Days Out NI
Diving & snorkelling Maghery

Coney Island (Lough Neagh) Snorkel

A free freshwater snorkel off Coney Island, for confident swimmers who check conditions first.

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Free accessSelf-access, no booking
Check pricesSite is free to enter
MagheryDiving & snorkelling
Get directionsOfficial website
Free snorkel siteType
Check pricesCost
Experienced onlyExperience
Pike & perchYou may see
Maghery Country…Parking

Coney Island (Lough Neagh) Snorkel — A free freshwater snorkel off Coney Island, for confident swimmers who check conditions first.

  • What you can do: Self-access snorkelling in the western shore shallows off Coney Island.
  • Experience needed: Confident, experienced swimmers only — not for beginners or families.
  • Conditions: Cold peaty water year-round (wetsuit needed); exposed lough with eddies/currents off the far side; no lifeguard; recurring toxic blue-green algae blooms — check DAERA/NI Water alerts.
  • Kit: Bring your own — no hire on site; wetsuit recommended.
  • Booking & access: Free self-access; reached by boat across from Maghery Country Park (weekend boats from Maghery / Kinnego Marina).
  • Cost: No charge for the site; check current boat prices with Kinnego Marina / Maghery.
Plan your visit

A quiet freshwater alternative to the coast

If you are a confident swimmer comfortable in open water, the western shallows off Coney Island offer a calm, novel freshwater snorkel away from the busy coastal sites. The sheltered bay between Maghery and the island gives the steadiest water, with shallows running about 150m out before it gets deep fast. This suits experienced, self-reliant snorkellers in a wetsuit, not beginners — anyone new to the water should go with a club or guided operator on the coast instead. You may spot pike, perch and pollan in the clearer shallows, but nothing is guaranteed and visibility in peaty water is limited.

Free wild site No lifeguard Cold peaty water Algae risk — check alerts Confident swimmers only Boat across from Maghery
Good to know before you go:

Conditions here change with the weather and the tide, and visibility changes with them — clear and calm one day, murky and rough the next. Check a forecast and a tide table before you set off. This is a self-access site with no lifeguard, so match it to the experience you actually have, go with a buddy, and never dive alone.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🗺️A proper planA buddy, a tide check and a weather check. Wild sites have no lifeguard and nobody expecting you.
  • ☕Warm layers and a hot drinkThe water is cold all year. Dry clothes and something hot afterwards make the whole day.
  • 🏖️A towelAnd somewhere to put wet kit for the drive home.
  • 🤿An honest look at your experienceMatch the site to the training you actually have. Plenty of people start with a try-dive instead.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Type
Free wild freshwater snorkel site
What you can do
Self-access snorkelling in the western shore shallows off Coney Island
Experience needed
Confident, experienced swimmers only — not for beginners or families
Conditions
Cold peaty water year-round (wetsuit needed); exposed lough with eddies/currents off the far side; no lifeguard; recurring toxic blue-green algae blooms — check DAERA/NI Water alerts
Booking / access
Free self-access; reached by boat across from Maghery Country Park (weekend boats from Maghery / Kinnego Marina)
Kit
Bring your own — no hire on site; wetsuit recommended
Cost
No charge for the site; check current boat prices with Kinnego Marina / Maghery
What you may see
You may see pike, perch and pollan in the shallows — never guaranteed; visibility limited in peaty water
Parking
Maghery Country Park
Address / location
Coney Island, Lough Neagh, off Maghery, Co Armagh
Questions

Before you go

Do I need experience?
Confident, experienced swimmers only — not for beginners or families
How much does it cost?
No charge for the site; check current boat prices with Kinnego Marina / Maghery
Do I need to book?
Free self-access; reached by boat across from Maghery Country Park (weekend boats from Maghery / Kinnego Marina)
What are the conditions like?
Cold peaty water year-round (wetsuit needed); exposed lough with eddies/currents off the far side; no lifeguard; recurring toxic blue-green algae blooms — check DAERA/NI Water alerts
What kit do I need?
Bring your own — no hire on site; wetsuit recommended
Getting there

Coney Island (Lough Neagh) Snorkel is at Coney Island, Lough Neagh, off Maghery, Co Armagh. Maghery Country Park. Tap below for directions.

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Nearby

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The story

About it

Coney Island lies about 1km off Maghery at the south-west corner of Lough Neagh, the largest lake in the UK and Ireland. The sheltered bay out to the island is a known spot for confident open-water swimmers, with shallows marked by buoys before the lough drops away deep, while the far side is exposed to the open water's eddies and currents.

Since 2023, Lough Neagh has suffered severe toxic blue-green algae blooms each summer, fuelled by nutrient pollution and warm weather, with DAERA bathing warnings posted around the shoreline. The Food Standards Agency has confirmed commercially harvested fish remain safe to eat, but direct water contact during a bloom can be harmful, so the algae situation should always be checked before any swim or snorkel here.