Bundoran photographer makes a Splash to win Love Your Coast Image of the Year

Bundoran-based photographer Darragh Gorman’s ‘Splash,’ captured in Mullaghmore Co Sligo, has been awarded the Clean Coasts 'Love Your Coast Photography' Image of the Year. 

Clean Coasts announced the winners of the 13th edition of their competition during an in-person award ceremony in the Smock Alley Theatre, in Dublin on Thursday.

After a two-year break, when the awards were held in a virtual ceremony, Clean Coasts and the photographers who were shortlisted, were happy to be back celebrating the beauty of the Irish coast in person. 

First Place and Overall Winner Darragh Gorman's 'Splash', Mullaghmore Co Sligo

"I have been photographing storm's at Mullaghmore Co. Sligo for the last 10 years," Darragh said. "It's always spectacular and wild, but this day was extra special as the offshore winds were blowing into the face of the crashing waves and lifting the skyward. It was a unique day and one I'll always remember."

Darragh, originally from Kildare and living in Bundoran the last 10 years, with 'Sun Surfer' taken in Bundoran and looking into Mullaghmore, was also awarded the third place in the Creativity and the Coast category. 

“I have surfed and photographed this area more times than I can remember,” Darragh said. “I have tried for years to get a surfer in action with Classiebawn Castle in the background. It's fairly straightforward to photograph a surfer, a castle and a sunset but lining them all up took some patience and a lot of luck.” 

Darragh Gorman's 'Sun Surfer' taken in Bundoran facing towards Mullaghmore

For the past 13 years, the Love Your Coast photography competition has been  inviting photographers to capture the uniqueness of our coastal landscape, heritage, wildlife, communities and more, and to submit their best shot across five categories - Coastal Heritage, Coastal Landscape, People & the Coast, Wildlife & the Coast and Creativity and the Coast – for a chance to win prizes from a €5,000 prize fund and plenty of exposure opportunities. 

Gary McCall's 'Peaty River meets the Atlantic'

Gary McCall with ‘Peaty River Meets the Atlantic; shot in Dunfanaghy, and Samantha O'Connor with ‘Sunset at Fanad Lighthouse, Co Donegal’ captured at the Fanad Peninsula, were shortlisted in the top 10 in the Creativity and the Coast and Coastal Landscape categories, respectively.  

"An aerial photo showing the beautiful patterns in a peat-rich river as it meets a North Donegal beach and the Atlantic," Gary said. "The incredible tree shape was a complete surprise. I recently returned to check how it looked but the water and sand banks have since changed shape again and the tree has withered. Shot from drone with camera facing vertically down.

Samantha O'Connor's 'Sunset at Fanad Lighthouse, Co Donegal'

Samantha said: "I was on a photography trip with a group of friends, and we wanted to get a sunset of Fanad Lighthouse. We went early to get ourselves set up for what turned out to be a lovely evening. I used a tripod and a wide-angle lens. I love the flora in the foreground and the sun highlighting the lighthouse."

Brian Campbell's 'In the Shadow of a Giant!'

In the Coastal Heritage section, Brian Campbell was an award winner with 'In the Shadow of a Giant!' which is taken of Classiebawn Castle from across Donegal Bay.

"With its unmistakable shape, it's a popular landmark in Donegal Bay to photograph," he said. "I really wanted a unique perspective and to show it under new light. I also wanted to include the mighty Benbulben looming large in the background. It took multiple attempts to get the perfect angle and to line it when the conditions were right. I used a long lens and shot from over 10km away.