Skerries South Beach
The name Skerries comes from the Norse word sceir, meaning reef or rocky islands. Skerries is situated in North County Dublin with easy access from the M50 and M1 motorways. Skerries South Strand is a long sandy beach approximately 2.5km in length. There are a number of pedestrian accesses to the beach.
There are three islands situated off the coast and the Rockabill lighthouse, which was automated just recently, is approximately 16km offshore.There is also a beautiful esplanade & coastal walkway adjacent to the beach which ends at Red Island with a children’s playground and parking for up to 100 cars. The RNLI run an inshore lifeboat service from the Red Island area.
Iarnróid Éireann, Inter City Service facilitates easy access to the local village of Skerries; the South Beach is approximately a 10-minute walk from the train station. Skerries town is also served by the No. 33 bus service from Dublin City Centre and the beach is only a 2-minute walk from the bus stop.
Locate Skerries South Beach on Map
Bathing Water Quality
Skerries South Beach is one of the designated beaches under the Quality of Bathing Waters Regulations, 1992. Regular monitoring is carried out on the beach during the summer months as required by the Regulations.
You can download the charts below to view the Bathing Water Quality for Skerries South Beach.
Lifeguard Information
All potential visitors to the beach are reminded of the dangers that exist along our coastline during the bathing season.
Skerries South Beach is guarded by Lifeguards during the bathing season. Lifeguard cover will be provided on weekends only for June and July.
Daily cover will be provided from Monday to Sunday during August (11.00 am to 7.00pm).
The presence of lifeguards on duty is indicated by the flying of the red/yellow flag.
The Islands
The islands off the coast of Skerrries are called Shennick Island (from Sionnach, the Irish Fox), Colt Island and St. Patricks Island. Shennick Island has a Martello Tower standing at one end. Colt Island is the closest to the headland (Red Island) and St. Patrick's Island is further out to sea.
St. Patrick is said to have settled on the island after having been expelled by the people of Wicklow, and used it as a base for his missionary work on the mainland. However, legend has it that while he was away on this work, the people of Skerries came to the island and stole St. Patrick's goat, which they cooked and ate. When the saint discovered this, he stepped from his island to the mainland in two giant strides, one on Colt Island and one on Red Island, and confronted the people, who found they could only bleat when they tried to deny their misdeed. Their voices only returned when they admitted their guilt. Legend has it that the trace of the footprints, one on each island, can still be seen.
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