

With Met Éireann forecasts not getting colder and rainier anytime soon, it's the perfect time to check out the top five sea swimming spots in Ireland.
According to data collected over the last five years, Galway, Kerry, Cork, and Dublin have all made it onto the list.
The data was collected by Lagoon Activity Centre in Rosscarbery, County Cork and was primarily based on Google Trends between 2020 and 2025.
Securing the top spot is Blackrock Beach in Salthill, Co. Galway, ranked the best due to its diving tower and Blue Flag status. In second place, we have Banna Strand in Co Kerry.
Banna Strand is another blue flag winner and currently the beach with the most Blue Flags of the year to date.
This beach in Kerry is seven miles long, so even on those scorching summer days, securing a spot should be without hassle.
The Forty Foot and Vico Baths, both in Dublin, secure the third and fourth spots on the list.
Not only are both great spots to catch a break from the bustling city on a warm day, but they are also great celeb sighting spots.
Mad Men star Christina Hendricks and Breaking Bad's Giancarlo Esposito have both been spotted at the Forty Foot, while Harry Styles and Matt Damon have been seen at Vico Baths.
Rounding up the list of top sea swimming spots is Cork's Myrtleville Beach, which is praised due to its short distance from the city centre, as well as the beach itself being easily accessible.
Paul Melody of The Lagoon Activity Centre said that if you're planning a trip to one of these top sea swimming spots, group swimming is always the best idea.
He said: "They say there’s safety in numbers, and I would apply that to sea swimming.
"Clubs are great not only for the community element and health benefits, but for safety.
"The sea can change in an instant, and while it’s assumed everyone would be a good swimmer, it’s reassuring to go out as a group," per Extra.ie.
If the weather stays as nice as it's been the past weeks, it may be the perfect opportunity to give one of these beaches a go.