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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