One in Five of Ireland's Coastline at Very High Risk as UCC Launches Nation's First Coastal Exposure Map
Researchers at University College Cork have published Ireland's first national interactive coastal exposure index, revealing that one-fifth of the country's 8,575-kilometre coastline is classified as being at very high risk from flooding, erosion, and sea-level rise — with more than 20,000 people in Dublin and nearly 10,000 in Galway City living within 500 metres of the most vulnerable zones, and 1,797 cultural heritage sites including ancient raths, forts, and burial grounds facing potential destruction within the coming decades.
Background
Ireland's relationship with its coastline is one of the defining features of the national character. The sea has shaped Irish history, culture, and economy for millennia — from the fishing communities of the west coast to the port cities of Dublin, Cork, and Waterford that drove the country's commercial development. But that relationship is now being fundamentally altered by climate change, and the consequences for communities, infrastructure, and heritage are only beginning to be understood.
Sea levels around Ireland are rising at a rate consistent with global projections, and the frequency and intensity of storm events is increasing. Coastal erosion, which has always been a feature of Ireland's dynamic shoreline, is accelerating in many areas, while the risk of coastal flooding — already a significant concern in low-lying areas — is expected to grow substantially over the coming decades. Despite this, Ireland has lacked a comprehensive, publicly accessible tool for assessing coastal exposure at a national level — a gap that the UCC research published on Tuesday is designed to fill.
The DETECT project — Digital Environmental Technology for Enhanced Coastal Zone Management — was developed by researchers at UCC's School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, using three decades of wind and wave data, sea-level rise projections, and information on coastal topography and natural habitats. The resulting interactive map assesses approximately 8,575 kilometres of coastline at 250-metre intervals, colour-coding each segment on a five-level scale from green (very low exposure) to red (very high exposure).
Key Developments
The headline finding of the UCC research is that 60% of Ireland's coastline is ranked as having moderate, high, or very high exposure to coastal hazards. One-fifth of the coastline — approximately 1,715 kilometres — is classified as very high exposure. The geographic distribution of this risk is not uniform: while County Mayo holds the greatest total length of very high exposure coastline, the eastern counties of Dublin, Wicklow, Wexford, Louth, and Meath contain 44% of the coastal population living within 500 metres of high-risk areas, despite representing only 8% of the total high-exposure coastline.
The population exposure figures are particularly striking. More than 20,000 people in Dublin and 9,971 people in Galway City reside within 500 metres of very high exposure zones. While Cork's coastline generally shows lower exposure due to its rocky, elevated nature, low-lying areas including Cobh, Youghal, and Castletownbere remain vulnerable. The research also identified 8,871 cultural heritage sites within 500 metres of the coast, of which 1,797 — one in five — are located in very high exposure zones, with significant concentrations on the west coast.
The researchers emphasise that natural coastal features — sand dunes, salt marshes, seagrass, and machair — provide vital protection for 38% of the coastline, and that protecting and restoring these habitats is a cost-effective complement to engineered defences such as sea walls. Dublin's Bull Island is cited as a prime example of a natural buffer that mitigates wave energy for communities on the north side of Dublin Bay.
Why It Matters
The publication of Ireland's first national coastal exposure index is a significant moment for climate adaptation planning in this country. For the first time, local authorities, planners, homeowners, and communities have access to a publicly available, scientifically rigorous tool that allows them to assess the specific risks facing their stretch of coastline. This matters enormously for planning decisions — both in terms of where new development should and should not be permitted, and in terms of where investment in coastal protection is most urgently needed. The heritage dimension of the research is also significant. Ireland's coastal heritage — the ring forts, promontory forts, early Christian sites, and prehistoric monuments that dot the western seaboard — is irreplaceable. Once lost to erosion or flooding, these sites cannot be recovered. The identification of 1,797 heritage sites in very high exposure zones should be a catalyst for urgent action by the Office of Public Works, the National Monuments Service, and local authorities to assess and, where possible, protect the most vulnerable sites.
Local Impact
The practical implications of the research will be felt most immediately in the communities identified as being at highest risk. In Dublin, areas including Clontarf, Sandymount, and Ringsend — all of which lie in low-lying coastal zones — will be of particular concern. In Galway, the communities of Salthill and the Claddagh face significant exposure. Along the west coast, communities in counties Clare, Mayo, Sligo, and Donegal will need to engage with the findings as part of their local development planning processes. The Office of Public Works, which is responsible for flood risk management in Ireland, has indicated that it will incorporate the UCC data into its ongoing National Coastal Erosion Hazard Mapping programme, which is expected to produce detailed predictive mapping for future time periods including 2050, 2080, and 2130.
What's Next
The interactive coastal exposure map is now publicly available through the UCC DETECT project website, allowing anyone to explore the exposure levels for specific sections of the Irish coastline. The research team has indicated that the map will be updated as new data becomes available, including updated sea-level rise projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has indicated that it will consider the findings in the context of the forthcoming review of the National Planning Framework, which is expected to place greater emphasis on climate adaptation and coastal risk management.
