DUSAC

Overview

Portroe is an inland site in an old quarry in Tipperary. It’s not too far from Dublin, usually has good clear water, and offers a range of depths going from 3m to 39m. It has opened as a dive centre, having been used unofficially by various clubs – including DUSAC – as a training site in the past. It has great facilities and offers fills.

Contacts

If planning to dive there, contact the dive centre to check on opening times and any documentation required.

Andrew Thomson brought a club group to Portroe (Oct 2011).

Harry C. Sheehan organised a day trip here in January 2024.

Boats

No need for these here!

Diving

The site is a disused quarry flooded by a freshwater spring. The area is fairly compact, and has different levels for training dives at varying depths. Interest is provided by an assortment of sunken things including an old boat, a van and a car, a bar, as well as the old quarry workings.

Visibility is generally good: the website reports 3m to 15m, and anecdotal reports from old DUSAC divers say it’s generally towards the higher end of the range. The water does get very cold in winter, though, with temperatures from Dec to Feb often around 4 degrees C. The temp was 5.5C and vis was approx 10m in Jan 2024.

Costs

Rates are available from the dive centre website. As of Jan 2024, dives were 25 euro per day. There’s an annual membership fee of 25 euro too, and fills are charged at 5 euro each.

Dive centre facilities

• Fills provided at 5 euro per fill (bottle bank on site).
• Free tea and coffee!
• Changing rooms
• Toilets

Site Map

Here’s a site map of the quarry with the depths and POIs of 2024.

Safety

The dive centre has a cover boat and O2.

(Details from from www.diveportroe.com)

Exit junction 26 on N7/M7. Follow signs for Tullamore on N52. Take first exit at roundabout sign for Portroe, R494. Left turn at crossroads after garage in Portroe village. Follow this road for 2k until T junction. Dive Centre is through gates opposite junction. Total distance from motorway 15k.