Nearly all of these sit west of Galway city, strung along the Connemara coast and the Gaeltacht shore that runs out through Barna, Inverin and Carraroe. Two of them, Dog’s Bay and Gurteen Bay, are effectively the same visit: twin white strands either side of a narrow tombolo just outside Roundstone, and the sand at both is crushed seashell rather than ground-down rock, which is why it stays so pale.
Carraroe’s beach, Trá an Dóilín, is stranger again, built of maerl, a coral-like gravel of coralline algae found on only two beaches in western Ireland. An Trá Mór at Inverin is the conventional choice of the group, a long, sheltered slope of sand with clear water and views across Galway Bay. Rusheen Bay, beside Silverstrand about 5km west of the city, is less a strand than a shallow tidal lagoon, used for windsurfing lessons and paddleboarding from mid-April to mid-November.
Two entries need more planning than the rest. Kilmurvey is on Inis Mór, so it means a ferry, though it repays the effort with the island’s only Blue Flag and a 15-minute walk uphill to Dún Aonghasa. Sellerna lies on Cleggan Bay in the far north-west, a few minutes on foot from Cleggan village, gently shelving and calm at low tide, with no lifeguard on duty.
A horseshoe of brilliant white sand outside Roundstone where the grains are crushed seashell, and the water stays calm enough to swim much of the year.
Long, sheltered and gently sloping, this Blue Flag strand in the Inverin Gaeltacht suits swimming and family picnics, with limestone views across Galway Bay.
Built of maerl rather than sand, a coral-like gravel found on only two beaches in western Ireland, in the spiritual home of the Galway hooker.
Powder-white sand formed from ancient foraminifera shells, sheltered turquoise water for paddling, and the tombolo walk across to Dog's Bay at the far end.
The one beach on Inis Mór you would actually choose for a swim, a sheltered crescent with the island's only Blue Flag.
7 of 8 shown — tap a pin for the place.
Roundstone, galway
Dog's Bay is a horseshoe of pale sand near Roundstone, made largely of the shells of tiny sea organisms rather than ground-down rock. A low sand ridge links it to Gurteen Bay. Follow signed access and stay off the fragile dunes.
Inverin, galway
An Trá Mór is a long, sheltered sandy beach in the Gaeltacht village of Inverin. Known for its clear waters and gradual slope, it’s a favourite for swimming and family picnics, with distinctive limestone views across Galway Bay.
Carraroe, galway
An Cheathrú Rua (Carraroe) lies in the Connemara Gaeltacht and is closely tied to the Galway hooker. At nearby Trá an Dóilín, pale fragments of coralline algae called maerl form the coarse strand.
Gorteen Bay, galway
Gurteen Bay and Dog’s Bay face opposite sides of a sandy neck near Roundstone. Walk the beach, learn why the sand is so pale, and follow signed paths to protect the dunes and coastal grassland.
Inis Mór, galway
Kilmurvey is the one beach on Inis Mór you'd actually choose for a swim – a sheltered crescent of white sand with calm, clear water and the island's only Blue Flag. Dún Aonghasa is a 15-minute walk uphill, and the craft village behind the strand has coffee, toilets and Aran knitwear.
Roundstone, galway
Roundstone is a small fishing village on Ireland's west coast, laid out in the 1820s around a sheltered stone harbour that still lands lobster and crab. Its draw is the coast: the twin white shell-sand beaches of Dog's Bay and Gurteen, with Errisbeg hill and the Twelve Bens behind.
Barna, galway
Rusheen Bay is a shallow tidal lagoon beside Silverstrand, about 5km west of Galway city, enclosed enough that the water stays flat while the wind blows across it. Ireland's best-known windsurfing school runs lessons and rentals here from mid-April to mid-November, alongside kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. Session times shift with the tide, and the week-long children's summer camps sell out early.
Sellerna, galway
Sellerna Beach (also spelt Sallerna) is a sandy strand on Cleggan Bay, a short distance from Cleggan village. Follow local access signs, keep back from the water in rough conditions and avoid private fields. On the hill above sits the Knockbrack megalithic tomb, once known as the Druid's Altar.
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