Sandycove Beach

Sandycove Beach is a beginner-friendly shore dive in Dublin Bay, Ireland, adjacent to the famous Forty Foot swimming spot and the James Joyce Tower. This accessible site offers a gentle entry over a rocky shoreline into waters reaching 15 meters depth, where kelp forests, boulder fields, and sandy patches create diverse habitats for Ireland's temperate marine life. Colourful dahlia anemones, jewel anemones, and dead man's fingers soft coral decorate the rocky surfaces, while edible crabs, velvet swimming crabs, and lobsters shelter in crevices. Ballan wrasse, pollack, and juvenile cod patrol the kelp canopy, and lucky divers may spot the occasional cuttlefish or curious seal investigating from a distance. The site is diveable year-round, though winter months bring the best visibility. Sandycove Beach offers an accessible and rewarding dive in the heart of Dublin, proving that world-class temperate diving can be found just a short DART ride from the city centre.