Every year, the Clean Coasts' Ocean Hero Awards honour and celebrate the amazing work of Clean Coasts volunteers, groups and communities conserving and protecting our spectacular coastline.
In 2022, 28 Clean Coasts groups, individuals, and organisations were shortlisted for the Ocean Hero Awards across 7 categories, and you can meet the winners here! Check out the awards highlights up top!
The awards, originally called the Clean Coasts' Merit Awards, began in 2006, and there was only category - The Clean Coasts Group of the Year.
Since then, the Clean Coasts programme has grown to engage over 2,000 groups. Coastal communities all over Ireland and people of all ages got involved in everything from beach cleans to awareness campaigns.
Read on to find out more and see the full list of this year's winners.
in Cork won the Youth Award! Pic: Naoise Culhane
The full list of winners is here:
- Group of the Year Award: Keep Our Beaches Clean in Co Mayo
- Individual of the Year Award: Peter O'Donnell – Arranmore Island Clean Coasts in Co Donegal
- Youth of the Year Award: St Colmans Community College in Co. Cork, Gasoga Mara na Galtachta in Co Galway, and West Coast Surf Club in Co Clare
- Local Action Award: Bettystown Tidy Towns in Co Meath
- Campaigner of the Year Award: Sean Ferguson in Co Wexford
- Beach Clean Award: St Colman’s College & Clean Coasts Ballynamona in Co Cork
- Special Achievement Award: Maharees Conservation Association CLG in Co Kerry
Click here for more and to get involved!
About Clean Coasts
Clean Coasts is a charity programme, run through the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce, which engages communities in the protection of Ireland's beaches, seas and marine life.
Clean Coasts works with communities to help protect and care for Ireland’s waterways, coastline, seas, ocean and marine life.
