Beaches keep Blue Flag status

Beaches keep Blue Flag status

31 May 2023

TWO of the district’s premier beaches have retained their prestigious Blue Flag status.

Tyrella and Murlough are among a list of nine Northern Ireland beaches which have retained their accreditation with the world class cleanliness of the beaches and water quality recognised at a recent awards ceremony held in Portrush.

The local beaches join Benone, Castlerock Beach, Cranfield Bay, Downhill, Portrush East and West Strand and Whiterocks beaches.

Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful — which organises the annual awards — say the award winning beaches have also been recognised for their safety, accessibility and environmental education.

The organisation’s chief executive, Dr Ian Humphreys, said it was “extremely pleased” that Newry, Mourne and Down Council has achieved three Blue Flag awards with the third going to Cranfield near Kilkeel.

“Each flag is a symbol that these special places are managed to an excellent standard and an important trust signal to the public that they can expect a high-quality experience when they visit one of these award-winning sites,” said Dr Humphreys.

“At a time when budgets are tight and difficult decisions are never far away, we want to thank the council for continuing to invest in our beaches that are much loved and valued by tourists and people at home alike.” 

Local authority staff, including beach operators, were invited to collect the awards at a presentation ceremony at The Arcadia in Portrush last week.

Tyrella and Murlough will now have their respective flags in place for the duration of the bathing season which runs from tomorrow until September 15.