A TOTAL OF 95 Blue Flags have been awarded to beaches and marinas around Ireland this year.

They’re classed as having excellent water quality and for maintaining other standards, including safety standards.

The Blue Flag is an international award which is operated in Ireland by An Taisce.

When the first awards were presented in 1988 only 21 flags were awarded.

You can view a map of the 2026 awardees here.

Clare

Nine beaches and marina in Co Clare were awarded Blue Flags.

1. Ballycuggeran
2. Cappagh Pier
3. Fanore
4. Kilkee
5. Mountshannon, Lough Derg
6. Spanish Point
7. White Strand Doonbeg
8. White Strand Miltown Malbay
9. Portmagee Marina

Cork

Ten beaches and marinas in Co Cork were awarded Blue Flags.

1. Barley Cove
2. Garretstown
3. Garrylucas, White Strand
4. Inchydoney East Beach
5. Inchydoney West Beach
6. Owenahincha, Little Island Strand
7. Redbarn Beach
8. Tragumna
9. Youghal Front Strand
10. Kinsale yacht club

Donegal

Eleven beaches and marinas in Co Donegal were awarded Blue Flags.

1. Bundoran
2. Carrickfinn
3. Culdaff
4. Downings
5. Fintra
6. Killahoey
7. Marble Hill
8. Murvagh
9. Narin
10. Rossnowlagh
11. Rathmullan marina

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown

Two swim spots in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown council area in Co Dublin were awarded Blue Flags.

1. Killiney
2. Seapoint

Fingal

Two swim spots in the Fingal council area in Co Dublin were awarded Blue Flags.

1. Donabate, Balcarrick Beach
2. Velvet Strand, Portmarnock

Galway

Ten beaches and marinas in Co Galway were awarded Blue Flags.

1. Salthill Beach
2. Silverstrand Beach
3. An Trá Mór, Coill Rua, Indreabhá¡n
4. Bathing Place at Portumna
5. Céibh an Spidéal
6. Cill Mhuirbhigh, Inis Mór
7. Loughrea Lake
8. Trá an Doilin, An Ceathrá Rua
9. Trá Inis Oírr
10. Traught Kinvara

Kerry

Fourteen beaches and marinas in Co Kerry were awarded Blue Flags.

1. Baile an Sceilg (Ballinskelligs)
2. Ballybunion North
3. Ballybunion South
4. Ballyheigue
5. Banna Strand
6. Doire Fíonáin (Derrynane)
7. Fenit
8. Fionntrá (Ventry)
9. Inch
10. Kells
11. Maherabeg
12. Rossbeigh
13. White Strand, Caherciveen
14. Fenit marina

Louth

Three beaches and marinas in Co Louth were awarded Blue Flags.

1. Clogherhead
2. Port, Lurganboy
3. Templetown – Shellig Hill

Mayo

Eleven beaches and marinas in Co Mayo were awarded Blue Flags.

1. Bertra Beach, Murrisk
2. Island, Louisburgh
3. Dooega Beach, Achill Island
4. Dugort Beach, Achill Island
5. Elly Bay, Belmullet
6. Keel Beach, Achill Island
7. Keem Beach, Achill Island
8. Mullaghroe Beach, Belmullet
9. Mulranny Beach
10. Old Head
11. Ross Beach, Killala

Sligo

Two beaches in Co Sligo were awarded Blue Flags.

1. Enniscrone
2. Rosses Point Beach

Waterford

Three beaches in Co Waterford were awarded Blue Flags.

1. Bunmahon
2. Clonea Beach
3. Tramore Beach

Wexford

Eight beaches and marinas in Co Wexford were awarded Blue Flags.

1. Ballinesker Beach
2. Carne
3. Curracloe
4. Duncannon
5. Morriscastle Beach
6. Rosslare Strand
7. Kilmore Quay Marina
8. New Ross Marina

Wicklow

Three beaches in Co Wicklow were awarded Blue Flags.

1. Brittas Bay North Beach
2. Brittas Bay South Beach
3. Greystones South Beach

Co Westmeath & Co Meath

Killinure Point, Co Westmeath, an in-land swimming spot, has been awarded a Blue Flag. 

Bettystown Beach, Co Meath in the neighbouring county has also received a Blue Flag this year.

Six beaches that were awarded the Blue Flag in 2025 have not been awarded in 2026.

These are Lahinch, in Clare, Fountainstown, in Cork, Portsalon in Donegal, Ardmore Beach and Counsellors’ Strand, Dunmore East in Waterford, and Ballymoney, North Beach in Wexford.

None of these beaches met the water quality standard required to be awarded a Blue Flag for the coming bathing season.

All of these beaches attained a water quality classification of ‘Good’, the second-highest classification possible.

One marina awarded in 2025, Greencastle Marina, was not awarded in 2026, as there was no application made.