Clean Coasts, a programme run through the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce which engages communities in the protection of beaches, seas and marine life, has announced the nominations for the 2022 Ocean Hero Awards and several local organisations are in the running. 
In County Meath, Liam Keane from Bettystown Tidy Towns (pictured below) was nominated in the Individual of the year category and Bettystown Tidy Towns themselves were nominated for the Local Action Award.
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In Louth there are four nominees in three separate categories including Alpha Diving Group as well as Costa Alainn in the Local Action Award category, Cooley Community Alert for the Special Achievement Award category and Tomhaggard Clean Coasts Group in the Beach Clean Award Category.
This year, Clean Coasts has chosen eight dedicated categories with a total of 28 groups, organisations and individuals shortlisted for the title of Ocean Hero within each of the categories.
The seven categories are:
- Group of the Year Award 
- Individual of the Year Award 
- Youth of the Year Award 
- Beach Clean Award 
- Campaigner of the Year Award
- Local Action Award 
- Special Achievement Award 
This year the award ceremony will be held in-person for the first time in two years to pay tribute to our ocean heroes after two years of alternative celebrations.
Clean Coasts Manager, Sinead McCoy, said: “For the past 15 years, the Clean Coasts programme’s Ocean Hero Awards have been celebrating the incredible efforts of Clean Coasts volunteers around the Irish Coastline.
“We have nothing but awe and respect for the amazing groups and individuals highlighted in our shortlist for this year’s Ocean Hero Awards. We were delighted to have received so many inspirational nominations that show not only the true dedication of these coastal custodians, but also that their efforts don’t go unnoticed by the community”
After announcing the shortlist last year, we went on a road trip across Ireland to meet the winners of each category and surprise them with the news and say thank you.
These various ceremonies were filmed and compiled into this celebratory video:
The in-person awards ceremony will be taking place on Tuesday, the 22nd of November so watch this space to see who will be named a 2022 Clean Coasts Ocean Hero in the coming weeks.
