Inisheer Beach

Located on the northern coast of Inis Oirr, one of the Aran Islands, off the west coast of Ireland, Inisheer Beach - also known as Inisheer Blue Flag Beach, Inis Oirr Beach, or Tra Inis Oirr - is a 300-meter-long beige sand beach with many rocky portions.  The beach is close to Inisheer Airport (INQ) along the shores of Galway Bay and has a beautiful backdrop of coastal vegetation, rugged limestone ledges, a large open area, and many oceanfront buildings, including a campground, many houses, beachfront restaurants, a marina, a few hotels, and the iconic O'Brien's Castle, which offer Instagram-worthy views.  Inisheer Beach has been awarded the Blue Flag certification and the Green Coast Award due to its natural beauty, cleanliness, and water quality standards.

Inisheer Beach offers many amenities, including seasonal lifeguards, restrooms, showers, shaded areas, beach equipment rental facilities, bike rental facilities, a campground, a marina, a few restaurants, and hotels.

Inisheer Beach is a family-friendly beach that offers many fun activities, including swimming, sunbathing, beachcombing, boating, kayaking, paddle boarding, biking, tidepooling, fishing, watching wildlife, and hiking.  If you are planning to go into the water, there is a safe area to swim.  However, we recommend being cautious, as the water is known to have unpredictable rip currents. Visitors can enjoy tidepooling as the natural pools form along the shoreline at low tide.  If you enjoy biking, you can rent a bike from a nearby kiosk to explore the nearby area.  There is a famous campground, popularly known as Rua Camping Inis Oirr, with 10 unpowered tent campsites, showers, and toilets, where you can pay 12 euros per person to reserve a campsite and enjoy camping on Inisheer Island.  Hikers can enjoy the nearby hiking trails, which offer unique insights into the local biodiversity.  Depending on the time of year, you may spot a colony of gray seals.  The beach is ideal for visitors looking for a tranquil beach experience, as this beach sees fewer visitors than other nearby beaches.  Dogs are not allowed on the beach, and the beach is open from sunrise until sunset.

Inisheer Beach offers an access path for people with disabilities.

It is important to note that visitors can access Inisheer Island by boat or by airplane.  If you are traveling from Galway City, you can book an Inisheer ferry that departs from Rossaveel Ferry Terminal, which is located at R372, Rossaveel, Co. Galway, Ireland.  It takes around 55 minutes to reach Inisheer Ferry and costs between €17.  There are multiple Inis Oirr ferry crossings between the islands throughout the day.

If you are traveling from Doolin, which operates seasonally from April to October, you can book a ferry that leaves from Doolin Pier located at Ballaghaline, Co. Clare, Ireland, and reach Inisheer in around 15 minutes for a starting price of €32.

Please also note that visitors cannot bring their own cars from each of these locations to Inisheer Island.

Alternatively, visitors can take a daily flight to Inisheer from Connemara Regional Airport.

Getting to Inisheer Beach is easy - the beach has a few street parking spots located near Inis Oirr, Inisheer, Co. Galway, H91 HT02, Ireland, which provides easy access to the beach.  You may refer to the Inisheer Beach map for locational details.

Visitors to Inisheer Island can explore the famous Plassey Shipwreck, which is located within a five-minute drive of Inisheer Beach.  The MV Plassy was a cargo ship that ran aground during a severe storm and was unable to navigate safely.  Visitors can still see wrecks along the shoreline, where they remain partially immersed, offering a unique insight into the maritime past of the island.

There are many attractions near Inisheer Beach.  O'Brien's Castle is a prominent historical landmark located on Inisheer, built in the 15th century by the O'Brien clan, who were powerful rulers in the region at the time.  The castle was built as a defensive bastion and is a four-story, rectangular donjon (keep) with a parapet perched atop a rocky outcrop overlooking Galway Bay.  Today, visitors can explore the ruins of O'Brien's Castle, which offers a fascinating glimpse into Ireland's medieval past.  Inisheer Lighthouse is a prominent landmark situated on the eastern side of Inisheer, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.  This 19th-century lighthouse, with its distinctive horizontal black and white stripes, was constructed to guide ships safely through the treacherous waters surrounding the Aran Islands.  It played a crucial role in maritime navigation along the western coast of Ireland.  Na Seacht dTeampaill, which translates to "The Seven Churches" in English, is a historic site that comprises the ruins of multiple church buildings, including remnants of stone churches, oratories, enclosures, and various other structures that offer insights into the early Christian period in Ireland and the development of monasticism. Cnoc Raithni, also known as the Wishing Well, is a small hill crowned with a traditional stone structure that features the Wishing Well, which is a natural spring believed to have magical properties.  Visitors come to the well to make wishes by tossing coins or tokens into the water and offering prayers or intentions.  

If you are looking for another nearby attraction, Plassey Shipwreck is a notable maritime relic located off the coast of Inisheer.  The MV Plassy was a cargo ship that ran aground during a severe storm on March 8, 1960.  The ship, which was en route from Liverpool to Galway, encountered treacherous weather conditions near Inisheer and was unable to navigate safely.  Visitors can still see wrecks along the shoreline, where they remain partially submerged to this day, offering a fascinating glimpse into maritime history.

If you get hungry, there are many restaurants on Inisheer Beach.  An Currach is a beachfront restaurant right on the beach that serves amazing burgers, falafel, beef, seafood meat, and poultry dishes.  Tigh Ned is another beachfront restaurant that serves salads, soups, wraps, paninis, sandwiches, seafood, beef, meat, and poultry dishes.  Inis Oirr Hotel- Flaherty's serves amazing salads, burgers, sandwiches, curries, seafood, beef, meat, and poultry dishes.  Chipper Na Ceibhe serves seafood, and meat dishes.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby restaurant, 'Teach an Tae', Cafe Aran & Tea Rooms serves amazing salads, soups, burgers, seafood, smoothies, cakes, ice-cream, and Irish tea.

If you are looking for a hotel near Inisheer Beach, there are many great options nearby.  If you are looking for an upscale hotel, the 4-Star Inisheer Hotel is two minutes away by car and offers many amenities, including a games room, a restaurant, and complimentary breakfast.  A more affordable option is An Creagan Bed and Breakfast, which offers a few amenities, including free wifi and complimentary breakfast. Another moderately priced option is the Tigh Ruairi (Rory's Pub) Bed & Breakfast, which has several amenities, including an outdoor seating area, an Irish bar, and a restaurant.   A more reasonably priced option is the Shamrock B&B, which offers a few amenities, including comfortable rooms, free wifi, and complimentary breakfast.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby Inisheer hostel, Bru Radharc na Mara (Sea View Hostel) offers a few amenities, including free Wi-Fi, a kitchen in a few rooms, and complimentary breakfast.