IRELAND’S MAGICAL COASTLINE SHOWCASED AT LOVE YOUR COAST PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS  

Clean Coasts’ Love Your Coast photography competition winners have been announced, showcasing the beauty of the Irish coastal landscape, heritage, people, wildlife and underwater scenery in 50 beautiful images. All of the winning and shortlisted images can be viewed on the Clean Coasts winners page.

18th October | An Taisce’s Clean Coasts Programme proudly announced the winning photographers of the 15th edition of the Love Your Coast photography competition at an event in Richmond Barracks, Dublin. With a prize fund of €5,000, the competition has attracted hundreds of amateur photographers from all around Ireland this year, each with their own unique way of capturing stunning photographs of Ireland’s beautiful coastline. 

PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR: William Murphy with his photo (seen above as banner image) ‘An Fear Marbh agus an Fear ag eitilt’, taken at Slea Head Drive, Dingle, Co. Kerry won the overall ‘Photographer of the Year’ title as well as 1st place in the ‘People and the Coast’ category in the Clean Coasts 2024 Love Your Coast photography competition. 

The image displays Inis Tuaisceart Island, also known as the Dead Man or the Sleeping Giant, the northernmost of the famed Blasket Islands, bathed in evening light with a human focal point soaring high in the sky above.  

William said of his photo, “This was an opportunistic shot of a paraglider taking in the sights of the Slea Head Drive, passing by Inishtooskert ‘An Fear Marbh’ while I waited for the famous Dingle light to appear in late July. The previous evening had little to no visibility due to low cloud and rain, so I headed for the Schoolhouse from Ryan’s Daughter to take in sunset in hope of good light there and over Inistooskert, two shots with the one location. What I thought was a photographer heading to the cliffs turned out to be a paraglider who circled the area for a while and allowed me the opportunity to capture An Fear Marbh and a flying man, an Fear ag eitilt, in the one shot.” 

Winners in other categories included: 

Coastal Landscape: John Hooton, ‘Fog on the 3 Sisters’, Clogher Head Dingle Co Kerry 

Heritage on the Coast: Joe Silke, ‘Fisherman's Hut’, Connemara, Galway 

Wildlife and the Coast: Lisa Farrell, ‘Peeping Tom’, Whitestrand Beach Miltown Malbay Co.Clare 

Underwater: Eabha A. Hughes, ‘Peek-A-Boo!’, Pollock Holes, Kilkee, Co. Clare  

In the 15 years since its inception in 2010, the Love Your Coast photography competition has been a celebration of the extraordinary beauty of Ireland’s coastline, that Clean Coasts’ volunteers work diligently to protect. 

The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government is proud to support An Taisce’s ‘Clean Coasts Programme’, in its enthusiastic engagement with marine communities in relation to marine litter and in raising public awareness and influencing positive behaviour among civil society. 

Clean Coasts is also sponsored by Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority. Initiatives from associated Clean Coasts groups and the Green Coast Awards act as custodians for Ireland's beaches, seas, and marine life, to maintain that they are managed appropriately and that they are litter and pollution free for our visitors to enjoy! 

An Taisce’s Clean Coasts Programme Manager, Bronagh Moore said, "The Love Your Coast photography competition is one of the highlights of An Taisce’s Clean Coasts calendar. It is a wonderful reminder of why the work we do with communities to help protect and care for Ireland’s waterways, coastline, seas, ocean and marine life, is so important. Seeing the beauty of our coastline captured in these photographs, you can’t help but feel inspired and driven to do everything you possibly can to protect and care for our marine environment. Knowing we are supporting over 2,000 volunteer groups who dedicate their time to keeping our coastline and ocean litter free is hugely rewarding for our team on the ground. We’d encourage everyone to take the time to really enjoy all of these wonderful photos, be inspired by their beauty, and consider volunteering with a local Clean Coast Group. 

"The Love Your Coast photography competition stands as a testament to Ireland’s coastal beauty and character, as captured through the lens of talented photographers who take part in the competition year after year. Clean Coasts wants to congratulate each of the winning and shortlisted photographers and thank them for being part of this year’s competition." 

Shortlisted and winning entries:   

Coastal Landscape  

1st — John Hooton, Fog on the 3 Sisters, Clogher Head Dingle Co. Kerry (photo above) 

2nd — James Buckley, Top of Croagh Patrick,Westport, Co. Mayo 

3rd — Krastyu Vasilev, The Red House, Glanearagh Co. Kerry 

Stephen Phelan, Doolin Wave, Doolin Co. Clare 

John Seager, Stranded, Marble Hill Strand, Co. Donegal 

Piotr Machowczyk, Foggy morning, Cliffs of Moher, Co. Clare 

William Murphy, Sunset at Fastnet Lighthouse, Fastnet Lighthouse, Co. Cork 

Kevin Grace, Moon over Vico Baths, Vico Baths, Killiney, Dublin 

Sean Berry, Port Beach Rare Bioluminescence Co.Louth, Port Beach Co. Louth 

Adrian Hendroff, Sunset at Lovers Leap, Loop Head Co.Clare, Loop Head, Co. Clare 

Heritage on the Coast 

1st — Joe Silke, Fisherman's Hut, Connemara, Co. Galway (photo above)

2nd — Gail Park, The Secret Fort by the Sea, Portnoo, Co. Donegal 

3rd — Felix Sproll, Fishing for Aurora, Screebe, Galway 

Pawel Zygmunt, The Lighthouse, Fanad Head, Co. Donegal 

Helen Black, Banshees Cottage, Keem Beach, Co. Mayo 

Terry Conroy, Storm Fergus, Purteen harbour, Achill Island, Co. Mayo 

Krastyu  Valisev, U Turn, Cobh Co. Cork 

Michael Goulding, The Sky's Awake, Skerries, Co. Dublin 

Paul Behan, When the boat comes in, Poolbeg, Dublin 

Sally O'Reilly, Still Standing, Rostellan Woods, Co. Cork 

People and the Coast 

1st — William Murphy, An Fear Marbh agus an Fear ag eitilt, Slea Head Drive, Dingle, Co. Kerry (banner image) 

2nd — David Stanley, The Old Man and the Sea, Howth, Dublin (photo above)

3rd — Ann Bruen, In awe of a rainbow, Bull Wall, Clontarf, Co. Dublin 

Megan Gayda, Into the Vortex, Co. Donegal 

Kevin Doyle, Leap of Faith, Southern Clare Coastline Co. Clare 

Pawel Zygmunt, Morning walk at the cottage, Laytown, Co. Meath 

Terry Conroy, Drumming in the Rain, Pullagh on Achill, Co. Mayo 

Christine Taylor, Dreaming of home while mending the nets, Union Hall Co. Cork 

Stephen Higgins, Cast It Into The Sunset, Tramore Beach, Co.Waterford 

Aaron Van Haaster, Reading by the coast, Tullen Strand, Bundoran, Co. Donegal 

Underwater 

1st — Eabha A. Hughes, Peek-A-Boo!, Pollock Holes, Kilkee, Co. Clare (photo above)

2nd — Gordon Leonard, Barrel jellyfish, Killiney beach, Dublin 

3rd — Shazia Waheed, Blenny Buddies, Ardmore, Co. Waterford 

Anna Kellagher, Nudibranch, Knights Town, Valentia Island Co. Kerry 

Mark O'Leary, Compass Jellyfish,    Kilkee, Co. Clare 

Richie O Donnell, Curious Squat Lobster, Douglas Head , Co Kerry 

Sinead Mc Cahey, Mulroy Bouquet, Woodquarter Mulroy Bay, Co. Donegal 

Michael Orth, Cray on Carpet of Jewels,    Blacksod, Co. Mayo  

Stephen Frawley, Small But Mighty, Kilcummin Pier Co. Mayo 

Derek Bolton, Don McCarthy at Greenane Caves West Entrance, Bere Island Co. Cork 

Wildlife and the Coast 

1st — Lisa Farrell, Peeping Tom, Whitestrand Beach Miltown Malbay Co.Clare (photo above)

2nd — John Edgeworth, Cormorants Saltee Islands, Saltee Islands, Co. Wexford  

3rd — Nicolas Malterre, Ocean's Dance, Courtmacsherry, Co. Cork 

John Docherty, Lift off, Black Tailed Gotwit, Balisodare bay, Co. Sligo. 

Michal Czubala, Humpback Whale, Mullaghmore, Co. Sligo 

Tom Ormond, Grey Seal Pup, Kilmore Quay Coast, Co. Wexford  

Samantha O'Connor, Glorious Gannet, Saltee Islands, Co. Wexford  

Stephen Dunbar, The Corncrake, Tory island, Co. Donegal  

Sean Paterson, Trash to Treasure, Saltee Islands, Co. Wexford 

Isabel Doody, Puffin Calling, Saltee Islands, Co. Wexford  

Love Your Coast 2024: Judging Panel 

Mark Carmondy has been interested in wildlife since he could crawl and started birdwatching with his uncle, Jim Wilson, when he was about 9 or 10 years old. 

He was interested in photography in a casual way as a kid in the 80s, but only took it up again with any intent in the mid-00s after he emigrated to Japan and digital was coming to the fore. He holds a degree and PhD in biochemistry. His day job is being a European Patent Attorney, but his dream job is just being immersed in our natural world and photographing it. Mark has published several books on the birdlife of Ireland, including the recently published 2nd Edition of The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide (Gill Books), and works from time to time with Lindblad National Geographic on their expedition ships. 

Tina Claffey is an award-winning Irish nature photographer and author of ‘Tapestry of Light-Ireland’s bogs & wetlands as never seen before’ released in October 2017, and  ‘Portal-Otherworldly Wonders of Ireland’s Bogs, Wetlands and Eskers’ in 2022.  

Her observations and unique perspective through her macro lens of the flora and fauna of the raised bogs and wet woodlands of the Irish midlands are celebrated in her work. She has presented her work on many worldwide online platforms including the Wildlife Habitat Council Online Conference in the US and the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 26) to promote the importance of the Irish bog wilderness.  

Jim Coughlan is the Visual Media Manager for the Irish Examiner/The Echo. Having joined the Irish Examiner back in 2000, Mr. Coughlan took over as Picture Desk Editor in 2013 in a role that changed rapidly to incorporate sourcing, creating and managing graphics and video as well as pictures.   

Sinead McCoy  joined the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce in 2010, initial working with Green Schools team before moving to Clean Coasts in 2014 as Clean Coasts Officer before becoming the Coastal Communities Manager in 2016. This year Sinead has taken on a new role as Development Director of An Taisce. Sinead has been heavily involved in Love Your Coast Photography Competition since joining the Clean Coasts team and has huge passion for the key role Love Your Coast plays within the Clean Coasts programme.  

Conall O’Connor is an Assistant Principal in the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage working in the area of Marine Environmental Policy.  A keen amateur photographer himself, he has  participated  as a judge in the Love Your Coast competitions for many years which  he describes one of the most enjoyable and rewarding aspects of his work.  

Jim Wilson is a wildlife writer, photographer, international wildlife tour leader and broadcaster. His wildlife photos have been featured in national and international publications, which include the best-selling The Birds of Ireland, A Field Guide (2013) and Ireland’s Garden Birds (2008). Jim also wrote the first field guide to the Whales and Dolphins of Ireland (IWDG 2006)..  

He established the BirdWatch Ireland Garden Bird Survey in 1987, one of the longest running citizen projects in the country.  For many years, Jim has been a regular contributor to The Mooney Goes Wild Show on RTE Radio 1 and has been a key figure in the production and presentation of the international live broadcast of the Mooney Goes Wild Dawn Chorus for over 20 years, based in Birdwatch Ireland Cuskinny Marsh Nature Reserve near his home town of Cobh in Cork Harbour. 

Naoise Culhane is a commercial photographer based in Dublin, Ireland. With vast experience working in Press, Public Relations, Corporate and Commercial photography he has built a reputation for quality, style and delivery.He works closely with clients to deliver unique images for national and international campaigns and his work has been published across all mediums. Driven to creating lasting imagery he is always looking for something different to help his clients convey their message. 

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About Clean Coasts  

An Taisce’s Clean Coasts programme engages communities in the protection of Ireland’s beaches, seas and marine life. 

Since 2003, Clean Coasts has been working with communities to help protect and care for Ireland’s waterways, coastline, seas, ocean and marine life. Clean Coasts strives to create tangible and immediate improvements to Ireland’s coastal environment, involving thousands of volunteers removing large quantities of marine litter from our coastline each year.     

For the past 20 years, Clean Coasts has grown from strength to strength and now includes two main national clean-up drives, as well as other initiatives, including the Green Coast Award, the Love Your Coast Photography competition, the Clean Coasts Roadshows for coastal communities and the Ocean Hero Awards. All these initiatives are aimed at celebrating the beauty of our coast and the efforts of our volunteers across all of Ireland. 

Currently, there are over 2,000 registered Clean Coasts volunteering groups and 40,000 volunteers. There are a variety of group types such as community groups, residents’ associations, tidy towns groups, sports clubs, schools, businesses, universities etc. Clean Coasts organises hundreds of beach clean-ups annually mobilising thousands of volunteers, removing considerable quantities of marine litter from Ireland’s beaches and waterways.