What beach safety rules should families know in Ireland?
Water Safety Ireland's rules start with lifeguarded beaches: swim between the red and yellow flags, and treat every other beach as unguarded. Lifeguards patrol designated beaches daily in July and August, at weekends in June and in early September, and the bathing season runs from 1 June to mid September; outside those times there is usually no patrol. A red flag means do not swim, and no flag means no lifeguard on duty. Irish water is cold all year, tides move fast on flat strands and can cut walkers off, and inflatables blow offshore quickly. The same guidance covers tide times checked before a visit, children kept within arm's reach in the water, and the rip current drill: float, raise a hand, and do not swim against the current.
Useful pages: Family friendly Ireland · Plan your journey · Driving in Ireland: the full guide · Food and drink basics · Coming home · Experiencing the Irish coastline · Tours · Places to stay · Travel notices
Sources
- Water Safety Ireland and local authorities: lifeguard seasons, bathing season and beach flags, watersafety.ie
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