Eight Cork groups shortlisted for Ocean Hero Awards

Eight nominees from Cork have been shortlisted across seven categories in the 2025 Ocean Hero Awards. The awards recognise their work litter picking on beaches and taking other actions to keep our coasts clean.

The awards, part of An Taisce’s Clean Coasts programme, pay tribute to the exceptional contributions made by Clean Coasts groups and volunteers across Ireland who are championing coastal care and protection in their communities.

The following Cork groups and individuals have been shortlisted: Clean Coasts Ballynamona in the group of the year category; Health Services Staffs’ Credit Union in the community champion (business award) category, and Ballynamona’s Big Little Beach Clean for the community action award.

Other Cork nominees include Proinsias Ó Tuama for the leadership award; Mark McCarthy as well as Cobh Tidy Towns for the campaign ambassador award; Clonakilty Community Resource Centre (Siúlóid @ CCRC) for the diversity, equality, and inclusion award, and St Colman’s Community College for the youth initiative award. Winners will be awarded the title of Ocean Hero in one of nine categories at a ceremony at the Gibson Hotel in Dublin on International Volunteer Day in December.

Clean Coasts has engaged the support of over 2,500 Clean Coasts groups and 45,000 volunteers nationwide, and the Ocean Hero awards are an annual homage to the great efforts of these dedicated volunteers. Set up in 2006 as the Clean Coasts Merit Awards, the awards have grown from a single category to this year honouring a total of 45 groups and individuals across the nine categories.

Organisers received hundreds of nominations across the following categories: group of year, community champion, youth initiative, campaign ambassador, leadership, diversity, equality and inclusion, nature guardian, community action, and emerging group awards. All shortlisted nominees have been invited to attend the ceremony on December 5.

During the ceremony, there will be panel talks and discussions on the marine environment, Clean Coasts campaigns, and the importance community actions.

Bronagh Moore, Clean Coasts programme manager said community groups and volunteers “are the heartbeat” of the Clean Coasts programme.

“Every year the Ocean Hero Awards affords us the opportunity to celebrate and showcase all the amazing work that these volunteers do, in their own time, all over the country.

“The event is always an inspiring and uplifting occasion that serves as a reminder of the power of community and how together, we can overcome the challenges we face in protecting and caring for our coastline, ocean, marine life and waterways.”