Waterford wildlife photo comes second in prestigious Love Your Coast photography awards

On Friday July 18, An Taisce’s Clean Coasts proudly announced the winning photographers of the 2025 Love Your Coast photography competition.

Running for its 16th year, the award ceremony held in EPIC, Dublin, showcased the Irish Coast in all its wonder, celebrating the immense beauty and heritage of the coast and waterways that Clean Coasts’ volunteers work tirelessly to protect.

This year, Dublin photographer Maria Quigley’s photograph, "Embrace the Water", was named the overall winner of the Clean Coasts 2025 Love Your Coast photography competition. With her photo also taking first place in the new ‘Connecting with the Coast’ category.

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Dan Ryan with his photo titled 'Death at Dusk' which took 2nd place in the Wildlife and the Coast category of the Clean Coasts Love Your Coast Photography Competition

Dan Ryan came second place in the 'Wildlife and the Coast' category with his photo "Death at Dusk" which was taken at Dungarvan Harbour in Waterford, as an egret captures his dinner for the evening.

“I watched this egret fishing in the shallows as the tide was rising. Each minute he came closer to me as the water level rose. I was sitting with camouflage with my back to a wall. He caught several small fish before turning into the setting sun and plucking this scorpion fish from the water. The egret thought better of swallowing it and left it for a hungry seagull to carry it away,” explained Dan.

"Golden Surge" was a finalist in 'Connecting with the Coast' category, shot by Kevin Doyle at Tramore Beach in Waterford, depicting a golden wave engulfing some swimmers.

“This particular evening last January had some fantastic light just before sunset. I was shooting the backwash when, all of a sudden, a group of swimmers decided to go for a very cold, winter dip. I kept track of them as they waded out and just at the right moment, the backwash exploded behind them creating a dramatic and perfectly timed backdrop,” Kevin said.

This year over 560 photographers entered a total of 1,178 photos for a placement in the top three in one of five categories and their share of the €5,000 prize fund and for a shot at the coveted title of Photographer of the Year.

The five distinct categories this year focused on showcasing the interconnectedness of Ireland’s waterways and how people, place and nature all connect with our vital blue spaces, be it by the beach, lake, or river.

Two new categories were introduced this year to highlight this theme of Connection; Connecting with the Coast, and Source to Sea, alongside firm competition favourites of Coastal Landscape, Wildlife and The Coast, and Underwater.

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Love Your Coast 2025 Finalists 

An Taisce’s Clean Coasts Programme Manager, Bronagh Moore said,

"The Love Your Coast photography competition, has once again received outstanding submissions which is a testament to the hugely talented photographers we have in Ireland and how they can so creatively capture the stunning beauty of our coastline and waterways.

"We introduced two new categories this year to highlight our unique connection to the water and its journey from source to shore, and it proved to be hugely popular. You can see from the beauty of the photographs, why our community groups are so motivated and work tirelessly to care for and protect our coastline, marine life and waterways.”

The Love Your Coast photography competition aims to promote connection to Ireland’s coastal beauty and character, as captured through the lens of talented photographers who take part in the competition year after year.