If coastline was gold, Ireland would be in the millionaire category and thanks to our sometimes indifferent climate, a great deal of our ocean fronts are remarkably unspoilt. There is gold too in the form of epic swathes of yellowy sand, plus some silver for good measure. Add in rocky coves, dramatic cliffs and you have all the ingredients for some pretty special staycations.
While there are plenty of off the beaten track spots, we also know you don’t always want to spend hours in the car tracking them down so, with apologies to all the other gorgeous places out there, we’ve come up with 10 of the best sleep-dip combinations in the country.
1. Rosslare Strand, Co Wexford
An epic stretch of golden sands, Rosslare Strand is wonderful for walking. At around 4.5km from end to end, you may have to clamber over a timber breakwater or two but you’re well rewarded with lungfuls of fresh air. There are also sandy dunes, and lifeguards at high season. An added attraction is Rosslare itself, not the Europort but the village, where Kelly’s Hotel anchors things, but there are also plenty of cafes and other nice spots to stop. Renowned for being Ireland’s sunniest spot, it is said to clock up an additional 300 hours of sunshine per year than the Irish average. We can’t promise you’ll hit one of those moments but here, at least, the odds are in your favour.
Stay: Kelly’s Resort, right on the Strand, has an indoor swimming pool and spa with a thermal suite, just in case it rains. Otherwise, enjoy crazy golf and a host of other family activities, plus great food and the hotel’s famous wine cellar for the grown-ups. B&B from €137 pps, kellys.ie
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2. Ardmore Bay, Co Waterford
Ardmore Beach is a gorgeous sandy horseshoe with safe bathing, making it particularly popular with families. Those in search of more secret beaches can head for Ballyquin, just over 5km north of Ardmore (along the R673), with parking available. Staying in Ardmore, you’ll find plenty of cafes and bars and don’t miss the Ardmore Pottery, a local institution where you’ll find Mary Lincoln’s delicious ceramics and more. Make time for the Cliff Walk that winds an easy 4km around the headland, replete with a ruined monastery, holy wells, round tower, Ogham stones and incredible views everywhere.
Stay: The Cliff House Hotel is perched just above the town. With its Michelin Star restaurant, infinity pool and outdoor Jacuzzi, it’s a destination all of its own. Go for a simple B&B for €279 per room or throw in a seven-course dinner in the starry House Restaurant from €539 for two, cliffhousehotel.ie
3. Ballycastle, Co Antrim
Not to be confused with the equally lovely Ballycastle in Co Mayo, Antrim’s version has a long sandy beach looking out towards Rathlin Island, with very nice views of Fairhead. Expect to find swimmers, surfers, bodyboarders, picnickers, plus sand dunes and sparkling clean seas. Running approximately 1.2km, from the pier at Ballycastle Marina to Pans Rock, it’s also a good spot for fossil hunting. Swimming is safe and you’ll find lifeguards on duty during the season.
Stay: Further Space Glamping Pods at Ballycastle sleep two adults and two children – with the kids in bunk beds. Pods are fully en suite and equipped with pretty much everything you could think of, even a toaster. From approx €150 per night, then add things like fire pit packs and s’mores as optional extras. Look out for more Further Space pods at Belmullet, handy for the equally gorgeous Elly Beach, further.space. Glamping not for you? Glam it up with the very historic Irish Landmark Trust’s Magherintemple Lodge. This secluded spot has connections to Roger Casement, sleeps two adults and two children, and, as an added bonus, you can bring your dog. From £332 for two nights, irishlandmark.com
4. Inchydoney Beach, Co Cork
Clonakilty’s Inchydoney Blue Flag Beach is so stunning you could hardly dream it up if you tried. One of those beaches that’s enfolded in coastline, as if the land is wrapping its arms around it, it’s a good surfing spot that is also suitable for beginners. Snack vans roll up in summer, although it can get pretty crowded then. At low tide, there’s a vast expanse of golden sands so it’s nice for walks all year round, with pretty shells to hunt for.
Stay: Perched above the beach, the Inchydoney Island Lodge and Spa offers beach yoga, a seawater therapy pool, surfing, whale watching, kayaking and lots of lovely spots to relax and soak it all in. From €210 for B&B for two, inchydoneyisland.com
5. Mulranny Beach, Co Mayo
Clew Bay is famous for having 365 islands. Whether that’s true or not, it’s all very beautiful in these parts. Mulranny Beach is a winner for having a Blue Flag, sand plains and salt marshes (great for bird watching), wonderful views and, of course, all the things swimmers, walkers, windsurfers and kayakers go for in terms of good sands, good waters and a lack of wild waves. You’re about a 30 minute cycle from the Greenway, which will take you over to Achill, where Keem Bay awaits but, for this trip, your next stop is a spot that attracted Rock Royalty.
Stay: Back in 1968, when John Lennon and Yoko Ono were looking for some peace and quiet, they came to Mayo and stayed at the Mulranny Park Hotel, even treating other residents to a pre-release rendition of Revolution in the hotel bar. The previous year, Lennon had purchased the uninhabited Dorinish Island in Clew Bay, hoping to build there. He never did but you can stay in the hotel’s John Lennon Deluxe Room. Refurbished since the days when John and Yoko occupied it (they never had a flat screen TV), you can get B&B from €219 for two; or sleep in one of the rooms enjoyed by lesser mortals from €143 per room, mulrannyparkhotel.ie
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6. Killiney Bay, Co Dublin
Some say Killiney Bay is very like the Bay of Naples and the similarities in geography, if not in climate, are echoed in placenames such as Sorrento Terrace. Once upon a time you could have stayed right across the road at the Killiney Court or further up the coast at the Dalkey Island Hotel, where many a local remembers Sunday afternoons running riot, fuelled by Fanta and crisps. Both spots are long since converted to apartments but Fitzpatrick Castle gets you close enough, with the added attractions of Killiney and Dalkey hills next door. The beach itself can be stony in spots. At low tide, walk north along the strand, past the coffee dock to Whiterock, which is also accessible via steep steps at high tide from the Vico Road. This smaller cove is sandier and more peaceful than it’s bigger sister next door.
Stay: Fitzpatrick Castle’s Sea Swimmers Retreat gives dinner, B&B, post-dip snack, plus dryrobe and beach towel, from €157 pps, fitzpatrickcastle.com
7. Garrylucas and Garrettstown, Co Cork
A 15 minute drive from Kinsale town, these twin beaches are epic all year round. In winter, dogs frolic as kitesurfers and wind surfers do their thing, while in summer, it’s all about families and splashing about. It takes a while for the water to get deep, and there are rip tides about, but so too are there plenty of lifeguards in high season. Garrettstown has a Blue Flag and you’ll find coffee trucks, mobile saunas and snack stops lining the road alongside. There’s no beachside hotel – someone started building one but it stalled at scaffolding stage, which is a huge shame as it’s a blot on an otherwise beautiful horizon. Instead, have refreshments outside the Speckled Door on a sunny day for gorgeous coastal views and stay in Kinsale at Acton’s, where the rooms at the front look out over the harbour and bobbing boats.
Stay: Actons on the waterfront in Kinsale is the ideal place to explore the town’s well deserved reputation as a gastronomic hotspot. From charming bars to full-on feasts, everything is on hand. B&B from €212 per room, actonshotelkinsale.com
8. Dollymount Strand, Co Dublin
It is surprising that Dollymount Strand isn’t more celebrated. A 5km swathe of sandy beach that’s a short hop from the city centre? Check. Views across to Howth and the iconic Pigeon House chimneys? Them too. People used to drive their cars right on to the beach but, fortunately, that’s been stopped. Now, it’s all pristine, duney loveliness. Part of Bull Island, it was created when the Bull Wall was erected to stop Dublin Bay silting up. The sand had to go somewhere. Now, it’s home to Ireland’s very first bird sanctuary, which dates back to the 1930s. It is also a National Nature Reserve so mind where you step. Very shallow at low tide, the firm sands make it great for walking, running, kitesurfing and cycling.
Stay: A stone’s throw from Dollymount, Clontarf Castle is nicely romantic blend of traditional castle with contemporary design, lots of mod cons and lovely gardens. From €259 per room, clontarfcastle.ie
9. Rathmullan Bay Beach, Co Donegal
Donegal abounds in beautiful beaches so it’s hard to know where to start. Ballymastocker Blue Flag Beach, with its views of the Inishowen Peninsula? For sure. Maghera Beach and Caves at Ardara? Absolutely. So, why Rathmullan? The 3km long sandy beach on the shores of Lough Swilly is beautifully unspoilt. The waters are protected so you’re not beset by swells and currents, which means it’s good for learners: be that in swimming, canoeing or sailing. There are gorgeous views over to Inch Island and it is very popular with walkers. It was from here that the Earls flew during the Flight of the Earls – though that being 1607, they sailed rather than actually took wing. Anyway, what clinched it for us is the sleep spot, just seven minutes drive away.
Stay: Rathmullan House is a romantic spot, set in seven acres of wooded gardens. This Georgian, family-run country house will do you dinner bed and breakfast in enchanting surroundings from €150 pps, rathmullanhouse.com
10. Dog’s Bay and Gurteen Bay, Co Galway
Connemara is bristling with brilliant beaches but Dog’s and Gurteen Bays are special, not least because they’re back to back, separated by a strip of land, jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean, which lovers of geography will know adds up to a tombolo. The sea is clear blue and the sands are pure white – they’re made up of tiny crushed seashells rather than actual sand and you’ll also spot small corals dotted about.
Stay: Errisbeg House is one of the closest places to stay. This former hunting lodge has been in the de Stacpool family since the 1930s and they now welcome guests on a B&B basis (minimum stay two nights, email destacpoole@gmail.com or book through booking.com, for €90 per night). Alternatively, head further up the road to the ultra luxe Ballynahinch Castle, a 20 minute drive from Dog’s Bay and in a peaceful riverside world of its own. Their one-night getaway package includes B&B plus dinner for two from €525 per room or ditch the dinner for B&B only from €365 per room, ballynahinch-castle.com
