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

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