Nearby Tramore 14 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
No onset time is published for this spot.
The wind
locals call it Atlantic frontal systems
Direction
Character
synoptic
Strength
Direction to shore
The beach faces south. S, SSW, SW and WSW all work, and SW is both the prevailing wind and the best one.
Dominant direction
SW
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan, riders' month61
- Feb, riders' month91
- Mar, riders' month80
- Apr, riders' month67
- May, riders' month47
- Jun, riders' month52
- Jul, riders' month63
- Aug, riders' month65
- Sep, riders' month61
- Oct, riders' month82
- Nov, riders' month76
- Dec, riders' month77
per cent of the month at force 4 or more
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec.
- 15Jan9°
- 16Feb9°
- 16Mar9°
- 14Apr10°
- 11May13°
- 12Jun15°
- 13Jul14°
- 14Aug15°
- 13Sep16°
- 16Oct14°
- 16Nov13°
- 17Dec10°
avg knots per month · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Force 4+ | Knots | From | Air | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 61% | 14.8 kt | WSW | 6.6°C | 8.9°C |
| Feb | 91% | 16 kt | WSW | 8.4°C | 8.9°C |
| Mar | 80% | 15.9 kt | SW | 8°C | 8.9°C |
| Apr | 67% | 13.6 kt | WSW | 9.4°C | 10.4°C |
| May | 47% | 11.4 kt | SW | 12.6°C | 13.1°C |
| Jun | 52% | 12 kt | SW | 14.6°C | 15°C |
| Jul | 63% | 12.5 kt | WSW | 15.6°C | 14.3°C |
| Aug | 65% | 13.8 kt | SW | 16.2°C | 14.9°C |
| Sep | 61% | 13 kt | NNW | 14.6°C | 16.1°C |
| Oct | 82% | 15.5 kt | SW | 12.8°C | 14.1°C |
| Nov | 76% | 16 kt | SW | 9.8°C | 12.5°C |
| Dec | 77% | 16.6 kt | SW | 7.8°C | 10.4°C |
modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
Modelled from weather reanalysis on a 10–25 km grid (2022-2024), not a ground station: reliable for trade and synoptic winds, understates thermal sea breezes and valley winds. The typical daily max and the direction are columns of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.
ERA5 reanalysis grid point (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical weather API — ECMWF ERA5/ERA5-Land reanalysis, not a ground station · 2022-2024
The water
Type
flat, shallow sandy beach / Waterford Harbour mouth
Standing depth
About 300 m of waist-deep water at mid tide, reportedly, spread over a wide area.
Tides
Low, incoming and falling tide all work, and mid tide is the pick of them for the waist-deep water. Low water opens the beach out wide on firm smooth sand. Stay off the far right at low water, and expect little launch and landing room on spring tides.
Temperature
15.5°C summer · 8.5°C winter
Wetsuit
A 3 mm or shorty/normal suit is recommended in summer and a 5 mm winter suit with gloves and booties from December to March. Water temperature is around 15.5 C in August and 8.5 C in February.
Your level
The scene
What riders come here for
Launch and rules
three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you
With a school or a boat
No school names this spot
Nobody has been recorded teaching or running a boat here.
On your own
Room to launch: medium to wide depending on tide; wide at low tide, reduced on spring/high tides
Somewhere else
Tramore, 14 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
Direct sandy launch on Duncannon's south-facing strand, roughly 1.2 km long, with car, bus and boat access and no walk to the spot. The beach opens out wide on firm smooth sand at low water. Free car parking sits at the water's edge, with toilets open all year and showers on the beach.Vehicles can drive onto the sand, but spring tides can leave little room for launch and landing.
Space
medium to wide depending on tide; wide at low tide, reduced on spring/high tides
Rules & access
- 2022: Wexford County Council's Beach Bye-Laws, made 28 March 2022 and in force from 1 June 2022, cover 35 beaches listed in Schedule 1 and regulate parking and camping, trading and advertising, personal watercraft and power craft, surfboards, sailboards and canoes, and dog and horse access with time restrictions on some beaches. The signed bye-laws are published only as a scan, so whether Duncannon is one of the 35 could not be read, and no kitesurfing-specific zone or seasonal ban has been found.2008: Duncannon is an identified bathing water monitored under the Bathing Water Quality Regulations. Vehicles are driven onto the beach here, but spring tides leave little room.
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Aim for mid tide, when the waist-deep flat water is at its widest, about 300 m of it.
- Check the spring tides before you drive down; launch and landing room gets thin.
- Stay off the far right at low tide.
- Bring cash. There is no ATM in the village.
- Expect other beach users in July and August, and keep a clear corridor for launching and landing.
- Camp at the old golf course behind the children's play area.
- Roches Pub and the Strand Tavern are beside the beach and do live music at weekends.
- No lifeguard service is published for this beach. The nearest all-weather lifeboat sits across the estuary at Dunmore East.
- Call the beach school before you travel; its website was down in 2026 even though the operation is still listed.
Getting there
Airport
Dublin Airport (DUB) or Cork Airport (ORK)
Route
Duncannon sits on the Hook Peninsula in southwest County Wexford, 185 km from Dublin Airport and 150 km from Cork Airport. Dublin Airport to Duncannon is about 2 hours 10 minutes by car down the N11. Wexford town is about 25 miles away; Waterford is 8 miles across the estuary using the ferry.
Transfer
130 min
Cost level
medium
Staying
B and Bs, guest houses, self-catering and caravan parks overlook the beach, and the village has pubs, cafes and local services. Toilets and parking at the beach are confirmed.
No-wind days
SUP with local providers, Duncannon Fort, Hook Peninsula touring, Hook Head views, beach walks, Waterford via ferry, pubs and seafood restaurants.
Photos
FAQ
Is Duncannon suitable for beginners?
Yes, Hooked Kitesurfing teaches directly on the beach, and mid tide gives a wide, shallow learning area.
What is the wind like at Duncannon?
Southwest is the main direction, with south, SSW and WSW also usable, across a season that runs close to year-round.
Is the tide important at Duncannon?
Yes, mid tide is best for the roughly 300m waist-deep zone, while spring tides leave little launch and landing room.
What are the main hazards?
Other beach users in July and August, reduced space on spring tides, and cold water outside summer.
Are there kite schools at Duncannon?
Hooked Kitesurfing is based on Duncannon Beach, offering IKO instruction for kids and adults.
Last updated: August 2026