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Blue Flag and Green Coast Awards for County Clare

25 May 2021

The International Blue Flag and Green Coast Award recipients for 2021 were announced by the Education Unit of An Taisce today. The number (93) of Blue Flags awarded this season set a new record for the Republic of Ireland.

All nine Blue Flag beaches managed by Clare County Council retain Blue Flag Status for the 2021 bathing season. Kilrush Marina retains the Blue Flag status awarded last year. The four Clare beaches that received the Green Coast Award in 2021 have retained the award for the coming season.

Clare Blue Flag Beaches and Marinas 2021:

  • Ballycuggeran
  • Cappagh Pier
  • Fanore
  • Kilkee
  • Lahinch
  • Mountshannon, Lough Derg 
  • Spanish Point
  • White Strand Doonbeg
  • White Strand Miltown Malbay.

Clare Green Coast Award Beaches 2021: 

  • Seafield
  • Bishops Quarter
  • Ballyallia Lake
  • Carrigaholt Beach.

The Clean Coasts groups associated with the Green Coast Award sites are: Quilty Clean Coast (Seafield); Ballyvaughan Tidy Towns (Bishops Quarter); Ballyallia Bf Working Group (Ballyallia Lake); and Carrigaholt Tidy Towns (Carrigaholt Beach).

The Blue Flag and Green Coast Award sites for 2021 were announced by Ian Diamond, Coastal Awards Manager with An Taisce’s Environmental Education unit, this morning in a virtual awards ceremony attended by local authorities, marina operators and Clean Coasts groups who volunteer at the beaches receiving Green Coast Awards this year.

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, congratulated each of the communities who have won these most prized awards.

"Winning a Blue Flag or a Green Coast award is a collective effort with local authorities, An Taisce, local coastal communities and other volunteers on the ground all playing their part. My Department and indeed the wider Government is committed to supporting programmes such as the Blue Flag and Green Coast Award and to building on them to achieve positive changes in environmental behaviour countrywide," Minister O'Brien said.

The Blue Flag is one of the world’s most recognised eco-labels. The Blue Flag originated in France in 1985 when French coastal Local Authorities were awarded with the Blue Flag for compliance with sewage treatment and bathing water quality criteria. It was launched as an International programme as part of the "European Year of the Environment in 1987. In 1988, the first year sites were awarded outside of France 19 beaches and 2 marinas received the Blue Flag in Ireland. This year Ireland continues to punch above its weight with a record breaking 93 sites awarded, up 2 on last year’s total.

The Green Coast Awards were presented back in 2003 to four beaches in County Wexford, then the award was rolled out nationally in 2008 and has gone from strength to strength ever since. The award recognises beaches for their clean environment, excellent water quality and natural beauty. An important aspect of the Green Coast Awards is the involvement of Clean Coasts groups in the management of awarded sites.

There are 93 Blue Flags and 63 Green Coast Awards for 2021.

For more information on this year's awards, visit: https://beachawards.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/2021_Blue_Flag_and_Green_Coast_Award_Press_Release-min.pdf

Page last reviewed: 25/05/21

Content managed by: Rural and Community

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