Causeway Coast and Glens Council 'cleans up' at beach award ceremony

Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, who manage the accreditations locally, announced 22 winning sites across five council areas and Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council is home to more than half the winning sites - earning an impressive 12 awards in total!

16 sites across Northern Ireland earned the iconic Blue Flag Award - one of the world’s most recognised awards for beaches and marinas.

The ten Blue Flag winning beaches and marinas for Causeway Coast and Glens are Benone Beach; Downhill Strand; West Strand, Portrush; Castlerock Beach; Whiterocks Beach; East Strand, Portrush; Ballycastle Marina; Rathlin Island Marina; Coleraine Marina and Portrush Harbour and Marina.

A further six beaches across NI received Seaside Awards, the UK’s mark of quality that ensures visitors are guaranteed to find a clean, safe, attractive, and well-managed coastal stretch. Ballycastle and Waterfoot beaches were among the sites to receive a Seaside Award.

Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Ciarán McQuillan said: “We are overwhelmed that 12 awards have been allocated to our Council area.

“This highlights that fact that Causeway Coast and Glens is amongst the most beautiful areas of this island and thank you to Keep NI Beautiful for these fantastic accolades.”

Award-winning beaches will now have their respective flags in place for this year’s bathing season. In the event that water quality is not safe for members of the public to swim in the water, Blue Flags and Seaside Awards Flags are lowered until the water is safe to swim in.