Banna Beach has retained its Blue Flag status. Photo by Dermot Crean.
FENIT and Banna are among the 13 Kerry beaches which have won Blue Flags (12 retaining from last year) at an awards ceremony in south Kerry today.
An Taisce announced the International Blue Flag Award and the National Green Coast Award recipients for 2015 with a total of 144 awards presented by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Mr. Alan Kelly, T.D, at an awards ceremony held on Ballinskelligs Beach.
81 beaches and five marinas were awarded the prestigious Blue Flag award representing an increase in six Blue Flag awards since 2014.
Speaking at the awards ceremony Minister Kelly said, “Blue Flags represent excellence. They are a clear signal of quality and are something to be cherished. I am delighted to announce that today we will be awarding a total of 86 Blue Flags; 81 for beaches and five for marinas. A blue flag flying at a particular location means that it has achieved excellent water quality to standards set by European and national Regulations, and a very high grade across a wide range of other criteria”
One Kerry beach, Rossbeigh, that failed to comply with the requirements of Blue Flag in 2014 because of storm damage has regained its Blue Flag status.
58 beaches in Ireland were awarded the Green Coast Award with Béal Bán in Kerry retaining its status.
The Kerry beaches with Blue Flags are;
• Ballinskelligs
• Ballybunion North
• Ballybunion South
• Ballyheigue
• Banna
• Derrynane
• Fenit
• Inch
• Kells
• Maherabeg
• Ventry
• White Strand
• Rossbeigh
