Blue Flag Marina Status Retained for 2025 Season
Cork County Council in association with An Taisce held the Blue Flag and Green Coast Award presentation on Wednesday 28th May 2025 at the Carrigaline Court Hotel. Club General Manager Gavin Deane and Mark Ring, Marina & Racing Manager were there to accept the Blue Flag for the 2025 season.
The 2025 Blue Flag and Green Coast Awards Recognise Ireland’s Best Beaches and Marinas, in all 99 Blue Flags and 70 Green Coast Awards were awarded 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 the Royal Cork Yacht Club and Kinsale Yacht Club and 11 Blue Flags awarded to beaches managed by Cork County Council.
Mark Ring, Marina & Racing Manager at Royal Cork YC, Maurice Murphy, Cork County Council and Gavin Deane, GM at Royal Cork YC at the Blue Flag and Green Coast awards for County Cork on Wednesday 28th May 2025 in the Carrigaline Court Hotel.
Pic. Darragh Kane
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.
Gavin Deane, General Manager, commented that “The Blue Flag is really important to the Club as it is a essential part of our overall sustainability strategy. We have attained Blue Flag status since 2013 and are very proud of this fact, the Blue Flag can now be seen flying proudly in the club.”
At the Blue Flag and Green Coast awards for County Cork on Wednesday 28th May 2025 in the Carrigaline Court Hotel.
Pic. Darragh Kane
Blue Flag 2025, in numbers
A record number of Blue Flags were awarded 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.
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.
The post Blue Flag Marina Status Retained for 2025 Season appeared first on Royal Cork Yacht Club.