Blue Flags fly on Ross and Old Head again

Carrowmore Beach in Louisburgh is one of 13 Blue Flag beaches which were awarded to Mayo last week.

Blue Flags fly on Ross and Old Head again


Anton McNulty

Two Mayo beaches have regained their Blue Flag status to bring the county’s complement of Blue Flag beaches back to 13 - the joint-highest number in the country.
Old Head beach in Louisburgh and Ross Strand near Killala both lost their Blue Flag status in 2010 but were named among the record 82 beaches to receive the prestigious awards this year. Mayo now has 13 Blue Flag beaches, and sits alongside Kerry at the top of the pile, with both counties having the greatest number of Blue Flags in the country.
The Blue Flag is an international award for beach excellence. The award system is operated in Ireland by An Taisce with support from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
Louisburgh councillor Austin Francis O’Malley welcomed the Blue Flag for Old Head, which he said was one of the main attractions to the area. “It was a loss to the area. Any time an area loses something like a Blue Flag it is bound to be a loss; there are only so many in the country. Old Head is a really scenic spot and draws the crowds in the summer. Having the Blue Flag back is a great boost,” he said.
Cllr O’Malley added that he feels the other beaches in the area, such as Silver Strand, White Strand and popular surfing beach Carrowniskey, should also be considered for Blue Flag status. He pointed out that they attract huge numbers of tourists and said their access roads should be upgraded to cater for the traffic.
The re-inclusion of the two Mayo beaches follows a national trend, with eight more flags awarded this year than in 2010.
The Mayo beaches to be awarded Blue Flags for 2011 are Bertra, Carrowmore, Clare Island, Mulranny, Dooega, Dugort, Keem Bay, Keel, Golden Strand, Elly Bay, Mullaghroe, Ross and Old Head.
Both Old Head and Ross lost their Blue Flag status in 2010 due to poor water quality, and Cllr Jarlath Munnelly from Killala said the the construction of a sewerage treatment plant at Killala is still an important priority to ensure the water-quality remains high.
“The water quality at the beach this year is now very good again, and that is important, but until we have a sewerage treatment plant in Killala I will continue to have concerns about water quality in the bay. I welcome the recent decision by the Minister for Environment Phil Hogan to advance this project, and I look forward to it being built before too long,” he said.
Minister Hogan announced the Blue Flag awards on Curracloe beach, Co Wexford, and he congratulated the teams responsible for the maintenance of the beaches.
“This increase is very welcome and is due to the combined efforts of the local authorities and coastal communities on the ground as well as those in the wider catchment who are playing their part in working to improve water quality,” he said.