Students from across the country were celebrated at a special awards ceremony in Dublin on Friday, 6th February, marking the announcement of the winners of this year’s Green-Schools Marine Spatial Planning Poster and Photography Competitions. The competitions were run by Green-Schools, in partnership with the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, and were open to schools taking part in, or previously awarded a flag for, the Green-Schools Marine Environment theme.

This year’s competitions included “Every Sea Tells a Story” Poster Competition, which received over 1800 entries from students showing their vision for Ireland’s seas and coasts. The photography competition was called “My Sea, My Story”, and received nearly 100 entries of powerful photographs capturing personal connections with the marine environment.

Students were encouraged to think about Marine Spatial Planning, a way of deciding when and where human activities take place at sea so that Ireland’s marine environment can be used sustainably while also being protected. The competition links closely with the National Marine Planning Framework, which aims to balance activities like fishing, renewable energy, tourism, and conservation in Ireland’s marine territory.

This year’s entries were bursting with imagination and meaning. Students brought Ireland’s seas to life through artwork featuring majestic marine animals, rivers flowing into the ocean, fishing boats at work, offshore wind farms and communities coming together for beach and litter clean-ups. Many posters also carried strong messages about reducing pollution, respecting the ocean, and recognising the sea’s positive impact on wellbeing — beautifully captured in one student’s words: “The voice of the sea speaks to the soul.”

In total, 15 students from 12 schools received awards for creative and thoughtful entries that explored how Ireland’s marine environment could be used and protected in the future. Prizes for regional winners included a One4All voucher, a framed copy of their poster/photograph and an overnight stay in the hotel the night before the ceremony! National winners received another One4all voucher as well as a cash prize for their school for Green-Schools activities.

National Poster Competition Winners

From the 12 regional poster winners, three national winners were selected:

• Junior Primary Category:
  Emily Foley, 1st Class, Donabate Portrane Educate Together National School
• Senior Primary Category:
  Liliana Austin, 6th Class, Killeen National School, Louisburgh, Co. Mayo
• Secondary School Category:
  Freya Coveney, 6^th year, Eureka Secondary School, Co. Meath

Photography Competition Winners

Now in its second year, the My Sea, My Story Photography Competition once again showcased not only technical skill, but also deep connections to family, friends, and the marine environment.

• National Winner:
  Lottie Billington, Sacred Heart School, Westport, Co. Mayo, for her photograph “Calmness and Escape”.
  Inspired by her love of the beach and family walks by the shore, Lottie’s image reflects the sense of peace and escape she finds by the sea during busy school life.
• Runner-Up:
  Andrew Clancy, 6th Year, Blackrock College, for his photograph “Inis Arcáin”.
  Taken on Sherkin Island, Co. Cork, the photograph captures a joyful moment of arrival as friends dip their feet into the sea for the first time.
• Runner-Up:
  Alison Monaghan, Second Year, Eureka Secondary School, Kells, Co. Meath, for her photograph “My Father and Dog at the Beach”.
  Alison’s image highlights how stronger storms are washing unexpected items ashore, reminding us of the growing impacts of climate change.