Photographers capture the beauty of Wexford in Love Your Coast competition

Todor Tilev's ‘Abandoned Ship’, which was taken at Hook Peninsula, won second place in the Coastal Heritage Category. Speaking about the image, Todor said: "I had heard of an abandoned ship, the Port lairge, at Hook Peninsula which was built in Dublin in 1907 and was 42 metres long. It was in use until 1982 and in 1987 left Waterford to rest in Bannow Bay near Saltmills.

"For nearly 35 years the Port lairge has polluted the sea, without doubt it is a great subject for photographers, but not for the environment. I had visited it a few times, but the tide was always out. I was at the Saltee Islands one day and decided on the way back to home to visit it again. The tide was coming in and the clouds moved very quickly. I realised that this is a special moment and used very long exposure to get the movement of both water and the clouds. I was delighted with the final result."

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Alan Davis’s ‘Loopers on a Log’ came second in the newly-established category Protectors of Our Coast which was added to mark Clean Coasts 20th anniversary to showcase what volunteering on our coast is about.

Alan commented: "As the evening's clean-up came to an end, we gathered, as usual, for our group's traditional jelly babies ritual. A washed-up tree trunk, offered both a perfect resting spot and an ideal backdrop for our social media group photo. At this point, the suggestion to rock the boat with the log to provide a sturdy vessel for the crew was irresistible. Several snaps were taken, but this one, in particular, seemed to capture the full spectrum of personalities, from the shy introverts to the extravagant performers.

"One of our members christened the picture ‘Loopers on a Log’, and we assure you it's a term of endearment that holds no offense to our would-be sailors. This cherished moment truly embodies the spirit of our group, a testament to our unique camaraderie."

Donal Power with ‘Storm Chaser’, taken at the Greater Saltee Island, came third in the Wildlife and the Coast category. "Strong winds, stormy seas, wild seabirds are all part of our natural coastline heritage,” said Donal. “Even during the summer months, there's never any real guarantee of flat calm seas, Such was the case on one particular July trip to the greater Saltee Island this year.

“However, after a rough enough journey and feeling very queasy, we eventually managed to land on the island. On the south end of the island, it was at its most spectacular and one could feel the kinetic energy sweeping across the ocean. Here, the gannets, guillemots and razorbills became as playthings to the wind and waves. In this photo, one can see a storm chaser razorbill battling against the fury of the tempest.”

Pat Somers's ‘Little Egret with Mullet’ taken in Ferrybank and Declan Roche with Homeward Bound taken at the Saltee Islands, were also shortlisted in the top ten in the Wildlife and the Coast category. Myles Lambert's image One Golden Glance and Declan Roche's Sunset at Hook Lighthouse both captured at Hook Head, were also shortlisted in the Coastal Heritage category.

Finally, three images from Wexford were shortlisted among the top ten in the Underwater category, two by Ivan Donoghue - ‘Collision Avoidance’ captured at and ‘Permission To Land’ taken at Hook Head - and Shazia Waheed's ‘Shore Clingfish’ taken at Kilmore Quay.

Since 2010, the Love Your Coast photography competition has been a celebration of all the beauty and uniqueness of the Irish coast, that Clean Coasts volunteers work to protect. "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."