Three Munster seaside spots make Lonely Planet's top 10 beaches in Ireland

Kerry's Inch Strand and Banna Strand on the list

Banna Strand, Co Kerry. Picture: Valerie O'Sullivan

Three Munster beaches have made the Lonely Planet's top 10 beaches in Ireland.

Recognition of the beauty spots will come as welcome news to people facing a second summer of staycations because of international travel restrictions. 

Natives of Kerry will be especially pleased, with two of their many beautiful beaches making the top 10, Inch Strand and Banna Strand. 

Ballyquin Beach, in Ardmore, Co Waterford, also makes the Lonely Planet top 10 list.

Inch Strand, a 5km-long sand spit stretching into the well-known Dingle Bay, is one of the nation's most famous beaches and was a location in three blockbuster movies, Ryan’s Daughter (1970), Excalibur (1981) and Far And Away (1992).

Inch Strand, Dingle Peninsula, Co Kerry. Picture: Valerie O’Sullivan

However, the beach offers much more than just a backdrop for Hollywood movies. 

This Blue Flag beach is ideal for swimming, is hugely popular with surfers, and even offers some perfect locations for bird watching.

Compared to Inch Strand, which is known the world over, Banna Strand is more of a popular getaway with locals. 

The Blue Flag beach is located not far from Tralee. With its beautiful waters and rolling dunes, it makes the beach an ideal location for a day in the sun.

Ballyquin Beach can be found about 5km northeast of the seaside town of Ardmore. A more secluded beach than those mentioned above, its beautiful white sand meets rockpools and waves to offer the perfect slice of serenity. 

Unlike Ardmore, Ballyquin is less frequented, with locals using it as a quiet and calm place to fish, swim or soak up the sun's rays.

Other beaches on the list include: