2024 Ocean Hero Awards Shortlist

Group of the Year

Spanish Point Community Group

Spanish Point Community Group has been nominated in the 2024 Group of the Year Category. This year the group has been very active undertaking a number of projects to help preserve and protect their little bit of coastline.

Maharees Heritage and Conservation

Maharees Heritage and Conservation Group have been nominated in the Group of the Year Category. The Maharees Group have a busy yearly timetable in addition to their beach cleans with a full summer programme, a mix of beach cleans, dune protection work, biodiversity talks, and fundraising activities.

Friends of Rossnowlagh Clean Coasts Group

Friends of Rossnowlagh began in 2016 with a simple goal: to protect the natural beauty of Rossnowlagh Beach, Co. Donegal. The group started by tackling litter issues and, in 2018, joined Clean Coasts to expand their efforts.

Enniscrone Clean Coasts group

Enniscrone Clean Coasts is part of Enniscrone Tidy Towns and they are nominated in the 2024 Group of the Year category. 2024 has been a great year getting their Blue Flag reinstated, and their Green Flag too!

Tomhaggard Clean Coasts Group

Tomhaggard Clean Coasts have been nominated in the Group of the Year Category for 2024. The group was established in April 2021 with a small group of family and friends, and has grown to 73 members in 2024, about half of whom are actively involved in beach cleaning.

Individual of the Year

Proinsias O’ Tuama

Proinsias O Tuama has been involved with Clean Coasts since 2015. He founded Clean Coasts Ballynamona, which is part of the Sea and Land Trust and he is a teacher with St Colman’s College who are shortlisted for Youth of the Year and the force behind the Big Little Beach Clean which is shortlisted for Event Of The Year.

Donal McGuirk

Donal McGuirk has been nominated as he has been central to the Bull Island Action Group and the Island itself for the last twenty years. He has personally organised clean ups every month and over the last three years a weekly clean-up.

Peter O’Donnell

Peter O’Donnell is nominated in the Individual of the Year category for his ongoing outstanding work with Clean Coasts. Peter is a driving force on the island of Arranmore, having been involved with Clean Coasts for over 10 years.

Michael Breen

Michael is nominated in the Individual of the Year category for his work as one of the main drivers of the Clean Coasts group in in Enniscrone. He works tirelessly for the group to improve both the built and natural heritage of the area.

Anne Marie Kirwan

Anne Marie Kirwan has been nominated in the 2024 Individual of the Year category for her continued dedication to protect and preserve the coast in her volunteering with Tomhaggard Clean Coasts.

Campaigner of the Year

Mark McCarthy

Mark is nominated in the Campaigner of the year category and is one of the go-to people for Clean Coasts in West Cork. His passion for the environment is coupled with his kind and friendly manner.

Magheroarty – Togra Fiontar & Cultúr Uladh Ctr

This passionate group, made up of the local community, has been dedicated to safeguarding the marine environmental and finding sustainable solutions for the protection of its precious sand dunes and salt marshes.

Rathmullan Coast Care

Rathmullan Clean Coasts Coastal Care Group have been nominated in the Campaigner of the Year category for 2024. Established in 2012, an initially small group has grown to have multiple weekly dedicated volunteers.

Galway Atlantaquaria

While the Aquarium has been cleaning beaches since 2009, they joined Clean Coasts in 2016. Gary and his team at the aquarium are really committed to their piece of coastline and organise regular clean ups throughout the year.

Martina Healy aka Leitrim Litter Picker

Martina Healy, aka, Leitrim Litter Picker on social media, was shortlisted in the Campaigner of the Year category. Martina’s nomination in this category reflects her outstanding commitment to promoting the #2MinuteBeachClean campaign through her social media.

Equality Diversity and Inclusion Award

Liquid Therapy

Liquid Therapy was nominated in the 2024 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion category for their work not only Clean Coasts Group but also as a charity that provides inclusive, adaptable, accessible ways to access the ocean and participate in ocean-based activities

Western Care with Keep our Beaches Clean

The Western Care Clean Coasts Group was set up in 2020 as during Covid the group felt privileged to have access to their local beaches, and wanted to give back to the communities in the area.

Arklow Coast Care

Established in 2006, Arklow Coast Care has a group of core committed members who are active on Arklow South Beach. Their highlight this year has been working towards a green flag, which they achieved for the 2024 bathing season!

Rathmullan Coast Care and Coastal Warriors

Rathmullan Coast Care and Coastal Warriors are nominated in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Category for their continued work during 2024. Established in 2012 an initially small group has grown to have weekly dedicated volunteers, and advertises clean-ups in weekly notes in the local newspapers to encourage the local community to join at any time.

Tralee Tidy Towns

Tralee Tidy Towns was nominated in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Category. The group meets once a week in the town for a clean-up. As the population of Tralee town has become more diverse, with many people moving to Ireland, the group has now members from different countries, including Ukraine, Syria and Algeria, as well as local people and Irish people who call Tralee their home.

Event of the Year

Clean Coasts Ballynamona

Clean Coasts Ballynamona together with St Colman’s College Midelton in 2024 once again ran the amazing Big Little Beach Clean series of beach based environmental education workshops on 4 Cork beaches; Redbarn in Youghal, Garryvoe & Ardnahinch in Ballycotton and Inchydoney Strand in West Cork.

Clean Coasts Cobh, Ballymore Community Association and Cobh Tidy Towns

Clean Coasts Cobh, Ballymore Community Association and Cobh Tidy Towns had two very large events in 2024. One for World Ocean Day and one for the Big Beach Clean.

Circus 250 /Comhar Dún Chaocháin Teo / Scoil Naisunta Cheathru Thaidhg

The group collective were nominated for Event of the Year 2024 for their Big Beach Clean event. They organize regular clean-ups on two local beaches – Rinn Rua and Port a’ Chlóidh, both of which have Green Coast flags.

Cooley Community Alert

Cooley Community Alert was nominated in the Event of the Year Category 2024. The group organise multiple clean up events throughout the year annually, but in 2024 they organised two a large events worth recognising, one during National Spring Clean in April at Rockmarshall coastal area, and one during the Big Beach Clean in September at Templetown beach.

Ballygarrett Tidy Towns

Ballygarrett Tidy Towns was formed in 2005 with a small committee but great workers who look after the village and nearby beaches of Old Bawn and Cahore. The group work closely with the local schools, clubs and groups to engage them in beach cleans and their “Team up to Clean up” Campaign.

Youth of the Year

West Coast Surf Club

The West Coast Surf Club, located in Lahinch, Co. Clare, has been nominated in the Youth of the Year category. This group is dedicated to fostering a strong sense of community through a variety of programmes, including the Boardriders programme, Inclusion Sessions, and Mná na Tonnta.

Navan National Learning Network

The students in National Learning Network have been nominated in the Youth of the Year category. This past summer students completed their QQI Level 3 Community Participation Module that included working with the Clean Coasts Programme where they took part and evaluated their time working with Clean Coasts.

St Colmans College

St. Colman’s Community College have been a Clean Coasts group since 2015. The school is based in Midelton near to so many wonderful beaches on the East Cork coastline. St Colman’s College have always been a strong school with the environment on their mind

1st Port Sea Scouts

The 1st Port of Dublin Sea Scouts has been nominated in the Youth of the Year Category for their contribution and dedication to their local waterways in 2024. The group had a lot of new members this year and getting them involved in and becoming engaged with all of their activities throughout the year was a big highlight.

North West Home Education Group

Following their success as Clean Coasts Ocean Hero Youth of the Year in 2023, the children and young people of North West Home Education Group continue to be passionate about the beaches and rivers of Inishowen and work in keeping them clean.