecues are not allowed due to fire hazards.

The beach is accessible for people with disabilities, with ramps and paths from the car park and toilets, as well as wheelchair-friendly picnic tables, though there are no disabled toilets or changing rooms. Ballyloughane is one of Galway’s best beaches for exploring seashore life, as large areas of the shore are exposed at low tide and can be examined for marine creatures.