Derek Bolton came came first in the ‘Underwater’ category of the 2023 Clean Coasts LYC photo competition with ‘Emerald Jewel’, featuring a beatifully captured Jewel Anemone, taken in Sovereign Island in Co Cork.

FIRST PLACE

UNDERWATER

The Giants

Loop Head, CO Clare

This photograph was taken off the coast of County Clare, Ireland, during a calm morning dive in late summer.

A slow-moving group of basking sharks passed through the area, their presence both steady and unobtrusive.

The overcast light and limited visibility lent the encounter a quiet, muted atmosphere.

Remaining still and maintaining a respectful distance allowed for this image to be captured without disturbing the sharks' natural behaviour.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Mark O'Leary

Ryan Murray came second in the ‘Underwater’ category as part of the the 2023 Clean Coasts Love Your Coast photography competition with the ‘Basking Shark Plankton Buffer’, an image taken at Ventry Bay in Co Kerry.

SECOND PLACE

UNDERWATER

Blue-rayed Limpets

Pollack Holes, Kilkee, Co. Clare

I was mesmerised by the clarity of the water and the vibrant colours as I snorkelled through the famous Pollock Holes at Kilkee, CO Clare.

Snorkelling in such calm still water at low tide allowed me to get close enough to capture the stunning blue iridescence of an especially large colony of blue-rayed limpets on kelp, which is normally very difficult in open water as the kelp fronds sway back and forth in the current.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Shazia Waheed

Richard O’ Donnell came third in the 2023 LYC ‘Underwater’ category with this image, ‘Sun Bathing Compass Jelly Fish’, taken at The Birds in Valentia Island, Co Kerry.

THIRD PLACE

UNDERWATER

Firework Anemone

Kilbricken, Co Galway

Fireworks Anemones, Pachycerianthus multiplicatus, are some of the largest and most beautiful anemone species.

They can only be found in three locations in Ireland, and in Scotland where they are a protected species.

As they are very sensitive to physical damage e.g. from fishing gear, their presence indicates a healthy marine environment.

Our group of divers frequently visits Ail Bhui and - as part of Seasearch Ireland activities - observes the underwater life.

However, taking pictures of the anemones is bit challenging: they live in very soft mud and one needs not only good buoyancy (as there is no rock or solid ground to fix your position), one also has to be careful not to raise the sediment with the fins (disturbing visibility) or frighten the anemones (as they would curl-in their tentacles).

This picture is special, as it also shows another mud-loving protected species, a Slender Sea Pen, Virgularia mirabilis.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Annegret Pfuetzner

Ivan Donoghue was shortlisted in the ‘Underwater’ category with ‘Collision Avoidance’, an image taken at The Saltee Islands in Co Wexford.

Dancing in the Light

Sandycove, Co Dublin

There is something special about diving after dark in the different critters that only come out at night.

Even with that encountering this European Common Squid was a superb experience.

Emerging from the dark to play in our dive lights for an extended period was a true delight and what makes it worth while diving into the dark to see species dancing in the light.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Stephen Frawley

Ivan Donoghue's image ‘Permission to Land’ features the air bubbles of a diver exhaling while swimming at Hook Head, Co Wexford; a finalist in the ‘Underwater’ category.

Cloaked Hermit Crab

Portmagee, Co Kerry

Was in snorkelling conducting a survey of our native ouster Ostrea edulis and spotted this little guy.

Love hermit crabs they always have so much character especially when the hydroid known as hermit crab fur grows on their shell homes, i always think it looks like they have a little cloak on.

Dove down to try take some photos but it is quite tricky because you have to hold your breath while taking the shot make sure you don't stir up the sediment on the bottom and you have no idea what the lighting is going to be like down there until you dive.

I particularly like that this individual appears to be looking up at the surface.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Anna Kellagher

Maja Stankovski's image ‘My First Basking Shark’ captures the curiosity of a shark intrigued by a human in the water at Skellig Michael in Co Kerry; a finalist in the ‘Underwater’ category.

Want to Play?

Dalkey Island, Co Dublin

I have swam with grey seals for years and wanted to capture their fun friendly inquisitive nature. Luckily enough the water was not too cloudy that day.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Brian Casey

Mark Thomas took this striking image, entitled ‘Plaice Face’, at Aughrus Bay in Claddaghduff, Co Galway; a finalist in the ‘Underwater’ category.

Emerald Jewel

Small Sovereign Island, Oysterhaven Bay, Co Cork

The task was to taken an image within a specific 24 hour window.

The weather prediction for the day was strong winds with large swells.

Low water visibility meant only Macro shots would be possible.

We opted to hide behind the small Sovereign Island to shelter as best as able from the weather.

We were pushed around by the swells underwater making the shots very difficult and we all could be heard laughing at the attempts.

They dive was immense fun and we finished the day with a great story and some nice shots.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Derek Bolton

Rory Maccanna was shortlisted for this beautiful image, entitled ‘Common Blenny’, taken on Coral Strand Beach in Carraroe, Co Galway; a finalist in the ‘Underwater’ category.

Hiding in Plain Sight

Kilkee, CO Clare

After a fresh Spring day of poking around the Pollock Holes in Kilkee, I photographed this prawn during a nighttime stroll by the pier.

What I love most is how its near-invisible body materialises under torchlight, revealing intricate detail usually missed by the naked eye.

Captured with my trusty compact digital camera, I lay flat across the rocks with a torch in one hand and held my breath to get the shot.

Every rock pool, no matter how big or small, is full of secrets if you take the time to look closely. Watching this little prawn hover just above the sand, perfectly still and translucent, felt like uncovering something hidden in plain sight."

PHOTOGRAPHER: Éabha Hughes

Maria McSweeney was scuba diving when she captured this image entitled ‘Moon Jellyfish Bloom’, taken at Seal's House Dive Site in Inis Mór, Co Galway; a finalist in the ‘Underwater’ category.

Tompot Blenny

Hook Head, Co Wexford

Tompot Blennys are Ireland's equivalent of the aquatic star of the "Finding Nemo" films.

They are colourful and charismatic with a distinctive face that displays a look of curiosity about their surroundings.

They have a magnetic appeal for photographers in that you can never pass them by without trying to take a picture. Of note would be the markings under the eyes that can be used for individual identification.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Ivan Donoghue

Shazia Waheed's beautful image ‘Shore Clingfish’ was taken at Kilmore Quay in Co Wexford; a finalist in the ‘Underwater’ category.

Camouflage and Calm, Nature's Illusionist

Cape Clear Island, Co Cork

A mesmerizing glimpse into the art of camouflage, this photograph captures a serene octopus resting on the seafloor of Cape Clear, its textured skin seamlessly blending into the surrounding environment.

With tentacles gently curled and colors shifting to mirror the underwater hues, the octopus embodies stillness and adaptation, a quiet master of disguise in the depths.

The scene evokes a sense of tranquility and wonder, showcasing the beauty of marine life in its most subtle, hidden form.

PHOTOGRAPHER: John Bennett