Prestigious Blue Flag awards announced. Did your favourite beach make the cut?

This year’s Blue Flag beaches were announced earlier today at a ceremony held at The Armada Hotel overlooking Spanish point Blue Flag beach in Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare. The internationally recognised eco-label award signifies that beaches and marinas awarded the flag meet a high set of standards for water quality, safety, beach management, information and education.

Seapoint, Dublin Once again receives a Blue Flag award

The internationally recognised eco-label award signifies that beaches and marinas awarded the flag meet a high set of standards for water quality, safety, beach management, information and education.

The number of sites receiving the Blue Flag in 2019 is down two on last year’s total. All seven marinas that received the award last year have retained it for another year.

Rathmullan Marina in Donegal has achieved Blue Flag Status for the first time this year. 80 of the 83 beaches awarded in 2018 retained Blue Flag Status for this year.

Bundoran Beach in Co Donegal and Bertra Strand and Golden Strand in Co May lost their flags this year. They failed to meet the required “excellent” water quality standard.

Here’s the full list of beaches and marinas that was awarded a Blue Flag for 2019. Did your favourite beach make the cut?

Clare

-Ballycuggeran (Killaloe)
– Cappa pier
– Fanore
– Kilkee
– Lahinch
– Mountshannon
– Spanish Point
– White Strand Doonbeg
– White Strand Miltown Malbay

Cork

– Barleycove
– Garretstown
– Garrylucas
– Inchydoney
– Owenahincha
– Redbarn Beach
– Tragumna

Donegal

– Carrickfinn
– Culdaff
– Downings
– Fintra
– Killahoey
– Magherawarden (Portsalon)
– Marblehill
– Murvagh
– Portnoo /Naran
– Rossnowlagh
– Stroove

Dublin

– Seapoint
– Portmarnock/Velvet Strand

Galway

– Salthill
– Silverstrand
– An Trá Mhór (Inverin)
– Cill Mhuirbhigh (Aran)
– Loughrea Lake
– Portumna
– Trá an Dóilin (An Cheathrú Rua)
– Traught

Kerry

– Ballinskelligs
– Ballybunion North
– Ballybunion South
– Ballyheigue
– Banna
– Derrynane
– Fenit
– Inch
– Kells
– Magherabeg
– Rossbeigh
– Ventry
– White Strand Caherciveen

Louth

– Clogherhead
– Port/Lurganboy
– Shellinghill/Templetown

Mayo

– Carrowmore
– Clare Island
– Dooega
– Elly Bay
– Keel
– Keem
– Mullaghroe
– Mulranny
– Ross Killala
– Silverstrand Dugort

Sligo

– Rosses Point

Waterford

– Rosses Point
– Ardmore
– Clonea
– Councillors Strand Dunmore East
– Dunmore Strand
– Tramore

Wexford

– Ballinesker Beach
– Ballymoney North Beach
– Carne
– Courtown
– Curracloe
– Morriscastle
– Rosslare

Wicklow

– Bray South Promenade
– Brittas Bay North Beach
– Brittas Bay South Beach
– Greystones

The eight Marinas Awarded

– Kinsale Yacht Club, Co Cork
– The Royal Cork Yacht Club Marina, Co Cork
– Greencastle Marina, Co Donegal
– Rathmullan Marina, Co. Donegal
– Fenit Marina, Co Kerry
– Quigley’s Marina, Killinure Point, Co Westmeath
– Kilmore Quay Marina, Co. Wexford
– New Ross Marina, Co Wexford