Greer’s Quay is a good anchorage. However, like most locations in Carlingford Lough, it is exposed to south-easterly conditions. With a large open expanse up to Warrenpoint, Greer’s Quay is also open to the northwest and in either of these conditions, the adjacent Carlingford Marina or the Port of Warrenpoint may be a better option. The entire inlet is also subject to heavy squalls descending from the hills in northwest winds. The pier may be accessed via Warrenpoint Port’s illuminated deep water shipping channel which runs the entire length of the lough. Though there is little to concern in the area surrounding the pier, careful navigation is generally required for this location owing to exceptional currents in the lower lough and at the entrance.
Keyfacts for Greer’s Quay
Facilities
Nature
Considerations
Protected sectors
Approaches
Shelter
Last modified
January 7th 2021 Summary* Restrictions apply
A good location with careful navigation required for access.Facilities
Nature
Considerations
Position and approaches
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Haven position
54° 4.393' N, 006° 14.031' WThe pierhead at Greer’s Quay.
What is the initial fix?
The following Carlingford Lough Entrance Initial Fix will set up a final approach:
54° 0.100' N, 006° 2.052' W 
What are the key points of the approach?
Offshore details are available in eastern Ireland’s Coastal Overview for Strangford Lough to Dublin Bay 
.
.- Use the directions provided for Warrenpoint
for approaches and the run up the lough. - Plan the approach to be at slack water, preferably low water. Tides in the entrance attain rates of up to 5 kn making it virtually impossible for a displacement leisure craft to enter or leave against the tide.
- Carlingford Lough's entrance channel and the dredged channel to Warrenpoint are both narrow channels where sailing vessels of less than 20 metres in length cannot impede ships in transit.
- From the entrance follow the well buoyed and lit commercial channel up the length of the inlet.
- When Warrenpoint's entrance channel marker is drawing near break off for the pier and anchor out to the northeast of the pierhead.
Not what you need?
Click the 'Next' and 'Previous' buttons to progress through neighbouring havens in a coastal 'clockwise' or 'anti-clockwise' sequence. Below are the ten nearest havens to Greer’s Quay for your convenience.
Ten nearest havens by straight line charted distance and bearing:
- Omeath - 1.2 nautical miles NNW
- Rostrevor - 1.4 nautical miles NE
- Warrenpoint - 1.5 nautical miles NNW
- Killowen - 1.6 nautical miles E
- Carlingford Marina - 2 nautical miles SE
- Carlingford Harbour - 2.6 nautical miles SE
- Greencastle - 5.1 nautical miles ESE
- Giles Quay - 5.3 nautical miles S
- Dundalk - 6.7 nautical miles SW
- Newry - 6.8 nautical miles NNW
These havens are ordered by straight line charted distance and bearing, and can be reordered by compass direction or coastal sequence:
- Omeath - 1.2 miles NNW
- Rostrevor - 1.4 miles NE
- Warrenpoint - 1.5 miles NNW
- Killowen - 1.6 miles E
- Carlingford Marina - 2 miles SE
- Carlingford Harbour - 2.6 miles SE
- Greencastle - 5.1 miles ESE
- Giles Quay - 5.3 miles S
- Dundalk - 6.7 miles SW
- Newry - 6.8 miles NNW
Chart
What's the story here?
Greer's Quay at high waterImage: Eric Jones via CC BY-SA 2.0
Greer’s Quay is an isolated pier located near the head of Carlingford Lough inlet on the south-western shore. The pier dries out completely at low water but depths are good on approach and water can always be found for landing at the head of the pier.
How to get in?
Greer's Quay on the southern shore of Carlingford Lough
Use the directions provided for Warrenpoint for approaches and the run up the lough. When the No. 25 Starboard Light buoy, marking the dredged channel to Warrenpoint, is drawing near it is possible to turn off to port and cut directly to the anchoring area off the pier. 
The quay dries but there is always water available for a landing at the its headImage: Eric Jones via CC BY-SA 2.0
Anchor according to draft off the pierhead in mud. Expect 2 metres LWS to be available about 200 metres northeast of the pierhead. The pier dries out but 1.5 metres is always available at the very end of the pierhead. Therefore it is possible to comfortably land here at all stages of the tide. The inner area of the pier dries but has 4 metres at high water making it useful for vessels that can take to the hard.
Why visit here?
Greer's Quay is named after the local landowner Robert Walker Greer who resided in Ballyoonan House. He commissioned the construction of the quay in the 1840s to help develop Carlingford Lough’s fishing industry.
The 19th Century wall evident on its seaward sideImage: Eric Jones via CC BY-SA 2.0
Soon after 'A picturesque handbook to Carlingford Bay and the watering places within its vicinity'- circa 1840, noted "A little farther on, below the Ryland Water, is a small pier, erected within the last five years, at the joint expense of the Government and of the Marquis of Anglesey. It is in a little cove, and affords shelter lo the fishing smacks, which seek its friendly protection from the wintry storms". Little has changed since and the quay remains in good condition. Ballyoonan House was later bought by the Rosminians and became St. Michael’s College. Now it is the Tain Holiday village water sports location situated on 14 acres on the shores of Carlingford Lough.
Nestled in the picturesque setting of Carlingford Lough at the foot of the Cooley Peninsula Greer’s Quay is an isolated quay supporting a fishing vessel and several small angling boats. Apart from that, it is a good location to strike off for a walk through the open countryside. The small village of Omeath is a two miles stroll. From a boating perspective, it offers another anchoring location from which to enjoy the Cooley Peninsula and the Lough itself.
What facilities are available?
There are no facilities at Greer’s Quay except for a high water launching slip, and there are reportedly local moorings in the area. At Omeath, a distance of approximately two miles, there is a very small village that has a restaurant, pub, basic provisions, gas, and a petrol station.Any security concerns?
Never an issue known to have occurred at Greer’s Quay.With thanks to:
Brian McJury, Warrenpoint Harbour Master.
Aerial views od the northwest end of the Lough
Northern Ireland tourist board overview of Carlingford Lough
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