Three Mayo based groups make Clean Coasts Ocean Hero 2022 shortlist

Clean Coasts announced the groups, individuals, communities, and businesses who have been nominated for the Ocean Hero Awards for their outstanding work and commitment to their coastlines and areas.

Each year,  the Ocean Hero Awards honour 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’.

In Mayo, there are three nominees within three separate categories including 'Keep Our Beaches Clean' in the Group of the Year category, 'Friends of Doohoma Coastline' in the Local Action Award category and 'Western Care Group' for the Special Achievement Award category.

This year, the award ceremony will be in person for the first time in two years to pay tribute to the ocean heroes after two years of alternative celebrations.

Sinead McCoy, Clean Coasts manager said: “For the past 15 years, the Clean Coasts programme’s Ocean Hero Awards have been celebrating the incredible efforts of Clean Coasts volunteers around the Irish Coastline. We have nothing but awe and respect for the amazing groups and individuals highlighted in our shortlist for this years Ocean Hero Awards. We were delighted to have received so many inspirational nominations that show not only the true dedication of these coastal custodians, but also that their efforts don’t go unnoticed by the community”

In 2021 a total 36 groups, organisations and individuals were shortlisted for the title of Ocean Hero within each of the ten categories.

Mairead Staunton from Mayo who participates often with the group Keep our Beaches Clean was awarded first place in 2021 for the individual of the year category in Clean Coast’s Ocean Hero Awards ceremony, a category that acknowledges those individuals who initiate change and inspire others to do more to protect and conserve their coastline.

The overall Keep our Beaches Clean group won first place in the Beach Clean Bubble Award category in 2021. The Beach Clean Bubble Award acknowledged new and established Clean Coasts groups made up of close family and friends who banded together during lock-down to look after their local waterway or coastline.

After announcing the shortlist last year, we went on a road trip across Ireland to meet the winners of each category and surprise them with the news and say thank you.

These various ceremonies were filmed and compiled into a celebratory video that can be found on Clean Coast’s YouTube Channel.

The awards ceremony will be taking place on Tuesday, November 22 so, in the mean time, watch this space to see who will be named a 2022 Clean Coasts Ocean Hero in the coming weeks.