Meath County Council and Cathaoirleach of the Laytown/Bettystown MD Cllr Sharon Tolan were delighted to officially raise the flags at both Bettystown and Mornington on Thursday, 21 May 2026, to mark the recent successes of both beaches at the International Blue Flag and National Green Coast Awards.
Bettystown beach was awarded the Blue Flag once again while both Bettystown and Mornington retained their Green Coast Awards.
The International Blue Flag and National Green Coast Awards recognise the best beaches in Ireland and the retention of these awards in Bettystown and Mornington represent a significant national achievement.
Only 85 beaches in Ireland received the Blue Flag Award in 2026, and only 73 beaches received the Green Coast Award. Just 12 beaches received both the Blue Flag and Green Coast Award.
Joined by Elected Members, volunteers from the local community, and personnel from Meath County Council, MD Cathaoirleach Cllr Sharon Tolan raised the flags at both Bettystown and Mornington beaches for 2026.
Speaking after the flag-raising, Cllr Tolan said: “I am incredibly proud to see Bettystown and Mornington once again recognised among the very best beaches in the country. This achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our local volunteers, Meath County Council staff and my fellow Elected Members, who work together year-round to maintain these exceptional standards.
“It is a real privilege to raise these flags on behalf of the community, including the fantastic Bettystown and Mornington Tidy Towns groups, and I look forward to welcoming all our wonderful volunteers to a small gathering in the near future to acknowledge and thank them for all that they do.”
Director of Services at Meath County Council Barry Lynch commented: “These prestigious awards offer real confidence to those enjoying our beaches, reflecting the high standards we maintain in water quality and environmental care, while showcasing this coastline as one of the finest places to visit in Meath.”
The Blue Flag is one of the world’s most recognised environmental awards. The programme aims to raise environmental awareness and promote sound environmental management of beaches, marinas and eco-tourism boats around the world. Recipients of this award must adhere to specific criteria related to water quality, information provision, environmental education, safety and site management for the duration of the bathing season.
The Green Coast Award recognises beaches for their clean environment, excellent water quality and natural beauty. Green Coast Award sites are recognised as exceptional places to visit to enjoy rich coastal heritage and diversity.
An important aspect of the Green Coast Awards is the involvement of voluntary Clean Coasts groups, who participate in community clean-ups and help manage the applicant beaches in cooperation with Local Authorities. The main purpose of the Green Coast Award programme is to foster partnerships within communities in an effort to protect and enhance local coastal environs, and to celebrate the efforts of those communities.
