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22nd May 2017

A full list of the 88 beaches and marinas in Ireland to receive a blue flag award for 2017

Conor Heneghan

blue flag beaches

A record number of Irish beaches and marinas were awarded blue flags in 2017.

Kerry has the highest number of beaches and marinas with blue flags in Ireland, with 13 beaches and one marina having been awarded with blue flags at the 2017 edition of the annual Blue Flag and Green Coast Awards in Cork on Monday.

149 awards were presented to 144 sites (88 Blue Flags and 61 Green Coast Awards), eight up on last year’s number, with five sites receiving both the Blue Flag and Green Coast Award.

The five beaches to achieve dual status are Portmarnock in Fingal, Salthill and Silver Strand in Galway, Rosses Point in Sligo and Ballinskelligs in Kerry.

All of those beaches have fulfilled all Blue Flag criteria relating to water quality, facilities for visitors, beach management, environmental education and the provision of information, whilst also fulfilling the Green Coast Award requirement of community involvement in the management of the site.

One of the world’s most recognised eco-labels, all of the 81 Irish beaches and seven marinas that have achieved the accolade adhere to specific criteria related to water quality, information provision, environmental education, safety and site management.

Three of the beaches awarded a blue flag in 2016 – Lisfannon in Donegal, Killiney in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown and Balcarrick, Donabate in Fingal – did not retain the blue flag status this year as a result of the annual bathing water classification being downgraded from ‘excellent’ to ‘good’ based on samples taken over the previous four bathing seasons:

Three beaches that lost blue flag status in 2016, meanwhile – Redbarn and Garretstown in Cork and Ross in County Mayo – regained the status this year.

Portumna in Galway and Greencastle Marina achieved blue flag status for the first time in 2017, while Bray South Promenade has regained blue flag status for the first time since the year 2000.

You can check out the list of blue flag beaches and marinas below.

Blue flag beaches and marinas in Ireland 2017

Clare

Ballycuggeran (Killaloe)

Cappa pier

Fanore

Kilkee

Lahinch

Mountshannon

Spanish Point

White Strand Doonbeg

White Strand Miltown Malbay

Cork      

Redbarn Beach

Barleycove

Garrylucas

Inchydoney

Owenahincha

Tragumna

Garretstown

Kinsale Yacht Club

Royal Cork Yacht club

Donegal

Downings

Rossnowlagh

Greencastle Marina

Bundoran

Carrickfinn

Culdaff

Fintra

Killahoey

Magherawarden (Portsalon)

Marblehill

Murvagh

Portnoo/Naran

Shroove

Dun Laoghaire

Seapoint

Fingal   

Portmarnock/Velvet Strand

Galway

An Trá Mhór (Inverin)

Cill Mhuirbhigh (Aran)

Loughrea Lake

Salthill

Silverstrand

Trá an Dóilin

Traught

Portumna

Kerry    

Inch

Ballybunion North

Ballybunion South

Ballyheigue

Banna

Fenit

Kells

Magherabeg

Rossbeigh

Ventry

White Strand Caherciveen

Fenit Marina

Ballinskelligs

Derrynane

Louth

Port/Lurganboy

Shellinghill/Templetown

Clogherhead

Mayo

Bertra

Carrowmore

Clare Island

Dooega

Elly Bay

Golden Strand

Keel

Keem

Mullaghroe

Mulranny

Silverstrand Dugort

Ross Killala

Westmeath     

Killinure Point

Sligo      

Rosses Point

Waterford

Clonea

Councillors Strand Dunmore East

Dunmore Strand

Tramore

Wexford     

Ballinesker Beach

Courtown

Curracloe

Morriscastle

Rosslare

Ballymoney North Beach

Kilmore Quay Marina

New Ross Marina

Wicklow

Brittas Bay North Beach

Brittas Bay South Beach

Greystones

Bray South Promenade

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