Ireland isn't famous for sunshine, but Rosslare stacks the odds in your favour. This small resort town on the Wexford coast, just 15 minutes south of Wexford town, claims roughly 300 more hours of annual sunshine than most of Ireland — which helps explain why holidaymakers have been coming here for over a century.
The centrepiece is Rosslare Strand, a Blue Flag beach running along the Burrow Peninsula on the Irish Sea. It's a shallow, family-friendly bay backed by grassy dunes, with lifeguards in summer, a nearby playground, and a 4.6-star Google rating for cleanliness and swimming. There are no food stalls on the sand itself, but the town is close: gelato at Izmoo Gelateria, fish and chips at Sharky's, pizza at Kelly's Deli. Wexford County Council lists public toilets, a shower, and free beach wheelchairs, though the latter should be booked ahead. One practical tip from swimmers: the sandy stretch is flat and easy, but wear shoes over the rocky entrance.
Boating here is a modest affair compared to nearby Kilmore Quay — the harbour can't take large craft — but dinghy sailing is popular, with moorings along the bay and a slip and jetty at Rosslare Small Boat Harbor, the safest spot during swells. The catch is wind: Rosslare's low-lying coast offers little shelter, and January to April and October to December are the windiest stretches. Kayaking and windsurfing round out the summer watersports scene.
Golfers get unusually good value for a town this size. Rosslare Golf Club, founded in 1905, has the championship-standard 18-hole Old Course — regularly rated among Ireland's best — plus The Burrow Links, a bunkerless 12-hole executive course ideal for beginners or a quick round. Across town, St. Helen's Bay Golf Club & Resort offers an 18-hole par-72 with views out to Tuskar Rock Lighthouse, a seaside sauna, and a Clubhouse restaurant that non-golfers can visit too.
If the weather turns, Kelly's Resort Hotel — a 4-star beachfront institution rated 4.7 on Google — covers you with its SeaSpa, Aqua Club, several restaurants and a schedule of seasonal activities. Off-season, the town's two marked Slí na Sláinte walking routes link ruins, churches and museums, and the windswept beach is arguably at its most atmospheric.
Getting there is simple. Rosslare Europort is one of Ireland's main ports, with ferries to and from Spain, France and the UK, and Dublin is about a 1-hour 45-minute drive south. For a low-key Irish seaside break that trades drama for sunshine, sand and a decent round of golf, Rosslare is an easy sell.
