Doonbeg castle, Ireland
Also within 20 km of Doonbeg
- Killard Surf spot · 2.5 km from Doonbeg
- Doughmore Surf spot · 3.6 km from Doonbeg
- Kilkee Surf spot · 10 km from Doonbeg
- Spanish Point Reefs Surf spot · 14 km from Doonbeg
- Spanish Point Surf spot · 14.3 km from Doonbeg
- Cream point Surf spot · 16.4 km from Doonbeg
Watch this spot We email you when Doonbeg castle is worth the trip.

About Doonbeg castle
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces N (352°), so it takes swell from the N. The wind blows offshore from the S (172°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 5–20 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves steeply: 10 m deep about 150 m out (1 in 17). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. The sea is about 9°C in January, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 16°C in July, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). The town to stay in is Doonbeg, 1.4 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.
Water about 14°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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From Chicago: about 16 h 05 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Dublin Airport (DUB), direct. About 26 flights a week that month.
See flights ORD → DUB · Skyscanner from about £370 returnAdGetting there. 4 h 20 from the airport to Doonbeg castle.
Accommodation.
Stay in DoonbegAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Doonbeg (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Doonbeg 2 min by car · rooms from £95 a night · 1 places to stay · where Doonbeg castle stays
Places to stay in Doonbeg · Booking.com AdKilkee 18 min by car · rooms from £95 a night · 13 places to stay
Places to stay in Kilkee · Booking.com AdSpanish Point 23 min by car · rooms from £95 a night · 10 places to stay
Places to stay in Spanish Point · Booking.com AdLahinch 43 min by car · rooms from £95 a night · 20 places to stay
Places to stay in Lahinch · Booking.com AdDoolin 57 min by car · rooms from £95 a night · 61 places to stay
Places to stay in Doolin · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Doonbeg · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Doonbeg · GetYourGuideAd
Where it is
Doonbeg castle on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
Doonbeg castle does not suit intermediates. This is the forecast for experts, so you can see what it does.
The score for experts, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Scorefor Expert | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 14, too small | 3 ft10 shollow | 150kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 5 knots | 12°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 42, fair | 6 ft11 shollow | 755kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 9 knots | 11°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 39, fair | 5 ft10 shollow | 415kJ | offshorewind from the south-east, 15 knots, offshore | 12°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 22, poor | 8 ft10 scrumbling | 1,081kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 17 knots | 12°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 37, fair | 7 ft9 scrumbling | 762kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-east, 9 knots, offshore | 11°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 12, poor | 6 ft9 smushy | 679kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 26 knots | 12°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 49, good | 8 ft10 scrumbling | 1,133kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-east, 15 knots, offshore | 14°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 28, poor | 6 ft12 shollow | 943kJ | wind from the south-west, 7 knots | 13°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 28, poor | 9 ft9 scrumbling | 1,268kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 26 knots | 13°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 11, too small | 5 ft10 shollow | 410kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 26 knots | 12°C |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for expert surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Direct flight ORD to DUB, then 4h 20 by road. About 16h 05 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: 5 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 32 of 80.
- Thu 22 OctSurf Doonbeg castle
Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 7 ft at 9 s, offshore wind.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 13 of 80.
- Sat 24 OctSurf Doonbeg castle
Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 8 ft at 10 s, offshore wind.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight ORD to DUB, then 4h 20 by road. About 16h 05 door to door
Rough cost
About £1,115–£2,055 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to DUB, estimated from distance and season, 3 airlines on the route, with a hold bag | £370–£770 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £110–£180 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £260–£430 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £245–£455 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £95–£155 |
| Total | £1,115–£2,055 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Doonbeg
- Morrissey's Seafood Bar & GrillSeafood · 0.4 km from the centre
- Morrisseys of DoonbegIrish · 0.4 km from the centre
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits
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Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.