Leitrim environmental campaigner honoured at Ocean Hero Awards

A Leitrim Clean Coasts campaigner has been honoured at the An Taisce Ocean Hero Awards ceremony, held at the Gibson Hotel, Dublin, on December 5.

Coinciding with International Volunteer Day, the annual event recognises and celebrates the tireless efforts of Clean Coasts groups, individuals, communities, and businesses who work throughout the year to protect local coastlines and their surrounding environments.

In Leitrim, Clean Coasts campaigner Martina Healy, known on social media as the Leitrim Litter Picker, was shortlisted in two categories in the 2025 Ocean Hero Awards. 

Martina earned nominations for both the Campaigner of the Year and Leadership Award categories, acknowledging her outstanding commitment to promoting the #2MinuteBeachClean campaign through her social media platforms and her unwavering dedication to tackling pollution and waste locally, inspiring others to take action.

Since 2023, Martina has posted daily updates on her litter-picking efforts, a practice she has proudly continued throughout 2025. Her consistency has helped her connect with fellow litter pickers and demonstrate just how easy it is to make a positive impact on coastlines and marine life.

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Reflecting on her work, Martina said, “It is lovely to get out and about and enjoy where I live. I am fortunate to live in a very beautiful part of Ireland. But most importantly it is vital to give back, and by litter picking I am giving back to the environment and to my community.”

Each year, the Ocean Hero Awards highlight the invaluable contribution of Clean Coasts volunteers who go above and beyond to care for and protect coastal environments and heritage. 

Established in 2006 as the Clean Coasts Merit Awards, originally featuring only one category, the awards have expanded annually, reaching nine categories in 2025 and recognising 45 groups and individuals nationwide for their coastal conservation achievements.

This year’s awards featured nine distinct categories, with hundreds of nominations received. In total, 45 groups, organisations, and individuals were shortlisted for the title of Ocean Hero across these categories.

As of 2025, more than 2,500 Clean Coasts groups operate across Ireland, supported by over 45,000 volunteers actively engaged in protecting their coastal communities.

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Bronagh Moore, An Taisce’s Clean Coasts Programme Manager, said: “The Ocean Hero Awards gives us a fantastic opportunity to honour and showcase the incredible work that is being carried out every day by volunteers in the Clean Coast Community.

“Being in a room with so many passionate and enthusiastic volunteers, dedicated to protecting Ireland’s waterways, coastline, seas, ocean and marine life always fills me with such hope and inspiration.

“It’s reassuring to know that regardless of what is going on in the world these groups will continue to quietly go about their work, making this world a better place for generations to come.”