A GROUP of volunteers from Clare were among the winners at the Clean Coasts Ocean Hero awards ceremony this week. West Coast Surf Club was one of the recipients of the Ocean Hero Youth of the Year Title. The West Coast Surf Club is a surf non-profit club based out of Lahinch with 270 members, who work regularly with Clean Coasts group Keep Lahinch Clean, and host beach cleans in the area. In particular, the junior board riders in the club are very active participants in these beach cleaning events and take great pride in participating. The work of Spanish Point Community group was also showcased during the ceremony, being one of the nominees in the group of the year category. This year, the group got involved in a lot of activities, including the Big Beach Clean, Clean Coasts Rocky Shore Safari with David Wall of National Biodiversity Data Centre, #2minutebeachclean and Think Before You Flush, and many other sustainable …
Read More »Put your coastline in the frame for photography prize
CLARE’S amateur photographers are being urged to put the county’s coastline and waterways in the frame as Clean Coasts’ launches its annual ‘Love Your Coast’ photography competition. The competition has opened to submissions from Clare photographers for its 13th year. The Love Your Coast competition asks amateur 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. Clare has some of the most spectacular coastlines in the world and Clean Coasts want to encourage people to get out their cameras as they explore the Irish coast and capture its beauty. 2021 saw Clare photographer Mike Orth win second place in the Wildlife and Underwater category for his photo entitled Compass by Cave Light that was taken at the entrance to Donegal Point Cave in Kilkee, County Clare. Moreover, Gavin Sheehan with the picture titled Finavarra Under the Night Sky and Piotr Machowczyk with the photograph Mighty Cliffs of Moher were shortlisted …
Read More »West and north coast celebrated in prestigious photography competition
STUNNING photos of North and West Clare’s coastal and marine environment have been recognised in a highly prestigious national competition. The Love Your Coast initiative is part of the long-running Clean Coasts Programme, and aims to celebrate Ireland’s unique coastline through the medium of photography. This year sees the 12th anniversary of the scheme and three of the images that impressed the judges most feature this county. Clare photographer Mike Orth took second place in the Wildlife and Underwater category for a picture entitled ‘Compass by Cave Light’. The skilful shot features a compass jellyfish and Mike captured the image at the entrance to Donegal Point Cave in Kilkee. A keen diver, Mike, encountered the jellyfish while diving at Kilkee. “I asked my club mates if I could enter the cave at Donegal Point first, to set up and photograph them as they entered the cave from the east side. “I set up just inside the entrance just under the …
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