This summer Enjoy and Protect our coast
Tips and guidance for exploring the Irish coast and spending time outdoors sustainably
The Irish coast offers breath-taking views, beautiful beaches, epic cliffs, and more, and its unique beauty and character have been attracting visitors from all over the world – did you know that some of the coastal areas in Ireland have been named top tourists’ attractions in Europe, ranking higher than other famous landmarks including Buckingham Palace, the Eiffel Tower and the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
The Irish coast also presents its visitors with numerous opportunities to have fun. With the nice weather on the way, we expect that more people will be visiting the beautiful coastal areas around the country, whether it is for sea swimming, water sports, or simply to enjoy the stunning landscape.
With our ‘Enjoy and Protect’ campaign, we are once more asking people to enjoy and celebrate our outdoors and stunning coastline, but also to protect these natural treasures.
Want to join our campaign?
If you enjoy spending time outdoors and on our coast, and want to do your bit to protect it, then download our free guides, which contain tips and ideas on easy ways to protect our outdoors, both when you are out and about, and from home, before or after you spend your day outdoor.
Moreover, to mark the launch of the campaign and celebrate Earth Day, we are hosting two free events – a SUP+Beach Clean in co. Dublin and a Beach Clean+Free Snorkel Diver Course in co. Galway. You can find the details for this events and join on this page. Clean Coasts will host more events across Ireland, so make sure you keep an eye on social media. Alternatively, if you are hosting a water sport event, yoga session on the beach, or any other events and would like them to be an Enjoy and Protect event, get in touch at cleancoasts@eeu.antaisce.org.
Ireland National Outdoor Recreation Strategy
According to the CSO “Our Lives Outdoors’ survey”, carried out in spring 2022 prior to the creation of Ireland National Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2023-2027, 98% of Irish adults like to spend time outdoors, and 55% people spend more time outdoors than before COVID, with recreational walking being #1 activity practiced in country.
The Ireland National Outdoor Recreation Strategy was created to lead, guide and facilitate the sustainable development and management of outdoor recreation and increased participation, in order to realise social, health and economic benefits, while caring for the environment and promoting responsible recreation.
Ireland National Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2023-2027 has 6 Strategic Objectives. Click on the image to zoom in.
Image source: Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors
How does our Enjoy and Protect campaign support these objectives?
- Environment: Protecting out coastline, outdoors and environment is the main objective of the campaign. Through the campaign, Clean Coasts will be sharing easy ideas and tips to protect our environment, from beach cleaning, to sustainable living tips, to micro-volunteering campaign and more.
- Awareness: The Enjoy and Protect campaign creates awareness of our outdoor recreation opportunities and how to enjoy them responsibly, through the hosting of ad-hoc events and sharing online resources
- Opportunities: The Enjoy and Protect campaign increases and supports the number of people active in the outdoors, by hosting outdoor events or supporting other groups and individuals to host their own, while highlighting the benefits of taking part in these activities.
- Expertise: Through the Enjoy and Protect guides, Clean Coasts provides expert advice on how to sustainably enjoy outdoor activities, also through the collaboration with wildlife association, water sport experts and more.
Enjoy and Protect – Outdoor Living Guide
Leo Tolstoy once said that “one of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between man and nature shall not be broken”.
As we travel around Ireland’s terrestrial and coastal landscapes, it is important to continue to develop these strong bonds with nature and to do our best to protect our natural heritage.
In this guide, you’ll find useful information, tips and a checklist if you are planning to spend time outdoors, hiking, camping or eating, as well as things you need to know about Ireland’s wildlife and conservation areas.
Click on the button below to download our Outdoor Living guide.
Enjoy and Protect – A Day at the Beach Guide
In this guide, you’ll find information on our coast, marine biodiversity and conservation areas, and marine litter. You will also find a list of fun beach activities you can do, along with what can be done to protect our beaches, from alternative ways to get to the coast to doing a #2MinuteBeachClean.
Click on the button below to download our Day at the Beach guide.
Enjoy and Protect – Wildlife Photography
Are you passionate about wildlife photography? Whether or not you decide to enter our Love Your Coast photography competition, this guide is for you!
This guide was drafted in conjunction with birdwatch Ireland, Seal Rescue Ireland (SRI) and the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) and aims to equip photographers with the correct information on how to capture the beauty of wildlife without causing any harm. If you make a submission to the Love Your Coast photography competition the following guidelines have to be followed.
Click on the button below to download our Wildlife Photography guide.
Enjoy and Protect - Water Sports
As an island nation we are fortunate enough to have over 3,000km of coastline right on our doorstep, perfect for swimming, surfing, kayaking, wind surfing, paddle boarding… the list goes on! We encourage everyone to get out there and make the most of these incredible blue spaces, but we’re also conscious that our outdoor pursuits can have a huge impact on the natural environment.
We’ve developed this guide full of information and advice on helping to protect the marine environment and the biodiversity that calls it home, while you’re out enjoying all the wonderful water sports, Ireland’s coastline has to offer.
Enjoy and Protect - Community Guide
Are you part of a registered Clean Coasts group? There is a special guide available for you - our Community Guide.
This document includes guidance on organising beach cleans, building a network, attracting new volunteers and promoting your work.
You should have received an email from us with a link to download this guide. Didn't get our message? Get in touch with your Clean Coasts regional development officer directly. Not sure who to contact? Send us a message at cleancoasts@eeu.antaisce.org
Enjoy and Protect - Our Events
To mark the launch of the campaign and celebrate Earth Day, we are hosting two events.
Beach Clean and Snorkel Course
This Earth Day, Atlantic Scuba Adventures are celebrating with an event to Enjoy and Protect our coast.
This Clean Coasts group are hosting a beach clean at Tra An Doilin, An Cheathru Rua, followed by a free SSI Snorkel Diver course straight after the clean-up for the first 20 people who register on the day*, as a thank you for protecting our ocean. They will also provide all other cleaners with a 50% discount code to complete their snorkel course at a later day if they wish. (T&Cs apply*)
Equipment and clean-up kit provided, just show up on the day.
If you plan on snorkelling, all you need to bring is your togs, towel, and water bottle and we'll provide the rest!
Clean Coasts x Big Style SUP Earth Day Stand up Paddleboarding Clean up
This Earth Day we are delighted to be teaming up with Big Style SUP to Enjoy and Protect our coastline by undertaking a Stand Up Paddle Boarding clean up around Dún Laoghaire Harbour.
Equipment will be provided by Clean Coasts and Big Style SUP, however, if you have your own wetsuit it would be a good idea to bring it along, that way you can make sure you get a dry one and your own one is always the most comfortable.
Make sure to be prepared for being outdoors for a while, whether this means warm clothes or suncream… or both, as it is Ireland after all.
Micro-Volunteering Campaigns to Enjoy and Protect
With their Enjoy and Protect campaign, Clean Coasts invite people to enjoy and celebrate Ireland’s stunning coastline, but also to protect these natural treasures for future generations to enjoy too, by making more sustainable choices, taking part in beach cleans, or learn more about our micro-volunteering campaigns, such as the #2MinuteBeachClean – carried out in partnership with the 2 Minute Foundation – or the Think Before You Flush and Think Before You Pour campaigns – two Uisce Éireann’s campaigns operated by Clean Coasts.
About #2MinuteBeachClean: The #2MinuteBeachClean, which was first developed by the 2 Minute Foundation in the UK, is a really easy way to get involved in protecting our marine environment, and in Ireland it is operated by Clean Coasts.
With this campaign, Clean Coasts encourages all beach goers to do a #2MinuteBeachClean whenever they visit the beach: simply take two minutes to collect some marine litter you see along the way, share a picture of it on social media to show others how easy it is to make a difference, and dispose of the litter collected correctly. https://cleancoasts.org/our-initiatives/2minutebeachclean/
About Think Before You Flush: 
Think Before You Flush is a public awareness campaign highlighting the problems caused by flushing sanitary products and other items down the toilet. Consequences include blockages in our household plumbing, our wastewater network and littering our marine environment. The campaign is operated by An Taisce’s Clean Coasts programme in partnership with Irish Water and has been running since 2015. Each year, the campaign runs regionally in cities, towns and villages across Ireland. The campaign works with the local community, businesses and schools to promote changes in flushing behaviour through workshops, events and clean ups. The goal of the campaign is to encourage people to always #ThinkB4UFlush. www.thinkbeforeyouflush.org
About Think Before You Pour: Think Before You Pour is a public awareness campaign highlighting the problems caused by pouring fats, oils and greases (FOGs) down the sink. Consequences include the formation of fatbergs, which are very large masses of solid waste in a sewerage system, consisting especially of congealed fat that have been poured down the sink and personal hygiene products that have been flushed down toilets. This causes blockages in household plumbing and the wastewater network. The goal of the campaign is to encourage people to always #ThinkB4UPour The campaign is operated by Clean Coasts (An Taisce) in partnership with Uisce Éireann. Think Before You Pour is a section of the Think Before You Flush Campaign, which highlights the problems associated with flushing inappropriate items, such as wipes and cotton buds, down the toilet.