Image taken in Mayo wins Love Your Coast photography competition

An image taken in Co. Mayo has won its taker the overall Photographer of the Year prize at the Love Your Coast photography competition

'Humpback Feeding', captured by Stephen Dunbar in Broadhaven Bay, also took first place in the Wildlife and the Coast category.

Clean Coasts has just announced all of the winning photographers in the 14th edition of the Love Your Coast photography competition.

With a prize fund of €6,000, the competition has attracted hundreds of photographers all around Ireland this year, receiving a record number of over 1,300 entries.

Speaking about his winning image, Stephen said: “This image of a humpback whale was captured in Broadhaven Bay. I watched the whale feeding the day before from land. The next day, I was lucky enough to get out on a rib with Brendan and Marcus from IWDG.

“We first encountered two huge basking sharks when they came over to our boat. After that, we found the humpback whale feeding in the bay with a handful of minke whales and lots of common dolphins. Many birds feed in the bay, including kittiwakes, which are seen in the image, along with puffins, guillemots and razorbills.”

Elsewhere, Terry Conroy was shortlisted among the top 10 in the People and the Coast category with the image 'Marching to the Pipes' taken in Dooagh in Achill Island, Co. Mayo. The image captures the Dooagh Pipe Band marching in full costume against a dark sky by the beach at Dooagh, Achill. This traditional bagpipe band is an important part of life for the community on Achill Island, where fishing and the protection of the coast go hand in hand.

Fran Cassidy with 'Achill Surfers', taken on Keel Strand, was also shortlisted in the top 10 in the People and the Coast category. Fran stated: “Most years, my summer holidays consist of a trip around the Wild Atlantic Way in my small camper van. Destinations like Achill always repay the effort it takes to get there. Each year I fear that this time they won’t, but the elemental magnificence of the landscapes and the restorative rhythms of the sea invariably soothe and invigorate me.

“I think there is something obviously emblematic in this particular scene in the way that the walkers and the frolicking surfers with their vivid boards are dwarfed and thrown into sharp relief by the scale and immutable majesty of the cliffs behind them. I nearly missed the photo as I had to hurry back to my van for a longer lens to capture it properly, but the reality is that I could have relaxed in the knowledge that a similar scene would have presented itself soon enough.”

In 2023, Clean Coasts celebrated its 20th anniversary. Since 2003, Clean Coasts has been working with communities to help protect and care for Ireland’s waterways, coastline, seas, ocean and marine life. Since 2010, the Love Your Coast photography competition has been a celebration of all the beauty and uniqueness of the Irish coast, which Clean Coasts volunteers work to protect.

As part of its commitments under the EU’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive and OSPAR’s Marine Litter Action Plan, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government is proud to support An Taisce’s Clean Coasts Programme in its enthusiastic engagement with marine communities in relation to marine litter and in heightening public awareness and influencing positive behaviour among civil society.

Clean Coasts is also sponsored by Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority. The Green Coast Awards and associated Clean Coasts groups act as custodians for the beaches, seas and marine life in Ireland, ensuring that they are managed appropriately and that they are litter- and pollution-free for our visitors to enjoy.

“Love Your Coast’s mission extends beyond a mere photography competition,” stated Sinead McCoy, Coastal Communities manager. “Our coastal and marine environment form an integral part of Ireland's identity. Through this competition, we invite the people in Ireland to appreciate, celebrate and safeguard our coast, echoing the dedication of our over 2,000 volunteer groups working tirelessly to protect our marine environment.”

The Love Your Coast photography competition stands as a testament to Ireland’s coastal beauty and character, encapsulated through the lens of photographers who take part in the competition year after year. Clean Coasts wants to congratulate all the winning and shortlisted photographers and thank them for being part of this year’s celebrations.