Sixteen of the country’s best-known bathing spots have lost their coveted blue flag status this year after the introduction of more stringent standards for testing water quality by the EU.

Despite having excellent water quality, two beaches failed to get Blue Flags for 2013 — because of a mathematical anomaly.

It sounds like a typical Irish conundrum — a beach that fails to achieve blue flag status because its water is too clear.

Cork County Council has defended the quality of its coastal bathing water, blaming a more stringent marking criteria and the wettest summer for 50 years on the loss of Blue Flag status on four beaches.