120 of Ireland's gardens, greenways, and wildlife sanctuaries land international award

An Taisce, the National Trust for Ireland, announced on Friday, November 8 that the International Green Flag Award has been awarded to 120 parks, gardens, greenways, and wildlife sanctuaries around Ireland.

The Green Flag Award is the international quality benchmark for the public green space sector and now operates in 19 countries around the world.

Running for over 25 years, the programme uses eight key criteria, with an emphasis on environmental management, for its assessment. All sites implement a management framework and then undergo an annual inspection conducted by qualified judges.

Ireland has once again secured its lead in high-quality park amenities with more Green Flag Awards being secured by Irish parks and public gardens than by any country, other than the UK where the scheme originated in 1996. 

This year, participating European countries include Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, as well as the UK which released their results earlier this year.

Emlyn Cullen, Programme Manager for An Taisce Environmental Education Unit which runs the Award in Ireland, said: “The continued success of the Green Flag Award is due to the love staff members have for their green spaces and the hard work they put into maintaining them.

"They do a phenomenal job every day making their parks and gardens beautiful, safe spaces for the public to enjoy.”

Ireland's 2024 Green Flag Awards

• Páirc Cois Féile / Abbeyfeale Town Park (Abbeyfeale Community Leisure Ltd)
• Cavan Burren Park (Cavan County Council)
• John O’Sullivan Park (Clare County Council)
• Kilrush Woods Vandeleur (Clare County Council)
• Shannon Town Park (Clare County Council)
• Tim Smythe Park (Clare County Council)
• Ballincollig Regional Park (Cork City Council)
• Douglas Community Park (Cork City Council)
• Fitzgerald’s Park (Cork City Council)
• Gerry O'Sullivan Park (Cork City Council)
• Shalom Park (Cork City Council)
• Barrack Hill Town Park (Donegal County Council)
• Albert College Park (Dublin City Council)
• Ballyfermot Peoples Park (Dublin City Council)
• Blessington Street Park (Dublin City Council)
• Bridgefoot Street Park (Dublin City Council)
• Herbert Park (Dublin City Council)
• Father Collins Park (Dublin City Council)
• Griffith Park (Dublin City Council)
• Herbert Park (Dublin City Council)
• Johnstown Park (Dublin City Council)
• Poppintree Park (Dublin City Council)
• Ringsend Park (Dublin City Council)
• St. Anne’s Park (Dublin City Council)
• Blackrock Park (Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council)
• Cabinteely Park (Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council)
• Deansgrange Cemetery (Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council)
• Deerpark (Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council)
• Marlay Park (Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council)
• People’s Park (Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council)
• Shanganagh Park (Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council)
• Fethard Town Park (Fethard Regional Community Sport Recreational Campus CLG)
• Ardgillan Demesne (Fingal County Council)
• Hartstown Park (Fingal County Council)
• Malahide Demesne (Fingal County Council)
• Millennium Park (Fingal County Council)
• Newbridge House and Farm (Fingal County Council)
• Santry Demesne (Fingal County Council)
• St. Catherine’s Park (Fingal County Council)
• Children’s Millennium Park (Galway City Council)
• Eyre Square (Galway City Council)
• O’Sullivan Park (Galway City Council)
• Quincentennial Park (Galway City Council)
• The Palace Grounds (Galway County Council)
• Childers Park & Woodlands (Kerry County Council)
• Tralee Town Park (Kerry County Council)
• Tralee Bay Wetlands (Kerry County Council)
• Liffey Linear Park Newbridge (Kildare County Council) 
• Páirc an Phobail - Portlaoise (Laois County Council)
• Memorial Park (Laois County Council)
• Adare Town Park (Limerick City and County Council)
• Lough Gur Lakeshore Park (Limerick City and County Council and Visitor Centre)
• The Peoples Park Limerick (Limerick City and County Council)
• The Mall (Longford County Council)
• Aisling Park (Louth County Council)
• Blackrock Community Park (Louth County Council)
• Ice House Hill Park (Louth County Council) 
• St. Dominic’s Park (Louth County Council) 
• St. Helena Park (Louth County Council)
• Jackie Clarke Collection Heritage Garden (Mayo County Council)
• Turlough Park (Mayo County Council)
• Ballycroy Visitor Centre - Wild Nephin National Park (National Parks and Wildlife Service)
• Connemara National Park (National Parks and Wildlife Service)
• Coole Park Nature Reserve (National Parks and Wildlife Service)
• Glenveagh National Park (National Parks and Wildlife Service)
• Killarney House and Gardens (National Parks and Wildlife Service) 
• University of Galway (National University of Ireland Galway)
• Maynooth Campus (National University of Ireland Maynooth)  
• Lloyd Town Park Tullamore (Offaly County Council)
• Altamont House and Gardens (Office of Public Works)
• Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre (Office of Public Works)
• Derrynane Historic Park (Office of Public Works)
• Fota Arboretum & Gardens (Office of Public Works)
• Garinish Island (Office of Public Works)
• Glebe House and Gallery (Office of Public Works)
• Grangegorman Military Cemetery (Office of Public Works)
• Irish National War Memorial Gardens (Office of Public Works)
• Iveagh Gardens (Office of Public Works)
• Royal Hospital Kilmainham (Office of Public Works)
• St. Stephen's Green (Office of Public Works)
• The Phoenix Park (Office of Public Works)
• Corkagh Park (South Dublin County Council)
• Rathfarnham Castle Park (South Dublin County Council)
• Sean Walsh Park (South Dublin County Council)
• Tymon Park (South Dublin County Council)
• Waterstown Park (South Dublin County Council)
• Sport Ireland Campus (Sport Ireland National Sports Campus)
• Cahir lnch Field (Tipperary County Council)
• Kilbarry Nature Park (Waterford City & County Council)
• Waterford Greenway (Waterford City & County Council)
• South East Technological University Arena (Waterford Institute of Technology)
• Mullingar Town Park (West Meath County Council)
• Pearse Park - New Ross (Wexford County Council)
• The New Ross Library Park (Wexford County Council)
• Glendalough Cemetery (Wicklow County Council)

Vandeleur walled Garden, Kilrush, Co Clare. (Ireland's Content Pool)

2024 Green Heritage Site Accreditation

Green Heritage Site Accreditation is an additional certification given only to Green Flag Award-winning sites that conserve and showcase unique landscapes and built heritage of historic significance. It was launched in Ireland in 2021 with the support of The National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage.

This year, 13 Irish Green Flag Award sites were accredited to Green Heritage Site Accreditation standard. To date, this heritage award only operates in Ireland, Portugal, and the UK.

• Cavan Burren Park ( Cavan County Council)
• The Palace Grounds (Galway County Council)
• Turlough Park (Mayo County Council)
• Connemara National Park (National Parks and Wildlife Service)
• Killarney House and Gardens (National Parks and Wildlife Service)
• Lough Gur Lakeshore Park (Limerick City and County Council and Visitor Centre)
• Maynooth Campus (National University of Ireland Maynooth)
• Altamont House and Gardens (Office of Public Works)
• Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre (Office of Public Works)
• Derrynane Historic Park (Office of Public Works)
• Garinish Island (Office of Public Works)
• Irish National War Memorial Gardens (Office of Public Works)
• Royal Hospital Kilmainham (Office of Public Works)

Killarney House and Gardens, Killarney, Co Kerry. (Ireland's Content Pool)

2024 Green Flag Community Awards

The Green Flag Community Award brings the award to community initiatives such as Community Gardens, Community Parks, and Tidy Towns Projects.

By acknowledging the work done by local groups, this Community Award helps empower community groups to improve their local area and environment. 

In Ireland, the Green Flag Community Award scheme is supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development.

The Minister of State for Community Development, Integration and Charities; Joe O’Brien T.D. stated that: “It has been a tremendous privilege to support An Taisce’s expansion of the Green Flag Community Award across the last number of years.

"I know a core value for An Taisce is the promotion of inclusion and community participation at all levels, a value deeply shared with my Department, Rural and Community Development. The Green Flag is a fantastic vehicle for facilitating, encouraging and recognising the value of that collective community engagement.

"I want to commend the hundreds of communities and their volunteers for their inspiring work in community-led green space projects. It is a testament to the dedication of people all across the country that Ireland now has the largest quota of Green Flag Award sites in the EU, and I have no doubt the many volunteer-run community spaces receiving their Green Flag Community Award will be flying that flag with great and well-earned pride.”

• Abbeyfeale Biodiversity Park (Abbeyfeale Community Council / Abbeyfeale Tidy Towns)
• Father Breen Park Abbeyleix (Abbeyleix Park Development)
• Balla Woodlands and Parks (Balla CRD)
• Ballaghaderreen Community Garden (Ballaghaderreen Community Garden also trading as Friends of the Fairgreen Ballaghaderreen CLG)
• Ballyglunin Railway Restoration Project (Ballyglunin Community Development Charity)
• Ballyhaunis Community Garden (Ballyhaunis Community Garden)
• Hungry Hall Park (Broomfield and District Residents)
• Cloontuskert Community Orchard (Cloontuskert Development & Tidy Towns Association)
• Dromiskin Heritage Park (Dromiskin Tidy Towns)
• Ginnety's Pond Nature Park (Dromiskin Tidy Towns)
• The River Walk Dungloe (Dungloe Tidy Towns)
• Santry Demesne Community Garden (Fingal County Council)
• The Rock Garden (Fingal County Council)
• Foulksmills Park (Foulksmills Tidy Towns)
• Terryland Forest Park (Galway City Council)
• The Headford Community Garden (Headford Development Association)
• Julianstown Community Garden (Julianstown & District Community Association Ltd.)
• Zero Waste Community Garden (Kildare County Council)
• Knockvicar Organic Garden (Knockvicar Organic Garden)
• Ballina Karen Community Garden (Mayo County Council)
• Murrintown Community Centre (Murrintown Community Centre)
• Our Lady’s Island Community Park (Our Lady’s Island Community Development Company)
• Rosslare Harbour Memorial Park (Rosslare Harbour/Kilrane Environment Group and Gardens)
• Garden of the Senses (Sneem Development Co-op)
• Headford Community Orchard (The Church of Ireland)

2024 Pollinator Plan Awards

Three of the 2024 applicants were given a special award for their work supporting pollinating insects. The Pollinator Plan Award is jointly run by An Taisce Environmental Education and the National Biodiversity Data Centre.

This optional plan for Green Flag Award applicant sites works by assessing pollinator-friendly management of parks and community green spaces. These are scored against the recommendations of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, which is itself a National Biodiversity Data Centre initiative of national importance. This year’s Green Flag Pollinator Plan Award overall winner was Tralee Bay Wetlands Eco & Activity Park in Kerry.

Kate Chandler, the Community and Engagement Officer for the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, said: “We were delighted to help judge the Green Flag Pollinator Award this year.

"It cannot be overstated how important parks are in helping biodiversity and encouraging human connection with nature. From creating swathes of naturally restored meadows, to protecting native trees and hedgerows, to eliminating harmful pesticides, the parks this year have shown how our green spaces can be managed for the benefit of pollinators and people.

"It is a testament to the high standard of applicants that, in addition to the three winners, seven further parks were highly commended for their excellent work. Congratulations to all.”

Overall winner

• Tralee Bay Wetlands Eco & Activity Park

Country Park/ Demesne winner:

• Ballycroy Visitor Centre, Wild Nephin National Park

Community Garden winner:

• Sneem Garden of the Senses

Town Park winner:

• Tralee Bay Wetlands Eco & Activity Park

Highly commended:

• Ardgillan Castle Demesne & Gardens
• Julianstown Community Garden
• Maynooth Campus
• Millennium Park, Blanchardstown
• Newbridge Demesne
• Tymon Park
• Waterstown Park