Ninety-four beaches and 16 marinas in Ireland have been awarded Blue Flag status for 2024.
Bettystown Beach in Co Meath received a Blue Flag after 28 years, thanks to efforts by the Bettystown Tidy Towns Group, schools, Youth Reach, and Meath County Council.
Enniscrone beach in Co Sligo earned Blue Flag status for the first time since 2014 and and Traught Beach in Kinvara, Co Galway for the first time ever.
Three beaches – Rush South Beach, Ballymoney North Beach, and Tramore Beach – lost their Blue Flag status due to receiving a “Good” water quality classification.
The Blue Flag Programme is managed by An Taisce in Ireland and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful in the six counties and requires “Excellent” water quality for awards; 70 beaches were awarded Green Coast Awards, with five new additions for 2024.
Both Blue Flag and Green Coast Awards were given to Bettystown in Co Meath, Enniscrone in Co Sligo, Fountainstown and Inchydoney East Beach in Co Cork Balcarrick, Donabate in Fingal Salthill and Silverstrand Beaches in Galway City Trá Inis Oirr (Main Beach) in Co. Galway Baile an Sceilg, in Co. Kerry Rosses Point Beach in Sligo; awards were presented by Hildegarde Naughton at the Galway Bay Hotel.
Blue Flag Beach Award winners 2024:
- Antrim Portrush East Strand Beach
- Antrim Portrush West Strand Beach
- Antrim Whiterocks Beach
- Clare Ballycuggeran
- Clare Fanore
- Clare Kilkee
- Clare Lahinch
- Clare Mountshannon, Lough Derg
- Clare Spanish Point
- Clare White Strand Doonbeg
- Clare White Strand Miltown Malbay
- Cork Barley Cove
- Cork Fountainstown
- Cork Garretstown
- Cork Garrylucas, White Strand
- Cork Inchydoney East Beach
- Cork Inchydoney West Beach
- Cork Owenahincha, Little Island Strand
- Cork Redbarn
- Cork Tragumna
- Cork Youghal, Claycastle
- Cork Youghal, Front Strand
- Derry Benone Beach
- Derry Castlerock Beach
- Derry Downhill Strand
- Donegal Bundoran
- Donegal Carrickfinn
- Donegal Culdaff
- Donegal Downings
- Donegal Fintra
- Donegal Killahoey
- Donegal Marble Hill
- Donegal Murvagh
- Donegal Naran
- Donegal Portsalon
- Donegal Rossnowlagh
- Donegal Stroove
- Down Cranfield Bay
- Down Murlough Beach
- Down Tyrella Beach
- Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Killiney
- Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Seapoint
- Fingal Balcarrick, Donabate
- Fingal Portmarnock, Velvet Strand Beach
- Galway An Trá Mór, Coill Rua, Indreabhán
- Galway Bathing Place at Portumna
- Galway Cill Mhuirbhigh, Inis Mór
- Galway Loughrea Lake
- Galway Salthill Beach
- Galway Silverstrand Beach
- Galway Trá an Dóilín, An Ceathrú Rua
- Galway Trá Inis Oírr (Main Beach)
- Galway Traught Kinvara
- Kerry Baile an Sceilg (Ballinskelligs)
- Kerry Ballybunion North Beach
- Kerry Ballybunion South Beach
- Kerry Ballyheigue
- Kerry Banna Strand
- Kerry Doire Fhíonáin (Derrynane)
- Kerry Fenit
- Kerry Fionntrá (Ventry)
- Kerry Inch
- Kerry Kells
- Kerry Maharabeg
- Kerry Rossbeigh, White Strand
- Kerry White Strand, Caherciveen
- Louth Clogherhead
- Louth Port, Lurganboy
- Louth Shelling Hill, Templetown
- Mayo Bertra
- Mayo Clare Island, Louisburgh
- Mayo Dooega Beach, Achill Island
- Mayo Dugort Beach, Achill Island
- Mayo Elly Bay, Belmullet
- Mayo Golden Strand, Achill Island
- Mayo Keel Beach, Achill Island
- Mayo Keem Beach, Achill Island
- Mayo Mullaghroe Beach, Belmullet
- Mayo Mulranny Beach
- Mayo Old Head
- Mayo Ross Beach, Killala
- Meath Bettystown Beach
- Sligo Enniscrone
- Sligo Rosses Point Beach
- Waterford Ardmore Beach
- Waterford Clonea Beach
- Wexford Ballinesker
- Wexford Carne
- Wexford Curracloe
- Wexford Morriscastle
- Wexford Rosslare Strand
- Wicklow Brittas Bay North Beach
- Wicklow Brittas Bay South Beach
- Wicklow Greystones South Beach
Blue Flag Award Marina winners 2024:
- Antrim Ballycastle
- Antrim Belfast Harbour
- Antrim Portrush Harbour
- Antrim Rathlin
- Clare Kilrush
- Cork Kinsale Yacht Club
- Cork: Crosshaven Royal Cork Yacht club
- Derry Ballyronan
- Derry Coleraine
- Donegal Rathmullan
- Down Bangor
- Kerry Fenit
- Kerry Portmagee
- Westmeath Killinure Point
- Wexford Kilmore Quay
- Wexford New Ross
