The 2025 Blue Flag and Green Coast Awards have been announced, showcasing Ireland's best marinas and beaches. A total of 99 Blue Flags were awarded, alongside 70 Green Coast Awards.
At the ceremony held in Curracloe, County Wexford, Mr. James Browne TD, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, presented the awards. “I am honoured to present a record number of awards today,” he stated.
Kinsale Yacht Club's Blue Flag Marina Photo: Bob Bateman
This year marks the highest number of accolades since the programme began. “Great credit must go to local authorities and volunteers who maintain our coastal areas,” Minister Browne added.
Among the ten marinas receiving Blue Flags are Kinsale Yacht Club and The Royal Cork Yacht Club. Cork County leads with 27 combined awards.
The Blue Flag programme, launched in France in 1985, aims to promote environmental management. The criteria focus on water quality, safety, and education.
Kerry County boasts the most Blue Flags, with 15 awarded this year, including 14 managed by Kerry County Council.
The achievements reflect the ongoing commitment to preserving Ireland’s marine environment.
Royal Cork Yacht Club's Blue Flag Marina Photo: Bob Bateman
SUMMARY OF AWARDS
- 169 awards presented today, an increase of 5 on last year’s number. 149 beaches are receiving awards, along with 10 marinas.
- 10 beaches will be presented with both the Blue Flag & Green Coast Award achieving dual award status. These are Balcarrick, Donabate in Fingal; Salthill and Silver Strand in Galway City, An Trá Inis Oirr in Galway County; Fountainstown and Inchydoney Beach East in Cork; Baile an Sceilg (Ballinskelligs) in Kerry; Bettystown in Meath and Enniscrone and Rosses Point in Sligo.
- Cork is the county with most Green Coast Awards in 2025, with 14 and has also the highest combined number of award flags with 27, including the Blue Flags awarded to Kinsale Yacht Club and The Royal Cork Yacht Club and 11 Blue Flags awarded to beaches managed by Cork County Council.
Blue Flag
The Blue Flag is one of the world’s most recognised environmental awards. Originating in France in 1985 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. 2025 is the 38th year that beaches and marinas have been awarded here in Ireland, with 99 beaches and marinas being awarded for the 2025 season (89 beaches, 10 marinas).
The programme aims to raise environmental awareness and promote sound environmental management of beaches, marinas and eco-tourism boats around the world. The 89 Irish beaches and 10 marinas that have achieved this accolade must adhere to specific criteria related to water quality, information provision, environmental education, safety and site management for the duration of the bathing season.
Blue Flag 2025, in numbers
- A record number of Blue Flags are being awarded today in the Republic of Ireland, 89 to beaches and 10 to marinas.
- The 89 beaches are a record number to receive Blue Flags in Ireland 4 higher than the previous record of 85.
- The 89 beaches awarded Blue Flags represent 60% of the Ireland’s Identified Bathing Waters at the time of the Blue Flag application deadline (3 additional beaches have been identified as Bathing Waters ahead of the 2025 season). This is the second highest percentage of Identified Bathing Waters to receive a Blue Flag to date. In 2006, 80 beaches were awarded, this represented 62% of Bathing Waters identified at the time.
- Céibh an Spidéal in County Galway has been awarded a Blue Flag for the first time since 2012.
- Keel Beach on Achill Island in County Mayo has been awarded a Blue Flag for the 37th consecutive year, every year season since 1989, the beach has retained Blue Flag status each season since it was first awarded.
- 3 Other beaches have been awarded a Blue Flag in 37 non-consecutive seasons these are: Clonea in Waterford and Banna and Ballyheigue, both in County Kerry.
- Kerry is the county with most Blue Flags in 2025 with 15, 14 of these are managed by Kerry County Council and 1, Portmagee Seasonal Pontoons is managed by Kilrush Maritime Ltd.
- The Local Authorities with most Blue Flag awarded sites are Kerry County Council and Donegal County Council, both have been awarded 14 Blue Flags in 2025.
An Taisce – The National Trust for Ireland is responsible for the operation of the Blue Flag programme in Ireland on behalf of the Foundation of Environmental Education (FEE). Over 50 Countries operate the Blue Flag programme globally and more than 5.000 beaches, marinas and tourism boats will be awarded the Blue Flag this year. The Blue Flag programme in Ireland is supported by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
Green Coast Award: A record-equaling 70 Beaches receive the Green Coast Award for the 2025 Bathing Season
The Green Coast Award recognises beaches for their clean environment, excellent water quality and natural beauty. Green Coast Award sites are exceptional places to visit and enjoy our rich coastal heritage and diversity.
An important aspect of the Green Coast Awards is the involvement of voluntary Clean Coasts groups, who participate in community clean-ups and help manage the applicant beaches in cooperation with Local Authorities. The main purpose of the Green Coast Award programme is to foster partnerships within communities in an effort to protect and enhance local coastal environs, and to celebrate the efforts of those communities.
The first Green Coast Awards were presented to four beaches in Wexford in 2003. The award was rolled out nationally in 2008 and has gone from strength to strength ever since. The 2025 season sees a record equaling 70 beaches being awarded the Green Coast Award (the same number were awarded in 2024).
In the Republic of Ireland the Green Coast Award is operated by An Taisce with the support of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Fáilte Ireland.
Green Coast Award in numbers
- 70 beaches are being presented with The Green Coast Award today, matching the record-setting total awarded in 2024.
- 10 beaches will be presented with both the Blue Flag & Green Coast Award achieving dual award status. These are Balcarrick, Donabate in Fingal; Salthill and Silver Strand in Galway City, An Trá Inis Oirr in Galway County; Fountainstown and Inchydoney Beach East in Cork; Baile an Sceilg (Ballinskelligs) in Kerry; Bettystown in Meath and Enniscrone and Rosses Point in Sligo.
- Oysterhaven in Cork has been awarded a Green Coast Award in 2025, there was no application for the beach in 2024.
- Port Arthur in Donegal has been awarded for the first time since 2018, due in part to improved water quality over the past few years.
- Golden Strand on Achill Island has been awarded a Green Coast Award for the first time in 2025.
- Cork is the county with most Green Coast Awards in 2025, with 14 and has also the highest combined number of award flags with 27, including the Blue Flags awarded to Kinsale Yacht Club and The Royal Cork Yacht Club.
- Wexford has been awarded the second most with 10 Green Coast Award beaches, and Mayo third most with nine.
