St Finian's Bay (The Glen)

Co. Kerry, Ireland

Water qualityNot monitored

Blue Flag 2026No

Green CoastNo

DogsTo be confirmed

Always verify the car-park location on arrival. Road and access conditions may change.

⚠ Safety first: St Finian's Bay has some of the strongest rip tides on this coast, and swimming is actively discouraged. It is a beach for experienced surfers who know these waters, and for everyone else a place to walk, watch the Skelligs and visit the chocolate factory — not to bathe. There is no lifeguard; stay out of the water if in any doubt.

About St Finian's Bay (The Glen)

St Finian's Bay, known locally as The Glen, is a small, unspoilt beach on the Skellig Ring between Ballinskelligs and Portmagee, with the jagged Skellig Islands filling the horizon. The scenery is the reason to come — that, and Skelligs Chocolate, the artisan chocolate factory and café right beside the beach, where you can watch chocolate being made and warm up after a windy walk. The sea here is for looking at and, for experienced surfers, for surfing: local sources report some of the strongest rip tides on this coast, and swimming is actively discouraged. There is informal roadside parking in The Glen and no lifeguard. Treat it as a place for photographs, a chocolate stop and a bracing coastal stroll rather than a swimming beach.

Get directions to the car park

The directions button opens the verified car-park pin — never the beach itself or a mid-route point.

📍 Directions pending pin verification

This button activates once the car-park pin has been confirmed.

Activity suitability

Swimming — Not advised
Surfing — Advanced
Walking — Short walk (under 1km)
Lifeguard (summer) — No

Facilities

Lifeguard — No
Not yet confirmed: Toilets, Car park, Disabled access, Shower, Café nearby

Facilities confirmed from Kerry County Council and Fáilte Ireland.

Water quality

This is not an EPA-monitored bathing water, so no official water-quality rating is available. Take local conditions and signage into account and swim with care.

Where to stay nearby

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