THE NUMBER of beaches awarded the internationally recognised Blue Flag for cleanliness, facilities and water purity has increased by eight, to a total of 84 in the 2011 awards announced yesterday.
Among those who regained the Blue Flag were Brittas Bay South in Co Wicklow; Traught in Kinvara Co Clare; Ceibh An Spidéal in Galway, Ross in Killala and Old Head in Co Mayo, all of which lost their flags in 2010.
Notable losses this year included Dublin’s Dollymount Beach because it did not meet water quality standards and Mullaghmore in Co Sligo which had issues with cattle roaming on the beach. The number of Blue Flags awarded – 84 – matched a previous record set in 2006.
Mayo and Kerry scored highest with 13 flags, followed by Donegal with 12 flags. Cork received 11 flags, Galway and Clare eight and Sligo just two. The west coast fared better in general than the east where Louth and Wicklow were awarded three flags. Wexford received four, and Waterford three.
Meath failed to get any Blue Flags and Dublin received two flags for beaches at Portrane and the Velvet Strand in Portmarnock.
A parallel awards system in Northern Ireland saw seven Blue Flags awarded, including one for Ballyronan Marina in Co Derry. Three each went to Derry and Antrim while Down received one.
The Blue Flag awards were accompanied by national Green Coast awards, which were made to 12 beaches that have a clean environment, excellent water quality and natural beauty but lack infrastructure such as toilets, required for the Blue Flag awards.
Wexford was the only county to secure a Blue Flag award for a coastal marina, which was presented to Kilmore Quay Marina. A Blue Flag was also presented to Killinure Marina, an inland waterway marina on Lough Rea, at Killinure in Co Westmeath.
Trá Leadbh Garbh in Donegal lost its Green Coast award in 2011 due to failure to comply with water quality requirements. However Cullenstown and Ballymoney in Wexford regained their Green Coast awards having lost them in 2010. Skerries South, Rush, The Brook, Balcarrick and Malahide, all in Fingal, Dublin received Green Coast awards.
Both sets of awards were presented by Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan at a ceremony on Curracloe Beach in Co Wexford yesterday. Mr Hogan paid tribute to all who maintain beaches as well as “those in the wider catchment who are playing their part to improve water quality”.
Mr Hogan said the Blue Flag has become a highly respected, internationally recognised eco-label of huge significance to the tourism sector.
Speaking for An Taisce, which administers the scheme, Charles Stanley-Smith said education was a key factor in all environmental award schemes and University College Cork had become the first university in the world to be awarded the Green Flag. He attributed this to a generation that had passed through schools since the introduction of the Green Flag initiative, which promotes action for the environment in national schools.