Kingdom flies flag for Irish bathing with best beaches

KERRY has been crowned the bathing capital of Ireland following the publication of the prestigious Blue Flag awards.

The Kingdom has the highest number of the cleanest beaches in the country. Two other western seaboard counties paid the price for serious declines in bathing water quality.

Galway lost Blue Flag status on two of its four designated beaches while three top strands in Mayo forfeited the international award for clean beaches.