Cork Photographer Named Overall Winner of National Love Your Coast Competition

A Cork photographer has taken the top prize in this year's national Love Your Coast photography competition, with a striking image of an otter and its catch captured along the River Lee in Cork City.

The winners of the 2026 Love Your Coast photography competition were announced on 16 July 2026 by An Taisce's Clean Coasts Programme at an awards ceremony in Dublin's Smock Alley Theatre. Now in its 17th year, the competition attracted over 1,100 entries from more than 390 photographers, competing across five categories under this year's theme of "Impact." A prize fund of €5,000 was on offer, along with the chance for winning images to be published in a national newspaper.

Cork photographer Chris Martin was named overall Photographer of the Year for his photograph "A Bit of a Pinch," which also placed first in the "Wildlife and the Coast" category. Taken one spring evening along the River Lee in Cork City, the image captures a fleeting encounter between an otter and a crab, moments before the animal took his catch under a nearby bridge to eat away from watching gulls.

Chris Martin, photographer:

"I followed this male otter along the River Lee in Cork City one April evening, watching him investigate the steps and nooks and crannies in the old quay walls, when he suddenly appeared with this fiery coloured crab. He immediately took it under the next bridge to enjoy it in privacy away from the ever-alert gulls."

A second image by Martin, "The Deep End," also taken in Cork City and showing a male otter climbing a ladder from the water, was named a finalist in the same category.

Cork featured strongly elsewhere in the shortlist too. Szymon Landwojtowicz's photograph "Between Showers at Lough Hyne," taken at Lough Hyne, Co. Cork, was named a finalist in the "Wildlife and the Coast" category. Julia Cooper's underwater image "Spiny Starfish, Marthasterias Glacialis, in the Kelp Forest," captured while snorkelling in the kelp forests of Bantry Bay, Co. Cork, was shortlisted in the "Underwater" category. Wildlife writer and broadcaster Jim Wilson, based near Cobh in Cork Harbour, also sat on this year's judging panel.

First place in the remaining categories went to Adrian Nolan for "Stick Man," taken at Salthill Promenade, Co. Galway, in Coastal Landscape; Paul Flynn for "In for a Dip," taken at Inch Beach, Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry, in People and the Coast; Éabha Hughes for "World's Best Dad," taken at Girl Arlene Shipwreck, Hook, Co. Wexford, in Underwater; and Pawel Zygmunt for "Tidal Rivers," taken on Bull Island, Co. Dublin, in Source to Sea.

Bronagh Moore, Clean Coasts Programme Manager:

"Every year we are reminded of how many talented and creative photographers we have nationwide capturing incredible images of our beautiful island. We are so grateful and privileged to have them share their passion with us and in turn showcase Ireland's stunning coast, waterways and wildlife. Our theme of 'impact' this year serves as a reminder that our every action has an impact both positive and negative. We must all play our part in ensuring our actions serve to protect and care for our coast, waterways, Ocean and marine life."

Full results and the top ten images in each category are available on the Clean Coasts website.