Green Flag Raised at Rush South Beach
The Green Flag, representing the Green Coast Award 2021, was raised on Rush South Beach today by Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Seána Ó Rodaigh. The prestigious Award, representing environmental excellence was won by the Beach for the first time in 2021.
The Green Flag, representing the Green Coast Award 2021, was raised on Rush South Beach today by Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Seána Ó Rodaigh. The prestigious Award, representing environmental excellence was won by the Beach for the first time in 2021. An important aspect of the Green Coast awards is Local Authorities working with the community and the Mayor was joined by Rush Tidy Towns, Rush Clean Coasts Group and Rush Tourism, along with Fingal County Council Director of Operations Mary T Daly and her team.
The Green Coast Award is a symbol of environmental excellence and has been established to acknowledge, promote and protect the environment of our beaches. The award is for beaches which have excellent water quality, but which are also prized for their natural, unspoilt environment. Sites must be managed in partnership with the local community to be considered for the Green Coast Award and in the case of Rush Fingal County Council has been working closely with Rush Tidy Towns, Rush Clean Coasts Group and Rush Tourism.
Rush South Beach is a long sandy beach stretching more than 2 kilometres along the coast with stunning views and is backed by a well-established dune system. The prestigious Green Coast Award was announced earlier this year by An Taisce at a virtual ceremony which saw Fingal’s Velvet Strand Portmarnock retain its Blue Flag and Green Coast status and the Burrow Beach Sutton retain its Green Coast award.
Mayor of Fingal Cllr Seána Ó Rodaigh commented: “I am delighted to raise the Flag for the Green Coast award for Rush South Beach today. The Flag is in recognition of the years of commitment and hard work from Rush Tidy Towns and Clean Coasts group and Rush Tourism in partnership with Fingal County Council to protect and maintain this wonderful natural amenity for everyone to enjoy.”
MaryT Daly Director of Operations Fingal County Council said “I am delighted on behalf of my dedicated team in Fingal County Council Operations and the dedicated volunteers from the Rush community to raise the Green Flag at Rush South Beach today. A Green Coast award is a symbol of excellence in protecting the natural environment and I am delighted that Rush South has achieved this status, joining our other Green Coast winning beaches at the Burrow Sutton and Velvet Strand Portmarnock.”
“Achieving the green coast award for Rush South Beach has been something we have worked towards since setting up our Rush Clean Coasts group in May 2018. The result pays testament to the dedication of our volunteers who litter pick on their daily walks along the beach, as well as attending large scale clean ups which have been less regular with COVID restrictions in place” said Brendan O'Reilly, Rush Clean Coasts Coordinator.
"Rush Tourism are delighted to see Rush South Beach achieve Green Flag status thanks to the dedicated work of the volunteers in our village who continue to take 'Three for the Sea' as their mantra on their daily walks. Two years of staycations have seen record numbers use our beaches, and we would hope to build on the success of the Clean Coast programme initiated by Rush Tidy Towns and achieve Blue Flag status by summer of 2022", commented Angela Byrne, Rush Tourism
