Half Moon
Half Moon is one of the waters the EPA tests and grades in County Dublin, 4.5 km north of Blackrock. The Environmental Protection Agency classified it excellent for water quality for the 2025 season. The register records parking, a lifebuoy, first aid and an information board.
- Water quality
- Excellent, 2025
- Seasons before
- 2024 Excellent
- Water testing
- Tested by the EPA sampled through the season and given a water quality grade
- Season restriction
- None in place
- Pollution after rain
- Prone to short term pollution, closed 8 days last season
- Awards
- None
- County
- County Dublin
- Managed by
- Dublin City Council
- Nearest town
- Blackrock, 4.5 km north of it, in a straight line
- From that town
- No road routeNothing on the map joins the two by road. This beach is on an island, or the way in is not mapped.
- Lifeguard
- No
- Toilets
- No
- Parking
- Yes
- Access
- No
- Dogs
- Yes
- Cars on the beach
- No
- Public transport
- No
- First aid
- Yes
- Protected area
- Yes
- Position
- 53.3411° N, 6.1641° W
- Record changed
- 2026-03-31
What the EPA says about it
The Half Moon Bathing Water is located approximately half way along the Southside of Great South Wall. It is not a beach and access to the bathing water is via ladder or slipway from the Great South Wall. Access for pedestrians along the Great South Wall is permitted solely by foot or bicycle. Vehicle access (except for emergency vehicles) is limited at the beginning of the wall, where bicycle parking and car parking facilities are located. For additional parking, it is encouraged to use the nearby Shelley Banks car and bicycle parking facilities and refrain from parking along the roadway to prevent disturbance/damage to sand dunes. The bathing area is bounded by the Great South Wall to the North and the Irish Sea to the South thus flora and fauna have limited opportunity to grow. However, due to its position and coastal connection to Sean Moore Park and the Irishtown Nature Reserve, it is of international importance for migrating Light-bellied Brent Geese and of national importance for nine other waterfowl species. The Half Moon bathing location is located within the South Dublin Bay and River Tolka Estuary Special Protection Area (SPA), the South Dublin Bay Proposed Natural Heritage Areas and South Dublin Bay Special Area of Conservation (SAC). It is encouraged to check wind, weather and tidal forecasts before swimming. During times of adverse weather, Dublin Port Company (<a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dublinport.ie%2Fpublic-notices%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7C87832797e7f04f86bcdc08dc297b7a20%7C03f164957710409d90cb9b3f403feeea%7C0%7C0%7C638430857721299040%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=fNDpL7pcYw1LNii2yyrtaB0RYeXkdcLg8gfwjz3cxIQ%3D&reserved=0">https://www.dublinport.ie/public-notices/</a>) and Dublin City Council will issue a public safety notice for the temporary closure of the Great South Wall.
Half Moon is classified as achieving Excellent Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2025 and 2024. Half moon received an Excellent Water Quality result in 2024. Half moon was newly identified in 2024 as a beach for monitoring, management and assessment under the requirements of the 2008 Bathing Water Quality Regulations. Annual water quality ratings are generally calculated using monitoring results over a four-year period and are assessed against stringent bacterial limits to protect bather health.
Where it is
Half Moon, and the other places to swim in County Dublin. Share your position and the map will show how far each one is from you.
Getting to Half Moon
About these directions
Public transport times come from National Transport Authority. Timetables cover 2026-09-18 to 2027-09-19. These are scheduled services; check with the operator for cancellations and changes before travelling.
Walking and driving times are estimates. A town search starts at its centre; choose your location or a point on the map for a more precise starting point. Eircode search is not available.
How journey planning worksDestination, access and nearby stops
Half Moon is in Blackrock, County Dublin. Routes here end at the point the map records for this place. The entrance has not been verified, so the last few metres are for you to judge.
The nearest scheduled stop is Ferry Port Termnl 1 (2270), 2.2 km away in a straight line. Use the planner to check walking connections for your journey.
- Ferry Port Termnl 1 2.2 km
buses 53 and 853Scheduled departures from this stop
- Ferry Port Termnl 2 2.3 km
bus 53Scheduled departures from this stop
- Ferry Termnl 2 2.4 km
bus 853Scheduled departures from this stop
- North Bull Island 2.5 km
bus 130Scheduled departures from this stop
Getting to Blackrock covers the journeys into the town itself.
Other places to swim in County Dublin
Questions people ask
Is the water clean at Half Moon?
Is swimming restricted at Half Moon?
Does Half Moon have a Blue Flag?
Is there a lifeguard at Half Moon?
How do you get to Half Moon without a car?
Where does this come from?
Water quality, awards, lifeguards, toilets, parking and access are the Environmental Protection Agency’s own fields, from its bathing water register, read 2026-09-20. The classification covers four years of sampling and is not a reading for today: after heavy rain the water can be worse than the classification suggests, and the EPA and the local authority post notices when it is. Positions are the EPA’s grid references, projected to latitude and longitude. Journeys are the National Transport Authority’s published timetable.
Beaches and bathing waters in Ireland·Beaches in County Dublin