Banna Strand, Co. Kerry

The South West is home to six of the top ten beaches in Ireland according to TripAdvisor, who revealed their annual travellers’ choice list of the best beaches by country, by region and in the world overall this week.

As tomorrow is the first day of Spring it is natural that we are looking forward to balmy days on the beach. To those of us who live on the Wild Atlantic Way in the toe of Ireland in West Cork and Kerry this is not a surprise – we know we live in a very special part of the world!  As far as Ireland is concerned, Banna Strand, a short drive from Tralee, claimed the top spot, fighting off competition from Inchydoney Beach in Clonakilty, previously named Ireland’s best beach for three years running has this year dropped to the No.2 spot. Derrynane Beach and Inch Beach, both in Kerry, also warranted a mention in the top five alongside Strandhill Beach in Sligo, only a few miles from Sligo town.

Inchydoney Beach, Co. Cork

There was no room for any Irish beaches in the top 25 beaches in Europe (La Concha Beach in San Sebastian in Spain came out on top), while Baia Do Sancho Beach in Brazil was named as the best beach in the world.

TripAdvisor’s top ten beaches in Ireland 2017

Banna Strand – Kerry

Inchydoney Beach – Clonakilty, Cork

Derrynane Beach – Caherdaniel, Kerry

Inch Beach – Inch, Kerry

Strandhill Beach – Strandhill, Sligo

Coumeenoole Beach – Dingle, Kerry

Barleycove Beach – Schull, Cork

Curracloe Beach – Curracloe, Wexford

Narin Beach – Portnoo, Donegal

Dog’s Bay Beach – Roundstone, Galway

Barleycove, Co. Cork

Travellers’ Choice award-winners are determined based on traveller reviews gathered over a 12-month period, TripAdvisor says. Surprisingly perhaps, there are no beaches from counties Mayo, Clare or Waterford on its 2017 list… not to mention Wicklow, Dublin, Meath or Louth. At least two of the Irish beaches are film stars in their own right, Curracloe was used for the D-Day landing scenes in “Saving Private Ryan” and Strandhill in Sligo was the backdrop for the powerful independent movie, “Cavalry.” Mind you, the biggest film star is still Skellig Michael which featured in the finale of the last Star Wars movie and the next Star Wars.

Inch Beach, Co. Kerry

In the world ranking, Brazil’s Baia do Sancho topped the poll, with Grace Bay in the Caribbean’s Turks and Caicos placing second. La Concha in San Sebastian, Spain, was voted Europe’s best beach, followed by Elafonissi Beach in Elafonissi, Crete.

So come and visit us soon, especially in West Cork, and discover for yourself why in Ireland Life is a Beach!

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The Skibbereen Eagle

In 1898, to widespread bemusement, a small Provincial Newspaper in an equally small town in the South West corner of Ireland sonorously warned the Czar of Russia that it knew what he was up to and he should be careful how he proceeded for “The Skibbereen Eagle” was wise to his game and in future would be keeping its eye on him! It is doubtful that Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias, even noticed the Eagle’s admonitions but as history soon proved he should have paid closer attention to the Eagle’s insightful opinions!

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