Ballybunion North Surf Report
Ballybunion North — surf & tide guide
Ballybunion North is a beach in Kerry, Ireland. It works best on a WSW–NW swell with ENE–SE winds blowing offshore. The beach faces WNW. Ideal size is 0.8–3.0 m at 9–15 s.
- Break type
- Beach break
- Best swell
- WSW–NW · 0.8–3.0m
- Best wind
- ENE–SE offshore
- Best tide
- Most tides
- Best period
- 10–16s
- Skill level
- Beginner+
- Best season
- Sep–Apr
- Parking
- Beach car park
long west-facing strand · mid is best · paid in summer.
Ballybunion North has semidiurnal (two highs a day) tides with an approximate large range of 4.7 m. Mid tide works best. More Kerry spots →
About Ballybunion North Beach
Ballybunion sits on the north Kerry coast where the Shannon Estuary meets the Atlantic. The town is split into two beaches by the ruined Ballybunion Castle perched on the headland - North Beach is the larger and more popular surf spot, stretching north toward the dunes.
The beach faces west into the Atlantic and catches plenty of swell. It's forgiving on smaller days and a respectable beach break when bigger - the local surf school runs lessons here year-round. Mid tide is the sweet spot. Ballybunion is well-known to Irish surfers and the town has a full surf scene: schools, board hire, accommodation.
Hazards & Notes
- Rocks at the castle headland separating North and South beaches
- Rip current can form on bigger swells - swim between flags in summer
- Busy with swimmers and surf schools in summer
- Cold water · proper wetsuit needed outside high summer
14-Day Forecast
Tap any day for hourly detail.
Other Kerry Spots
All conditions and 14-day forecast for every Kerry break: view the full Kerry page →