THIS YEAR’S BLUE Flags – for excellent water quality – have been announced.

81 beaches and 5 marinas have been awarded the flags – an increase in 6 since last year.

Five beaches that failed to come up to standard last year because of storm damage have regained their status, namely:

• Bertra and Mulranny in Mayo
• Rossbeigh in Kerry 
• Miltown Malbay and Spanish Point in Clare

Three beaches lost theirs, meanwhile, due to failure to comply with requirements:

• Brittas Bay North in Wicklow
• Enniscrone in Sligo
• Skerries in Fingal, north Dublin

Valerie O'Sullivan Pupils from Scoil MhicIl Naofa, Ballinskelligs, Co. Kerry, running along the beach with their Blue Flag. Valerie O'Sullivan

Here’s the full list of beaches…

LOUTH

Port, Templetown, Clogherhead – all retain flags.

FINGAL 

Balcarrick – Donabate, Portrane, Portmarnock – all retain flags. Skerries loses out.

DUN LAOGHAIRE-RATHDOWN

Killiney, Seapoint – retain flags

WICKLOW 

Brittas South, Greystones South – retain flags. Brittas North loses out

WEXFORD 

Blue Flags for Curracloe, Courtown, Morriscastle, Rosslare Strand, Ballinesker

WATERFORD 

Waterford retains flags for Clonea, Councellors Strand, Dunmore Strand, Tramore.

CORK

Garrylucas, Inchydoney, Owenahincha, Barleycove, Tragumna all retain flags. Redbarn and Garretstown regain theirs.

KERRY

Retaining their flags: Ballinskelligs, Ballybunion North, Ballybunion South, Ballyheigue, Banna, Derrynane, Fenit, Inch, Kells, Maherabeg, Ventry, White Strand

Regaining: Rossbeigh

CLARE

Retaining:  Ballycuggeran, Kilkee, Whitestrand Doonbeg, Mountshannon, Cappa, Fanore, Lahinch

Regaining: Spanish Point, Miltown Malbay

GALWAY COUNTY 

Traught, Cill Mhuirbhigh, Loughrea, Tra an Doilin, Tra Mhor Indreabhan – all retain flags

GALWAY CITY 

Salthill & Silverstrand keep their flags

MAYO 

Retained: Dooega, Carrowmore, Clare Island, Ross Killala, Golden Strand, Mullaghroe, Silverstrand – Dugort, Keel, Elly Bay and Keem

Regained: Bertra, Mulranny

PA WIRE Rosses Point in Sligo PA WIRE

SLIGO

Rosses Point retains flag. Enniscrone loses

DONEGAL 

Bundoran, Culdaff, Fintra, Downings, Killahoey, Marblehill, Lisfannon, Murvagh, Naran,Magherawarden, Shroove, Rossnowlagh, Carrickfinn – all retain flags

MARINAS

The following marinas retain flags: Killinure Marina in Westmeath, New Ross Marina and Kilmore Quay in Wexford, and The Royal Cork Yacht Club in Cork

Kinsale Yacht Club gets a Blue Flag for the first time

Green Coast

Separately, 58 beaches have been awarded a Green Coast award this year for their “clean environment, excellent water quality and natural beauty”.

Six beaches are being presented both awards: Portmarnock, Portrane and Donabate in Fingal, north Dublin; Salthill and Silver Strand in Galway, and Rosses Point in Sligo.

Read: Life’s a beach: Blue Flag status awarded to eight more than in 2010

Read: Swim ban at Killiney and White Rock beaches due to high levels of E. Coli 

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