Carrickfin, Co Donegal

The Donegal coastline is one, long, beautiful golden strand in places, which makes a selection here extremely difficult. However, the fine strand close to Carrickfin airport is west-facing, wonderful, and recently won a Blue Flag. Car parking is off the strand but close by, and the airport is anything but intrusive - and hopefully will remain that way.

Portstewart, Co Antrim

"Up the Port" and "down the Port", depending on compass point, has been a favourite family destination for generations. Owned by the UK's National Trust, there is a small cover charge in acknowledgement of its efforts to maintain this two-mile-long strand. Well run, it has controlled parking which allows children to run around safely. The one disadvantage is the goose-pimple factor, because it isn't on the Gulf Stream.

Brittas Bay, Co Wicklow

If this sounds like a cliche, it isn't. Frequented by generations of Dubliners, it comes with a warm recommendation from Karin Dubsky, who knows a thing or two about beaches as co-ordinator of Coastwatch Ireland. As she says, "interesting dunes, fine gently curving strand, good access, clean water, clean loos, excellent lifeguard service. . ." And one can hear the sea, because there are no jetskis on waters, and no slot machines on shore.

Curracloe, Co Wexford

Again, this comes with a Dubsky vote. Here is one wonderful large dune system just north of Wexford harbour, with a peat bog at the lowest level of the sandy beach at low tide. Perhaps, as she suggests, this was once a wet woodland when sea levels were lower thousands of years ago? Curracloe comes with wooden walkways, information boards and benches made from dead elm and inscribed as Gaeilge, and the educational trail is largely the brainchild of the environmental engineer of the time on Wexford County Council, Eamon Hore.

Inch, Co Kerry

You couldn't leave it out, what with Ryan's Daughter made in nearby Dun Chaoin, the Slieve Mish mountains, and the fact that it has to be one of the finest sandy expanses on the Dingle peninsula's southern flank. Best experienced on one of those autumn days, when winter is almost there and the Atlantic knows it, and it dares you, taunts you, as the clouds fight with the failing light over Dingle Bay.