21/05/2023
𝐀𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐱 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐠 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑.
𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘣𝘭𝘶𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘧𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘶𝘱𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘭𝘶𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴.
Achill Island and Mulranny have held onto their prestigious Blue Flag status for six of their beaches in 2023. These much-loved beaches are Keem, Keel, Dugort, Golden Strand, Dooega and Mulranny.
This accolade comes as part of a wider national achievement, with a record number of Irish beaches and marinas receiving either the coveted Blue Flag or Green Coast Awards from An Taisce in 2023. This marks an increase from the previous year.
The Blue Flag is a prestigious international award, serving as a recognised symbol of excellent water quality, high environmental standards, and exceptional safety measures. It is an honour keenly sought after by communities around the world.
Three new sites in Co Mayo joined the list of Blue Flag awardees in 2023 – Bertra, Clare Island, and Old Head. Meanwhile, four beaches lost their Blue Flag status, highlighting the stringent measures in place to maintain these standards.
Despite these milestones, two sites, Waterville in Co Kerry and Portacloy in Co Mayo, failed to achieve the "excellent" water quality status required to retain the Green Coast Award, illustrating the rigorous requirements and standards upheld by these programs.
Cathy Baxter, the director of An Taisce’s environmental education unit, praised the remarkable effort taken by local communities and agencies. "The number of awards is a tribute to the immense dedication and effort to manage a beach or marina to meet the rigorous standards set by these prestigious award programmes,” Baxter said.
In the awards ceremony held at Donabate beach in north Dublin, the Minister for Housing, Darragh O’Brien, celebrated the importance of the Blue Flag as an internationally recognised symbol of high standards. “Today’s high number of awards is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the local authorities, An Taisce, local coastal communities and other volunteers around the country,” he said.
As we look forward to the 2023 bathing season, locals and visitors alike can enjoy these beaches, confident in their excellent water quality, safety, and high environmental standards.
