Is it safe to swim in the Irish Sea, or Dublin Bay to be exact?

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leopold.bloom

Ireland built a water treatment plant in Ringsend in Dublin city a few years ago and the Irish Sea's water quality has dramatically improved. It is safe to swim in the sea, in most places the problems usually start when you get out of the water, ie. make sure you're on a blue flag beach or designated swimming area.

You can't swim in the city centre as the port operates in that part of Dublin Bay so shipping and cargo traffic is everywhere. It is safe to swim in parts of Dun Laoghaire, Bull Island, Howth (watch the current at Burrow beach), Monkstown, Sandymount, Killiney and Sandycove (at the forty foot). Portmarnock and Malahide are outside Dublin Bay as is anywhere south of Bray so that's why I've left these areas out.

Make sure there is a lifeguard and check the flags for currents etc. All the usual stuff - you know yourself.

Happy swimming!

don't worry be happy!

Em the Irish sea is definatly NOT radioactive, but ok.....I wouldn't suggest swimming in it, you would need 2 figure out what flags it has(red flag etc.) and I'd suggest getting a wetsuit! But other then that, go for it! Millions of people swim and sail in Ireland!!! I do every year! If you want to go swimming go to the baily jumps (But make sure its high tide, or go to jamesons pools in howth!

karenmaryrfds

well i wouldn't go too far out, mind you no matter where i swim i wouldn't go that gfar out, but the irish sea is always freezing!! So i wouldn't recommend it anyways!! LOL

lovelygal

Yes it is safe as long as you can swim.. cause if you can't swim then it is dangerous to swim isn't it ? Get it ? Ha hha haaa

an_freagair

It's safe enough to swim in, as long as you don't swim where there are dangerous currents. People do swim along the coast all the time.
However the Irish Sea is extremely radioactive, thanks to the Sellafield nuclear plant in Britain.
Sellafield discharges two million gallons of radioactive water into the Irish Sea every day at high tide.
But that means it's probably more dangerous to eat the fish from the Irish Sea rather than swim in it, as a wide range of fish, shellfish and molluscs continue to show varying degrees of radioactive contamination from Sellafieldâ€™s discharges.

pissingraininireland

I wouldnt do anything except dip my feet in.If it is not radioactive then it is as good as.I know people who went swimming in the sea at least twice a week and they grew a third ear (almost like the fish in the simpsons)

finnykid

It never did anyone I know any harm. Wouldnt recommend drinking out of it though

zephyrescent

I lived in Dublin for 4 years. Its safe but all you have to do is go for a walk along the beach of Dublin Bay to see the filth along its edges. Bottles, condoms, litter .......
My suggestion to you is that you take the DART train down to Killiney south of the city-there's a nice beach there.

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