Ireland’s most popular naturist beaches recognised
Sunday, June 5, 2016 was World Naturist Day…..and Ireland’s naturists certainly played their part!
With the weather offering wonderfully clement temperatures and sun-burning if slightly overcast skies, World Naturist Day was the ideal opportunity to demonstrate the growing popularity and acceptance of clothes-free recreation, and to press the case for Ireland to get its first long awaited official naturist facilities.
To mark the occasion the Irish Naturist Association (INA) set up a special challenge – to find the nation’s most popular naturist beach.
Three locations were nominated for naturists to congregate – Sallymount Beach in County Wicklow for east coast dwellers, Trawalua in County Sligo to accommodate those west of the Shannon, while those looking to shed their clothes in the southern part of the country were directed to Long Strand in County Cork.
Headcount were taken at points during the day, and in the end it proved to be a close run thing, with all three locations putting in unique claims to be Ireland’s most popular nudist beach.
Trawalua – BEST NATURIST DESTINATION ON THE WILD ATLANTIC WAY 2016
Despite its location in the least populated part of the country, Trawalua set a high standard, recording a maximum of 43 naturists on the beach at 4pm on Sunday afternoon. As more and more visitors discover the attractions of Sligo and the west coast of Ireland thanks to the success of the Wild Atlantic Way, surely Fáilte Ireland should be looking to attract nudists from Ireland and abroad to the many beautiful beaches on offer on the route?
A real treasure of a beach that has long been used by naturists, the INA Events Committee is pleased to announce that it has voted Trawalua as Best Naturist Destination on the Wild Atlantic Way 2016.
Long Strand – THE HOME OF ENDURANCE NATURISTS 2016
Numbers were slightly lower at Cork, but the 14 nudists who turned up to Long Strand are certainly a hardy bunch! Not for them a mere few hours on the beach in the middle of the day. Rather this hard-core group made a proper event of it, with sauna and skinny-dipping sessions long into the evening before finally calling it a day after midnight.
The INA Events Committee is therefore delighted to nominate Long Strand as The Home of Endurance Naturists 2016
Sallymount – MOST POPULAR NATURIST DESTINATION IN IRELAND 2016
The title of Ireland’s most popular naturist destination for 2016 however goes to Sallymount Beach in County Wicklow. It – narrowly – pipped Trawalua to the award, recording a maximum of 46 nudists at 2pm. The naturists interspersed happily with the minority of textiles also on the beach – proof, not that we needed it, that we can all live side by side in harmony. With nudists joyfully wandering up and down the beach front all day long enjoying the fine weather, Sallymount was more akin to a typical naturist location in Spain or France than a traditional Irish beach.
An honourable mention should also be given to Barna Strand in County Galway where a headcount of 11 naturists was recorded. At least one INA member flew the naturist flag in West Kerry – though sorry Nat, you’re not getting the bogey prize for Least Attended Location! Doubtless though there were many more nudists revelling in the fine weather by stripping off at locations throughout the country.
It’s up to Ireland’s naturists now is to build on the success of World Naturist Day 2016 by getting out onto our beaches this summer and staking our claim to be awarded official facilities. As the INA presses ahead in its efforts to secure Ireland first properly sanctioned naturist beach, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could celebrate World Naturist Day 2017 on Sunday 2nd July 2017 at such an approved location?
