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Preasráitis

Minister Murphy welcomes announcement of Blue Flag, Green Coast Awards

Mr Eoghan Murphy T.D., Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, today (20 May 2019) welcomes the announcement that a total of 150 Blue Flag and Green Coast awards were presented for beaches and marinas at 145 sites around the country with 5 sites receiving both the Blue Flag and Green Coast Award.

Blue Flags

Today, a total of 88 Blue Flags have been awarded, 80 to beaches and 8 to marinas. The Blue Flag is an international award for beach excellence and is operating in Ireland by An Taisce, with support from the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, since 1987. The award is presented to beaches and marinas which have excellent water quality and which achieve high standards across a wide range of other criteria including environmental education, management of the environment, safety and other services. The Minister stated that, "Blue Flags are a globally recognised symbol of excellent water quality, and I’m delighted that 88 beaches and marinas across Ireland are today receiving this award. As Minister, I am committed to working with a wide range of stakeholders to protect and improve the quality of our waters and I commend the great efforts made by Local Authorities, An Taisce, local coastal communities and other volunteers on the ground."

Green Coasts

62 Green Coast Awards were presented for 2019. The Green Coast Award is given to sites which have excellent water quality but which may be less developed and less populated than Blue Flag beaches. An important aspect of the Green Coast Awards is the involvement of Clean Coasts Volunteer Groups. There are now over 800 Coast care groups established throughout the island.

The Minister stated “the attainment of 62 Green Coast Awards, the highest number since the inception of the awards in 2003, is extremely welcome. It is a reflection of the outstanding efforts of citizen and community groups and the great work carried out by An Taisce and the Local Authorities. My Department will continue to provide support for these programmes, which assist volunteer groups and also influences positive behaviour in relation to our marine environment”.

Beach Information

Very useful and timely bathing water information is available to beach users on the linked websites – www.blueflagireland.org(link is external) and www.beaches.ie(link is external) – run by An Taisce and the Environmental Protection Agency respectively.

Blue Flag Beaches Awarded by Management Body 2019: 80 (-3)

Management Body Site Name Award Status 2018 Award Status 2019
1 Clare County Council Ballycuggeran (Killaloe) Awarded Retained
2 Clare County Council Cappa pier Awarded Retained
3 Clare County Council Fanore Awarded Retained
4 Clare County Council Kilkee Awarded Retained
5 Clare County Council Lahinch Awarded Retained
6 Clare County Council Mountshannon Awarded Retained
7 Clare County Council Spanish Point Awarded Retained
8 Clare County Council White Strand Doonbeg Awarded Retained
9 Clare County Council White Strand Miltown Malbay Awarded Retained
10 Cork County Council Barleycove Awarded Retained
11 Cork County Council Garretstown Awarded Retained
12 Cork County Council Garrylucas Awarded Retained
13 Cork County Council Inchydoney Awarded Retained
14 Cork County Council Owenahincha Awarded Retained
15 Cork County Council Redbarn Beach Awarded Retained
16 Cork County Council Tragumna Awarded Retained
17 Donegal County Council Carrickfinn Awarded Retained
18 Donegal County Council Culdaff Awarded Retained
19 Donegal County Council Downings Awarded Retained
20 Donegal County Council Fintra Awarded Retained
21 Donegal County Council Killahoey Awarded Retained
22 Donegal County Council Magherawarden (Portsalon) Awarded Retained
23 Donegal County Council Marblehill Awarded Retained
24 Donegal County Council Murvagh Awarded Retained
25 Donegal County Council Portnoo /Naran Awarded Retained
26 Donegal County Council Rossnowlagh Awarded Retained
27 Donegal County Council Stroove Awarded Retained
28 Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council Seapoint Awarded Retained
29 Fingal County Council Portmarnock/Velvet Strand Awarded Retained
30 Galway City Council Salthill Awarded Retained
31 Galway City Council Silverstrand Awarded Retained
32 Galway County Council An Trá Mhór (Inverin) Awarded Retained
33 Galway County Council Cill Mhuirbhigh (Aran) Awarded Retained
34 Galway County Council Loughrea Lake Awarded Retained
35 Galway County Council Portumna Awarded Retained
36 Galway County Council Trá an Dóilin (An Cheathrú Rua) Awarded Retained
37 Galway County Council Traught Awarded Retained
38 Kerry County Council Ballinskelligs Awarded Retained
39 Kerry County Council Ballybunion North Awarded Retained
40 Kerry County Council Ballybunion South Awarded Retained
41 Kerry County Council Ballyheigue Awarded Retained
42 Kerry County Council Banna Awarded Retained
43 Kerry County Council Derrynane Awarded Retained
44 Kerry County Council Fenit Awarded Retained
45 Kerry County Council Inch Awarded Retained
46 Kerry County Council Kells Awarded Retained
47 Kerry County Council Magherabeg Awarded Retained
48 Kerry County Council Rossbeigh Awarded Retained
49 Kerry County Council Ventry Awarded Retained
50 Kerry County Council White Strand Caherciveen Awarded Retained
51 Louth County Council Clogherhead Awarded Retained
52 Louth County Council Port/Lurganboy Awarded Retained
53 Louth County Council Shellinghill/Templetown Awarded Retained
54 Mayo County Council Carrowmore Awarded Retained
55 Mayo County Council Clare Island Awarded Retained
56 Mayo County Council Dooega Awarded Retained
57 Mayo County Council Elly Bay Awarded Retained
58 Mayo County Council Keel Awarded Retained
59 Mayo County Council Keem Awarded Retained
60 Mayo County Council Mullaghroe Awarded Retained
61 Mayo County Council Mulranny Awarded Retained
62 Mayo County Council Ross Killala Awarded Retained
63 Mayo County Council Silverstrand Dugort Awarded Retained
64 Sligo County Council Rosses Point Awarded Retained
65 Waterford City and County Council Ardmore Awarded Retained
66 Waterford City and County Council Clonea Awarded Retained
67 Waterford City and County Council Councillors Strand Dunmore East Awarded Retained
68 Waterford City and County Council Dunmore Strand Awarded Retained
69 Waterford City and County Council Tramore Awarded Retained
70 Wexford County Council Ballinesker Beach Awarded Retained
71 Wexford County Council Ballymoney North Beach Awarded Retained
72 Wexford County Council Carne Awarded Retained
73 Wexford County Council Courtown Awarded Retained
74 Wexford County Council Curracloe Awarded Retained
75 Wexford County Council Morriscastle Awarded Retained
76 Wexford County Council Rosslare Awarded Retained
77 Wicklow County Council Bray South Promenade Awarded Retained
78 Wicklow County Council Brittas Bay North Beach Awarded Retained
79 Wicklow County Council Brittas Bay South Beach Awarded Retained
80 Wicklow County Council Greystones Awarded Retained

Blue Flag Marinas Awarded by Management Body 2019: 8 (+1)

County Management Body Site Name Award Status 2018 Award Status 2019
1 Cork Kinsale Yacht Club Kinsale Yacht Club Awarded Retained
2 Cork Royal Cork Yacht club The Royal Cork Yacht Club Marina Awarded Retained
3 Donegal Donegal County Council Greencastle Marina Awarded Retained
4 Donegal Donegal County Council and Rathmullan Charters Rathmullan Marina Not Awarded Awarded for first time
5 Kerry Kerry County Council Fenit Marina Awarded Retained
6 Westmeath Quigley's Marina Quigley's Marina, Killinure Point Awarded Retained
7 Wexford Wexford County Council Kilmore Quay Marina Awarded Retained
8 Wexford Wexford County Council New Ross Marina Awarded Retained

Green Coast Awards by County 2019: 62 Beaches (+3)

County Local Authority Green Coast Award Site Clean Coasts Group(s) and community groups associated with the site
1 Clare Clare County Council Ballyallia Lake Ballyallia Clean Coasts Group
2 Clare Clare County Council Bishops Quarter Ballyvaughan Tidy Towns
3 Clare Clare County Council Seafield Quilty Clean coast
4 Cork Cork County Council Cadogan's Strand, Schull Tidy Town & Community association
5 Cork Cork County Council Ring Ballymacoda Ladysbridge Community Council
6 Cork Cork County Council Ardnahinch, Shanagarry Shanagarry Coastcare Group
7 Cork Cork County Council Inch Strand Aghada Residents Association
8 Cork Cork County Council Fountainstown Beach Fountainstown Community Association
9 Cork Cork County Council Rocky Bay Roberts cove & Rocky bay residents Association
10 Cork Cork County Council Oysterhaven Nohoval/Oysterhaven Residents Association
11 Cork Cork County Council Inchydoney East Inchydoney Residents Association
12 Cork Cork County Council Red Strand Ardfield Tidy Towns Group
13 Cork Cork County Council Ballyrisode Goleen Community Council
14 Cork Cork County Council Galley Cove Goleen Community Council
15 Cork Cork County Council Dooneen Pier Sheepshead Way Community Group
16 Cork Cork County Council Garnish Beach, Lehanmore Lehanemore Community Co-Op
17 Cork Cork County Council Sherkin Island, Silver Strand Beach Sherkin Island Community Group
18 Donegal Donegal County Council Magheroarty Beach Meas Larthuaisceart
19 Donegal Donegal County Council Drumnatinney Falcarragh Coast Care
20 Donegal Donegal County Council Dooey Beach Dooey Beach Clean Coast group
21 Donegal Donegal County Council Ballyheirnan Fanad Clean Coasts Group and Marine Harvest Ireland
22 Fingal Fingal County Council Burrow Beach, Sutton Sutton Dinghy Club
23 Fingal Fingal County Council Velvet Strand, Portmarnock Portmarnock Connunity Association Beach Committee
24 Galway City Galway City Council Silver Strand Galway Atlantaquaria and Eglington Residents Committee
25 Galway City Galway City Council Salthill Meanscoil Muire Newtownsmith,Galway Atlantaquaria, Grundy, NUIG-GMIT Sub Aqua Club
26 Galway Galway County Council Aillebrack/Silver Hill Aillebrack Clean Coasts Group
27 Galway Galway County Council East End Bay, Inisbofin Inishbofin Development Company
28 Galway Galway County Council Dumhach Beach Inishbofin Development Company
29 Galway Galway County Council Trá Poll na gCaorach, Inis Oirr Coiste na Trá c/o Comhar Caomhán Teoranta, Inis Oírr
30 Galway Galway County Council Trá Inis Oirr Coiste na Trá c/o Comhar Caomhán Teoranta
31 Galway Galway County Council Renvyle Beach (The Whitestrand) Renvyle Beach Group
32 Kerry Kerry County Council Waterville Town Beach An Coireán Coast Care Group
33 Kerry Kerry County Council Littor Littor Clean Coast Group
34 Kerry Kerry County Council Castlegregory Castlegregory Coast Care Group
35 Kerry Kerry County Council Béal Bán Scoil An Fheirtéaraigh
36 Kerry Kerry County Council Ballinskelligs Ballinskelligs Tidy Towns group
37 Louth Louth County Council Seapoint Beach, Termonfeckin Drogheda Lions Club
38 Mayo Mayo County Council Tranaun, Inishturk Coastal Friends of Inisturk
39 Mayo Mayo County Council Termon Beach Comharchumann Forbartha Ionad Deirbhile
40 Mayo Mayo County Council Srah Beach Claggan Island RSS
41 Mayo Mayo County Council Portacloy Beach Seirbhisí Curam Chill Chomáin
42 Mayo Mayo County Council Cross, Erris Peninsula (Belmullet) Meas Mara Lar Ros
43 Mayo Mayo County Council Carrowniskey Beach Keep Our Beaches Clean ; GMIT Mayo; Ascension Adventure Agents
44 Mayo Mayo County Council Rinroe Beach Seirbhisí Curam Chill Chomáin; Scoil Naisunta Cheathru Thaidhg and Kilcommon RSS
45 Sligo Sligo County Council Dunmoran Strand Skreen Dromard Coast Care Group
46 Sligo Sligo County Council Streedagh Beach North Sligo Playground Group
47 Sligo Sligo County Council Rosses Point Rosses Point Tidy Towns Committee and other Coast Care groups
48 Waterford Waterford City and County Council Annestown Annestown Community Group
49 Waterford Waterford City and County Council Ballyquin Ardmore Tidy Towns
50 Waterford Waterford City and County Council Curragh Ardmore Tidy Towns
51 Waterford Waterford City and County Council Goat Island Beach Ardmore Tidy Towns
52 Waterford Waterford City and County Council Guillamene Cove Newtown and Guilamene swim Club
53 Waterford Waterford City and County Council Newtown Cove, Tramore Newtown and Guilamene swim Club and Crawford Scaffolding
54 Wexford Wexford County Council Ballyhealy Kilmore School and Wexford Sub Aqua Club
55 Wexford Wexford County Council Booley Bay Hook Residents Coast Care Group
56 Wexford Wexford County Council Cahore Point Beach Ballygarrett Tidy Towns
57 Wexford Wexford County Council Cullenstown Strand Cullenstown Community Group
58 Wexford Wexford County Council Culleton's Gap Friends of the Raven Coast Care Group
59 Wexford Wexford County Council Grange Hook Residents Coast Care Group
60 Wexford Wexford County Council Old Bawn Beach Ballygarrett Tidy Towns
61 Wexford Wexford County Council St. Helen's Bay St. Helen's Bay Residents Group
62 Wicklow Wicklow County Council Arklow South Beach Arklow Coastcare