Call for Mayo entries as Clean Coasts’ annual Love Your Coast photography competition opens

Clean Coasts' annual Love Your Coast photography competition has officially opened for entries for its 14th edition.

The Love Your Coast competition asks for photographers to capture and celebrate the uniqueness of our coastal communities, environments or waterways such as its stunning coastline, beautiful beaches, epic cliff faces and raging rivers.

Ireland has some of the most spectacular coastlines in the world and Clean Coasts want to encourage people to get out their cameras this summer as they explore the Irish coast and capture its beauty.

This year, the Clean Coasts programme is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and the Love Your Coast competition will be a chance to celebrate this achievement. For the past 20 years, Clean Coasts has been working with communities on the ground to help foster pride in our coastline, supporting Clean Coasts communities, groups and volunteers to tackle issues affecting their local area.

To mark the occasion, a new category has been added to the competition – Protectors of the Coast – which will showcase what volunteering on the coast and community spirit is all about. Other changes to this year's competition are the reintroduction of the Underwater category, which was temporarily removed during Covid due to restrictions around diving.

The competition’s categories this year are: Wildlife and Coast; Coastal Landscape; People and the Coast; Coastal Heritage; Underwater; and Protectors of the Coast.

Photographers have until 9 a.m. on August 28 to submit their best images in one of the five categories to be in with the chance to win a prize from a fund of €6,000 across all categories.

Last year, Brian Wilson with 'Weathering the Storm' – captured at Broadhaven Lighthouse, Ballyglass, Co. Mayo – was awarded the second place prize in the Coastal Heritage Category.

Brian commented: “I have photographed Broadhaven Lighthouse in all types of weather. A winter storm providing the dramatic scene for this image. I was positioned with my camera against a ditch, sheltering from the howling wind, when a brief break in the clouds allowed the low winter sunlight to illuminate the dramatic scene of the huge waves crashing against the rocks!

“A true testament to the quality of workmanship, this lighthouse has weathered many storms since light was first established in 1855.”

Moreover, Kevin Foley with 'Croaghaun Sea Cliffs' – taken on Achill Island, Co. Mayo – was also awarded the second place prize in the Coastal Landscape Category. He said: “I have always wanted to photograph the amazing Coaghaun Mountain on Achill Island. At 688 meters, it has the highest sea cliffs in Ireland as well as the third highest sea cliffs in Europe. The views are spectacular in this area.

“If planning, it's important to get the right weather conditions and avoid fog, which can be a challenge, but I was lucky on the day to get spectacular views of the highest lake in Ireland, Bunnafreva Lough West, from the top of the stunning cliffs.”

In addition, Terry Conroy with 'Achill Man' – shot at Purteen Harbour, Keel, Achill – arrived third in the People and the Coast category. Terry spotted the subject of this photo while wandering in the Purteen Harbour and returned the following day with a camera and the man was there again.

Terry said: “I approached him and looked for permission. What a lovely man he was! We had a great chat and it turned out this is his 'Covid look'. Seamus is normally a smartly dressed teacher with hair cut short. Thankfully I met him on the right occasion!”

Finally, 'Raindrop' – an image captured by Mick Bohan at White Strand – was shortlisted in the top 10 in the Creativity and the Coast category.

For the past 14 years, the Love Your Coast photography competition has represented an opportunity to view and celebrate the coast and our waterways that the Clean Coasts programme has been working to protect since 2003, and see the beauty captured therein.

The competition began in 2010 and has grown from strength to strength since, with entries going from approximately 500 in year one to over 1,100 in 2022. There has been a massive improvement in quality as well.

For 2023, Clean Coasts is looking forward to receiving even more amazing entries. Photographers are encouraged to explore new and different methods and angles in capturing the coastal regions and wildlife, and photographs of locations and species that have been heavily submitted in previous years would be discouraged.

Clean Coast manager Sinead McCoy stated: “Clean Coasts are delighted to be launching the Love Your Coast competition for the 14th year. The competition draws considerable interest from Ireland’s photographers and coastal enthusiasts, and over the previous years it has received thousands of entries with the standard getting higher with each passing year.

“We are delighted to welcome back the Underwater category and excited to introduce the new category, Protectors of the Coast.

“The Love Your Coast competition is a fantastic addition to the Clean Coasts programme as it showcases the stunning environment that our groups work so hard to protect.”

To enter, visit the Clean Coasts website at https://cleancoasts.org/our-initiatives/love-your-coast.