The Clean Coasts’ Ocean Hero Awards 2024 will take place on the 27th of November.
Click the link below for information on our amazing shortlist for 2024.
Clean Coasts asked the public to nominate volunteers who they believe have made an outstanding contribution to Ireland’s coastal environment for our Ocean Hero Awards.
We are really looking forward to this year’s awards ceremony! If you nominated an Ocean Hero, check out the 2024 shortlist through the link below!
What are the Ocean Hero Awards?
The Clean Coasts’ Ocean Hero Awards are about honouring the invaluable contribution Clean Coasts volunteers, groups and communities have made towards conserving our spectacular coastline.
The awards, originally called the ‘Clean Coasts’ Merit Awards’, were conceived in 2006, consisting then of only one category, ‘The Clean Coasts’ Group of the Year’. Since then the Clean Coasts’ programme has grown to engage over 2,000 Clean Coasts groups and 40,000 volunteers, becoming embedded in many coastal communities nationwide.
For the past 20 years, Clean Coasts has grown from strength to strength expanding and creating campaigns and initiatives aimed at enjoying, protecting and celebrating the beauty of our coast. None of that would be possible without the groups and volunteers all across Ireland that have helped make and grow the programme into what it is today, and for that, we thank you.
Clean Coasts are asking the public to nominate the Clean Coasts groups and volunteers who they believe have made an outstanding contribution to Ireland’s coastal environment.
We ask you to share your stories, highlight your community leaders, celebrate the worker bees, and all those who have been fantastic in driving forward the efforts of your Clean Coasts group this year.
We can’t wait to pay tribute to our Ocean Heroes at our award ceremony soon!
Ocean Hero Awards 2024 – Categories*
- Group of the Year Award
This award recognises the Clean Coasts group who have made the most significant contribution to our coastline during 2023. We invite you to nominate any Clean Coasts group you work with or know of that have contributed a huge amount to the coastline and/or community in recent years. Clean Coasts groups’ work varies a huge degree throughout the country, so we would love to hear about what the group you nominate focus on and any achievements or work they have completed over the past year.
- Individual of the Year Award
This award acknowledges those individuals who initiate change and inspire others to do more to protect and conserve their coastline. Clean Coasts’ Individual of the year can be leaders within Clean Coasts groups, leaders in community, individuals who work alone or in small groups and inspire others.
- Youth of the Year Award
This award honours our younger Clean Coasts volunteers. We would love to hear about individual youths or young groups that have joined or set up your local Clean Coasts group or have linked in with Clean Coasts programmes over the past year. Nominations for Youth of the Year award can be made for an individual, Clean Coasts group, youth group, scouts’ groups, or school groups etc., who have worked through Clean Coasts over the past year and have gone above and beyond to clean our shorelines and raise awareness about the issues facing it.
- Campaigner of the Year Award
The Campaigner of the Year Award is an award given to dedicated groups that demonstrates outstanding commitment and innovation in supporting existing Clean Coasts Campaigns as well as helping harness new campaigns and initiatives based on concerns in their area or nationwide, celebrating and honour individuals or groups who have made a significant impact on coastal conservation and environmental stewardship.
- Event of the Year Award
This category recognises noteworthy events organised by Clean Coasts groups that have made a significant positive impact on coastal environments and community education, honouring the dedication, creativity, and efforts of Clean Coasts groups in organising events that contribute to the protection and enhancement of our coastlines. These could be clean-up event, special talks, workshops or education seminars.
- Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award
This award celebrates and acknowledges the Clean Coasts groups in Ireland that actively embrace and promote diversity among their members, making clean-up efforts more inclusive and representative of the diverse communities across the country. This award category is designed to shine a spotlight on those actively fostering a sense of equality, diversity, and inclusion within their organization, ensuring no one is left out. Whether it’s through engaging people from various cultural backgrounds, age groups, abilities, or socioeconomic statuses, these groups make a conscious effort to build bridges and unite people for a common cause: safeguarding our precious coastal environments.
*All nominees should be registered with the Clean Coasts programme for at least the past 6 months.
Ocean Hero 2023 Winners and Shortlist
Group of the Year
Tomhaggard Clean Coasts Group – Winners
From humble beginnings centered on The White Hole cleanup in Tomhaggard, the Tomhaggard Clean Coasts group, part of a community art project, has grown to 50+ members in three years.
Keep Our Beaches Clean
Keep Our Beaches Clean were shortlisted in the Group of the Year Category. Based in Louisburgh, they work to protect a large number of beaches along a long coastline, with members who do daily and weekly beaches cleans.
Fenit Coast Conservation
Fenit Coast Conservation were nominated in the “”Group of the Year Category””. Fenit Coast Conservation are a relatively new group but have a large footprint. Fenit Tombolo is not large but the group tend to it’s dunes with great care.
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Rush Tidy Towns
Rush Tidy Towns were shortlisted in both the Group of the year and Special Achievement categories. This group was nominated for their dune protection work, consistency in beach clean ups and to recognise their appointment as one of the national Sustainable Development Goals champions for 2023/2024.
Tramore Eco Group
Tramore Eco Group are a small but very passionate group of people who have a love of nature and where they live. The group meet once a week to ensure they keep the wonderful seaside town’s main beaches and main walkway tidy.
Individual of the Year
Martha Farrell – Winners
Martha Farrell, from the Maharees Conservation Association, was shortlisted in the Individual of the Year Category. She isn’t the only one in the group but she certainly is the driving force.
Ed Sheldon
Ed Sheldon, a member of the Fenit Coast Conservation group was nominated in the “Individual of the Year” ctaegory. A very passionate member, always full of ideas and plans, he was instrumental in running the seagrass exploration project funded by Galway Atlantaquaria.
Lourda Scott
Lourda Scott, a dedicated advocate for environmental well-being, serves as a Co-ordinator for ‘Clean Coasts North Wicklow’ and contributes to Greystones Tidy Towns and Junior Tidy Towns.
Mairead Staunton
Mairead Staunton is a volunteer who works with several Clean Coasts groups, including Keep Our Beaches Clean, Mna na Mara and Western Care Association, and she has been nominated in the Individual of the Year category.
Proinsias O’ Tuama
Proinsias is the volunteer who started Clean Coasts Ballynamona by simply picking up litter on his local beach, and the group has now grown to include East Cork Biodiversity and Planet Ireland, all under the umbrella of Sea Land and Trust.
Youth of the Year
North West Home Education Group – Winners
The North West Home Education Group were shortlisted in the Youth of the Year category. This group of children and young adults who are home educating, joined Clean Coasts in 2021 and have carried out beach and river cleans in Inishowen.
St Colman’s Community College
St. Colman’s Community College, in conjunction with Ballynamona Clean Coasts, were nominated in the ‘Youth of the Year’ category. In 2023, St. Colman’s were integral in facilitating and assisting in the Big Little Beach Clean that saw over 600 kids from 14 different schools go to the coast in May & June this year.
Dara O’Connor and Timmy Jones
Daragh O’Connor and Timmy Jones – two best friends who live in Maharees – were also nominated in the Youth of the Year Category for their commitment to Maharees Conservation Association dune management and beach cleaning work this year.
Abby & Chloe Stephenson
Abby and Chloe Stephenson, two sisters from Banna Coastcare, were shortlisted in the Youth of the Year category. These two young volunteers have been joining clean ups since 2014, hardly missing an event.
David Kirwin and Aaron Cousins
Childhood friends Aaron Cousins and David Kirwin, members of Tomhaggard Clean Coasts Group, are shortlisted in the Youth of the Year category for the 2023 Clean Coasts Ocean Hero Awards.
Event of the Year
Clean Coasts Ballynamona and St. Colman’s – Winners
Clean Coasts Ballynamona was also nominated in the ‘Event of the Year’ category for running a school beach clean in beaches in East and West Cork in May and June 2023.
Cobh Island Clean Coasts Group
Cobh Island Clean Coasts groups were also nominated in the ‘Event of the Year’ category for their Big Beach Clean 2023 event. This nomination is not for one group but for three groups who cleaned up the great island of Cobh: Ballymore Community Association, Clean Coasts Cobh and Cobh Tidy Towns.
Banna Rescue, Banna Coastcare & Presentation Secondary School, Tralee
Banna Rescue, Banna Coastcare & Presentation Secondary School, Tralee were all nominated in the Event of the Year category, because of their series of events to protect their sand dunes.
Galway Atlantaquaria
In County Galway, Galway Atlantaquaria were shortlisted in the “”Event of the Year”” category. Galway Atlantaquaria hosted several events throughout the year, from regular beach cleaning event to biodiversity workshops.
Campaigner of the Year
Friends of Rossnowlagh Clean Coasts Group – Winners
Friends of Rossnowlagh Clean Coasts Group were nominated in the Campaigner of the Year category for their driving passion and forward thinking in designing a new campaign to help tackle dog waste on the beach.
Our Crossings
Aiva and Valters, aka Our Crossings, two travel bloggers based in county Sligo, were shortlisted in the Campaigner of the Year category, for their efforts promoting the #2MinuteBeachClean campaign.
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Maharees Heritage and Conservation – Think Before You Flush
Maharees Conservation Association CLG (MCA), has been a trailblazer in implementing nature-based solutions and campaigning. In particular they have been nominated for their marine litter themed float at the Castlegregory Summer Parade during their summer festival in 2023 championing the Think Before Your Flush message.
Martina Healy (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 social media.
Mark MacCarthy
Mark Maccarthy, a volunteer based in Schull, joined Clean Coasts in 2017. Mark cleans up the coast the Mizen Peninsula in West Cork and his dedication and commitment to not only keeping the coast clean, but sharing that passion and encouraging others is remarkable.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award
Western Care Association – Winners
Western Care Association were shortlisted in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion category. This group’s aim is to empower people with a wide range of learning and associated disabilities in Co. Mayo to live full and satisfied lives as equal citizens.
Bull Island Action Group
Bull Island Action Group were shortlisted in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion category for their inclusive approach to clean-ups, fostering collaboration with various local groups, including student groups and marginalised communities, engaging individuals from diverse backgrounds in their collective efforts to protect our coast.
Tralee Tidy Towns
Tralee Tidy Towns were nominated in the Equality, Diversity and Inclution category. Tralee Tidy Towns meets once a week in the town a clean-up.
Blessington Tidy Towns
Blessington Tidy has made commendable efforts in creating a welcoming space for all in the area no matter what. In particular, Blessington Tidy Towns’ commitment to inviting the local refugee community to participate with the group’s activities and events.
Siúlóid@CCRC
Siúlóid@CCRC , a diverse walking group of 20 at Clonakilty Community Resource Centre in Cork, commits to monthly beach cleanups since World Water Day 2023.
The Tourism Special Recognition Award, supported by Fáilte Ireland
Falcarragh Clean Coasts Group
Falcarragh Clean Coasts Group were shortlisted in the The Tourism Special Recognition Award (supported by Fáilte Ireland) category for the work they did to protect their local sand dunes.
Bettystown Tidy Towns
Bettystown Tidy Towns were nominated in The Tourism Special Recognition Award (supported by Fáilte Ireland) category for the work they carried out to secure their first Green Flag Award, in Spring 2023.
Streedagh Clean Coasts
Streedagh Conservation Group, nominated for the Tourism Special Recognition Award (supported by Failte Ireland) at the 2023 Clean Coasts Ocean Hero Awards, has demonstrated exceptional commitment to preserving Streedagh beach.
Rush Tidy Towns
Rush Tidy Towns were shortlisted in both the Group of the year and Special Achievement categories. This group was nominated for their dune protection work, consistency in beach clean ups and to recognise their appointment as one of the national Sustainable Development Goals champions for 2023/2024.
Special Achievement Award – Bull Island Action Group
The Bull Island Action Group first began doing beach cleans on Dollymount Strand and Bull Island in 1999, and it was the very first group to register as an official Clean Coasts group in 2003.