’Serious callouts’ to beaches spark calls for earlier lifeguard season - Donegal News

A NUMBER of "serious callouts" to Donegal beaches have led to calls for lifeguards to start earlier in the year.

A NUMBER of “serious callouts” to Donegal beaches have led to calls for lifeguards to start earlier in the year.

The hot spell of weather in May brought many visitors to beaches across the county, however the lifeguard season doesn’t begin until June 1 and runs until mid September.

Cllr Michael McMahon asked Donegal County Council to consider bringing the start date forward to May 1 in light of five incidents that could have resulted in fatalities in the Bundoran area, where he is based.

He told the July plenary council meeting that beaches in south Donegal were “packed” in the month of May.

“There were a couple of very serious callouts and the RNLI and the gardaí and the ambulance services answered them in a very professional way and I want to thank them for that,” said the Sinn Féin councillor.

“The fact of the matter is, there were no lifeguards on duty in the month of May and I think we’re in a position where seasons are changing, weather is getting better in summers and summers seem to be getting longer. Lifeguards do a fantastic job and I want to commend them on all the work they do and all the lifesaving they do.”

He continued: “The problem is that lifeguards are all students and the Leaving Cert kicks in around that time and students are not ready to go to work until the start of June. What we need to be looking at is to see if there’s an alternative for lifeguards or some sort of security for the beaches from May 1 until the students are ready.

“The RNLI are very active but we cannot depend on the RNLI at all stages. We should train up a couple of senior lifeguards, people that are unemployed or who would be available to work from May right out until the end of the season.

“As everybody knows, the beaches this summer so far have been packed. What I’m very worried about is we could have had five fatalities in May only for the quick work of the RNLI and people that happened to see what was going on.”

Cllr McMahon said local lifeguards were “very upset” when they heard of the incidents and he called for a change to the system.

“Our job is to make sure that when people go to the beach, they know that they’re going to be secure and that there’s lifeguards there so they can enjoy the day and come home safely,” he said.

Director of Environment and Climate, Property Management and Defective Concrete Blocks Scheme, Michael McGarvey, said he would be happy to review the system.

However, he added that the council “simply wouldn’t have” enough lifeguards available in May, as many of them are students.

The official response reads: “Donegal County Council currently provides a seasonal beach lifeguard service on 13 designated beaches across the county during the bathing season. The delivery of this service required the recruitment and deployment of 51 beach lifeguards and supervisory staff for the 2026 season.

“The current service is provided having regard to available resources, risk assessments, historic usage patterns, bathing water designations and operational requirements. The recruitment and retention of suitably qualified lifeguards continue to present challenges and is an important consideration in any proposal to extend the duration of the service.

“The Council will continue to keep the duration of the seasonal lifeguard service under review. Any proposal to commence the service from May 1 would have significant staffing, training and financial implications and would require consideration as part of the Council’s annual budget and service planning process.

“In the meantime, the Council will continue to work with Water Safety Ireland, the Coast Guard and other relevant agencies to promote water safety awareness and to encourage members of the public to exercise caution when using beaches and coastal waters outside periods when lifeguards are on duty.”

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