Cliff Diving
Best cliff diving spots in Ireland
With the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series returning to the Emerald Isle this July, here are some of the best places in Ireland to take the plunge safely. Deep breath...
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Howling winds, battering rain and biting temperatures might not feel like much fun year-round. And yet these are precisely the elements that shaped Ireland's rugged topography and made it such a jewel in the crown of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series today.
Between 18-20 July 2024, the series will make its debut at Northern Ireland's imposing Causeway Coast (the seventh iteration of the contest on Irish shores), when you can go down in person to watch some of the greatest cliff divers on earth take flight. Coming midway through the RBCDWS calendar, there will be a lot on the line, so if you're not able to attend, ensure you watch all the action with Red Bull right here.
Get up to speed with Ireland's history in the Cliff Diving World Series
If all this talk of cliff diving has you keen to try it out yourself, there are many incredible spots up and down the coast where you can safely jump into the big blue. So, without further ado, here are a spots to visit and how to make a weekend of it.
Disclaimer: Any cliff diving should always be performed after relevant safety checks, including weather, tidal conditions and other natural elements; the state of the cliff and platform, and, importantly, the depth of the water below. Wherever possible, speak to locals about the best points of approach. Always start small, easing your way into the jumps and work your way up.
01
Serpent’s Lair, Inis Mor
Cliff diver Artem Silchenko leaps into the wormhole on Inis Mór
© Dean Treml/Red Bull Cliff Diving
A natural landmark drawing athletes from far and wide, this spectacular blowhole on Inis Mór is a natural wonder of the diving world that hosted the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in 2012, 2014 and 2017. Venturing to the Aran Islands is not easy, but it's a damn sight easier than having the nerve to step up and launch yourself from the edge of this oblong abyss. Known locally as “the wormhole” (or “Poll na bPéist”), it’s a place of myth, wonder, and, yes, danger. You might not have a clear line of sight and the pool itself isn’t huge (some of the World Series divers to have splashed down from high above have been surprised at the blowhole's “cosy” dimensions), so always do your homework, scouting the outer edge out thoroughly before any jumps. Our suggestion? Pick a spot as close to the water as possible, and also a calmer day when there’s not the chance of great waves thrashing from the Atlantic Ocean. And obviously not when Red Bull come to town – you'll need a few thousand practice sessions to get on that man-made board.
Getting there: Passenger ferries to Inis Mór run from Galway City, Rossaveel and Doolin. Cars aren’t allowed so you’ll need to go on foot or with a bike. Alternatively, flights operate between Connemara Airport and Inis Mór throughout the year.
Other things to do: Take a trip to Dun Aengus, a prehistoric hill fort perched above the Wild Atlantic. Explore the island by bike, and, as born-and-bred islander Peadar Gill suggests, “It’s a good hour's cycle from the ferry port, so if you are planning a bicycle journey, make sure you have planned to get back in time.” There are some sublime surfing locations around here too, and Gill also recommends checking out the great blue flag beach, Kilmurvey. If you’re not there for a day trip there are plenty of hotels; just be sure to book in advance during sunnier months. Get more tips from Gill by clicking here.
02
Ballintoy coastline/Dunseverick Harbour, County Antrim
As will soon be abundantly clear when the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series hits The Causeway Coast in July 2024, Northern Ireland has coastline so beautiful you’ll want to take it home to meet the parents. And less than a 30-minute drive from Giants Causeway you’ll find plenty of accessible rockfaces with good diving opportunities. Down at Dunseverick Harbour, families have been diving into “The Slough” – part aquatic hideaway, part rocky labyrinth – for some time now. For the best experience in the region, book an outdoor session with the good folk of Ballintoy Coasteering, who’ll whizz you to some of the best diving spots in the area and promise ‘thrills, spills, laughter, and adrenaline’. Ballintoy Beach is only 10 minutes' drive from Dunseverick Harbour and comes with great sand, crisp water and rock pools prime for exploration.
Other things to do: This is Game of Thrones country. With the windswept visuals on offer, a coastal hike is tempting whether winter is coming or not. How does a 10k, water-hugging out-and-back trail between Dunseverick Harbour and Ballintoy sound? It’s a great way to stretch the legs while taking in the spectacular beauty of the area, and you’re also around the corner from the historic Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, along with a couple of ancient sights including Dunluce Castle.
Getting there: Ballintoy is about an hour’s drive from Belfast, or around three hours by bus, changing at Coleraine.
03
Forty Foot, Dun Laoghaire
Dublin's near mythical Forty Foot
© Giuseppe Milo; Flickr Creative Commons
If you want to dip into what James Joyce (affectionately) described as “the snotgreen sea”, this concrete-wrapped swimming spot on the southern shores of Dublin Bay is the place to start. Brimming with visitors year-round – families in the summer; hardened open water swimmers in colder months – it’s also a popular spot to dive, with decent points found on the stretch between Dun Laoghaire and Sandycove. The name Forty Foot doesn’t signify the height of the rocks, but, according to local legend, the depth of the water below. Test your limits on the pier or dive from the surrounding rock formations. Once a favourite spot for nude bathers many moons ago, you might still feel exposed at this headland today: the Irish Sea can be bitterly cold, so take a Dryrobe or a thick towel if it's not balmy. On a weekend in mid-2019, the harbourside played host to the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, when 145,000 people came to witness the world's best high jumpers in action.
Other things to do: Backing onto this picturesque cape, you’ll find the James Joyce Tower, a Martello tower where the author once spent some time and included in the opening of his masterpiece Ulysses. There’s an accompanying Joyce museum which is free entry. If you want to make the most of Dublin Bay then there are sailing schools to get out on the water, or cruise companies to take you to other islands or around the local area. And of course, if you’re in need of night-time entertainment, you’re on the doorstep of Dublin itself, where, to paraphrase the great James Joyce, you won’t have any trouble finding a good pub.
Getting there: At least five bus routes operate between central Dublin and the Forty Foot, with the DART also operating to Dún Laoghaire.
04
The Guillamene, Tramore
Imagine the most picture-perfect Irish scenery possible. Now throw in a swimming cove, clear water and rock-based diving platforms. There are some good diving spots around here, including the locally beloved Guillamene diving board built into layers of natural rock, which is the perfect platform to practice a few backflip dives. Just follow the winding stairs down from the car park and for the entry points for a swim. If you want to up the ante, on the other side of the cove there is a larger cliff face where some divers try their hand (although usually feet first) at stylishly falling in. In recent years The Guillamene has held an annual outdoor diving competition. Maybe it's your year...
Other things to do: Head up to Waterford and explore Ireland’s most historic city. The Medieval Museum is a fun place to start, but truthfully there are plenty of spots dotted around the famous Viking Triangle. Once you’re done there, take a bike and explore the Waterford Greenway, a 46km former railway line popular with hikers and cyclists, finishing in Dungarvan, where you'll find a castle, postcard-pretty harbour and plenty of places to stop for a drink. A half hour’s drive north, nestled between Dungarvan, among the Comeragh Mountains range, you can reach the impressive Mahon Waterfall, where visitors can follow a 4km looped trail around this free-flowing centrepiece.
Getting there: A 20-minute drive from Waterford down to the coastline will get you to the Guillamene Swimming Cove in Newtown. Follow the signs for the swimming club, and eventually you’ll reach the car park, which leads onto the entrance down to the cove.
05
Blackrock Diving Tower, Galway
Blackrock Diving Tower is ideal for a brisk dip come rain or shine
© Keith Ewing; Flickr Creative Commons
Galway’s iconic Blackrock Diving Tower may not be cliff diving in the strictest sense, but you’re unlikely to find a better place on these shores to feel every inch a Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series athlete. Boasting three different boards with a variety of heights (3ft, 10ft and 33ft), you can work your way up to a dive that feels comfortable. Store away your belongings in on-site lockers and use the changing rooms and showers to help ready yourself for a bracing dip in the Atlantic. Should you fancy something wilder, Real Adventures Connemara is one adventure operator offering coasteering trips in the area, giving you the chance to scramble up and jump off cliffs in as safe an environment as possible.
Other things to do: On the doorstep of some of the most stunning beauty spots on this side of the Atlantic, Galway is only an hour's drive from Connemara National Park, 40 minutes from Lough Corrib, the largest lake in the Republic of Ireland, and 30 minutes from the Derroura Mountain Bike Trail. It's also a city blessed with great sights, bars and restaurants; the works...
Getting there: You can find the diving platforms on the promenade in the Salthill area of Galway, some 100m from Blackrock beach.
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