Overview
Nuns Beach is a small horseshoe cove at the foot of the cliffs just north of Ballybunion Castle, and the catch is getting down to it. There is no proper path. You either arrive by boat or you climb down the cliff face holding a fixed rope, and neither is casual. That is exactly why it stays quiet while the family strands in Ballybunion fill up on a warm day: the pale sand, the clear water and the natural rock arch at the far end are the reward for a bit of nerve.
The convent above the cove
The name is literal. A convent stood on the cliff directly above, and the cove below was the nuns’ own bathing place, screened from view by the surrounding rock. The nuns were here until at least 1988, when they left; the weathered walls still standing on the cliff edge are what remains of their building. There is no grand story attached, and that is part of the appeal – it is a working stretch of coast shaped by the tide, with a bit of history sitting quietly on top of it.
Getting down to the sand
A boat can land straight onto the sand, and in calm weather that is the easy way in. There is no scheduled service, though, so it means arranging something locally rather than turning up to a timetabled trip. In practice most people take the rope.
That descent is steeper and more serious than the word ‘path’ suggests. A fixed rope handrail runs down the rock face, and people who have done it tend to describe it as closer to a scramble, or even a short abseil, than a walk. It is no place for anyone unsteady on their feet, and it should not be attempted in wet or windy weather, when the rock turns slick and the exposure bites. Sturdy boots with real grip, and a dry, calm day.
Honestly, most visitors get more out of the cliff top than the cove itself. From the lay-by a path runs about twenty minutes along the edge, past sea stacks and the Nine Daughters’ Hole – a blowhole set into the cliff – with the Bromore Cliffs beyond. You get the cove laid out below you, and the whole thing without the risk. Decide about the rope from up there, not from the bottom.
What is down there
Once you are on the sand, walk to the arch at the far end; it is the best of the cove and the reason photographers make the climb, especially in low morning light. At low tide the rock pools fill with anemones and crabs. Seals and dolphins turn up offshore, whales pass now and again, and the cliffs stay busy with seabirds working the updrafts.
Practical information
There are no facilities at the cove – no toilets, no water, nothing – so carry whatever you need. Everything here runs on the tide: come at low water, because an incoming tide covers the access points at the base of the cliff and can cut you off. Park in Ballybunion town; there is a small lay-by near the convent ruins where the descent begins, but space is tight. Mobile reception is patchy on the cliff, so check the tide table and the forecast before you leave the town rather than relying on your phone at the top.
Exploring further
Back in Ballybunion there are cafés, pubs and the famous golf links, plus the castle and a walk along the main strand. Further south down the coast, Banna Strand is a long Blue Flag beach with high dunes and a link to the 1916 Easter Rising. Without a car, buses reach Ballybunion from Tralee and Killarney, with a short walk or taxi out to the trailhead.
Aim for a calm morning at low tide, walk the cliff top first, and make your call on the rope from the top of it.