Murvagh
Murvagh is one of the waters the EPA tests and grades in County Donegal, 4 km north-west of Ballintra. The Environmental Protection Agency classified it excellent for water quality for the 2025 season. The register records a lifeguard, toilets, parking, bins, first aid, an information board and a beach wheelchair.
- Water quality
- Excellent, 2025
- Seasons before
- 2024 Excellent, 2023 Excellent, 2022 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
- Awards
- Blue Flag · the register does not say which year's award
- County
- County Donegal
- Managed by
- Donegal County Council
- Nearest town
- Ballintra, 4 km north-west of it, in a straight line
- From that town
- 4.8 km by road, about 6 min drivingor 5.3 km on foot, about 66 minutes at 4.8 km/h
- Lifeguard
- Yes, hours not recorded
- Toilets
- Yes
- Parking
- Yes
- Access
- A beach wheelchair is available
- Dogs
- Dogs are not permitted in the Blue Flag Area of this beach from 12 pm to 7 pm (1st June - 15th September annually). Dogs are permitted on leads outside the Blue Flag Area at all times.
- Cars on the beach
- No
- Public transport
- The register records some
- Protected area
- Recorded as a natural sensitive area
- Position
- 54.6049° N, 8.1661° W
- Record changed
- 2026-03-23
What the EPA says about it
Murvagh Beach is a long shallow, sandy beach containing sand dunes. Murvagh beach is situated within Donegal Bay which consists of intertidal habitats, notably mud and sand flats, sea inlets and bays, tidal rivers, estuarine channels and sandy beaches. Murvagh beach consists of sand dunes that support a variety of plant species. There is also a variety of Wildlife located at Murvagh Beach. As part of Donegal Bay Murvagh Beach is designated an SAC (Special Area of Conservation) and a proposed NHA (National Heritage Area) with the site code: 000133. The area is also designated as a SPA (Special Protection Area) with the site code: 004151. Activities at Murvagh Beach include swimming, kayaking, boating, windsurfing and other land-based activities such as walking, football, kite flying, etc. The bathing area is designated and is approx. 2.324km2 and the extent along the water is approximately 3770m. The depth of the water on the shoreline increases slightly within 2 meters off the shore to a depth of 0.25 meters and very gradually increases to greater than 0.5 meters with the slight slope of the shore.
Murvagh is classified as achieving Excellent Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2022 to 2025. Murvagh has achieved an Excellent Water Quality rating for the four consecutive years 2022 to 2025. 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
Murvagh, and the other places to swim in County Donegal. Share your position and the map will show how far each one is from you.
Getting to Murvagh
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
Murvagh is in Ballintra, County Donegal. 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.
No scheduled stop was found within 2.5 km of Murvagh. On-demand services may not be included.
Getting to Ballintra covers the journeys into the town itself.
Other places to swim in County Donegal
Questions people ask
Is the water clean at Murvagh?
Is swimming restricted at Murvagh?
Does Murvagh have a Blue Flag?
Is there a lifeguard at Murvagh?
How do you get to Murvagh 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 Donegal