Success for Causeway Coast and Glens at the Beach and Marina Awards

Across Northern Ireland, a total of nine beaches and seven marinas achieved the impressive Blue Flag status. Blue Flag winning sites must meet world-class standards in criteria such as safety, accessibility, cleanliness, environmental education and, for beaches, water quality. 

A further 6 NI beaches received Seaside Awards, including Ballycastle Beach and Waterfoot. The Seaside Award is the UK’s mark of quality that ensures visitors are guaranteed to find a clean, safe, attractive, and well-managed coastal stretch. 

Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Steven Callaghan said: “Causeway Coast and Glens ranks amongst some of the most iconic coastal areas in the world and as Mayor, I am delighted to have our beaches and marinas recognised in this way.

“We welcome visitors from across the globe and it’s a fantastic accolade for us that the quality of our beaches and marinas have been officially acknowledged.

“It is an honour to accept these awards which highlight the beauty of these places and is just one of the reasons why locals and visitors alike return to the Borough year after year.”

Both Awards are managed locally by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful.

 Dr Ian Humphreys, Chief Executive, Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful said:  ‘We are incredibly pleased to see so many local beaches and marinas have been successful at this year’s awards. Each flag shows the public that these are sites worth visiting and cherishing. Keeping our beaches tidy is essential to our environmental and economic future. 

I want to thank the many workers across winning sites who helped make this happen. Their work is critically important in making Northern Ireland a place with the best European beaches and marinas.’ 

The Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir said: “I am delighted that once again so many of Northern Ireland’s beaches have received the coveted Blue Flag and Seaside Awards, and that our first-class marinas have also been recognised. These awards are a testament to the hard work and dedication of those who manage our beaches. The awards let our citizens and people around the world know that Northern Ireland is open for business and that our beaches and marinas are clean, well-managed and safe to enjoy.” 

Mayors from across councils, and beach and marina operators were invited to collect the awards at a presentation ceremony at the Slieve Donard Hotel, Newcastle, on 7th May. The occasion was organised by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, who manage the accreditations locally.  

This year’s awards ceremony was sponsored by the Slieve Donard Hotel, and supported by DAERA. 

The award-winning locations will now have their respective flags in place for the Northern Ireland bathing season, which runs from 01 June to 15 September.