A KERRY woman won a Clean Coasts Ocean Hero Award at a ceremony in Dublin on Thursday.

Martha Farrell from Maharees Conservation won the Individual of the Year in Clean Coasts Ocean Hero Awards at the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel.

This award acknowledges those individuals who initiate change and inspire others to do more to protect and conserve their coastline.

Continued below…

The citation explained that Martha has a passion for her local area and the local town. She is highly involved with the group, arranging groups from primary schools, secondary schools and US students on Erasmus to do clean ups and marram grass planting.

The Maharees Group have a busy yearly timetable in addition to their beach cleans with a full summer programme, a mix of beach cleans, biodiversity talks, history talks and fund raising activities, which are all coordinated by Martha. Moreover, she is also part of Tralee Tidy Towns, where she joins their weekly clean-ups.

Clean Coasts hosted the Ocean Hero Awards to celebrate and thank the groups, individuals, communities, and businesses who, throughout the year, have done outstanding work to protect their local coastline and environment.

Martha was the only Kerry winner at the awards but there were many local people and groups on the shortlist.

Fenit Coast Conservation Group were shortlisted in the Group of the Year category. Abby and Chloe Stephenson from Banna Coastcare as well as Darragh O’Connor and Timmy Jones from Maharees Conservation Association were both nominated in the Youth of the Year category.

Maharees Conservation association were also nominated for the Campaigner of the Year award for their work with Think Before You Flush. Banna Rescue, Banna Coastcare & Presentation Secondary School, Tralee received a nomination in the Event of the Year category with Tralee Tidy Towns also scoring a nomination in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion category.

Finally, Ed Sheldon, a member of Fenit Coast Conservation was shortlisted for the Individual of the Year Award.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………