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Lough Ree photo scoops top prize in LAWPRO’s ‘My Favourite Waterbody’ national photography competition

Monday, 24 June 2024: One overall winner and regional runner ups have been selected in the ‘My Favourite Waterbody’ national photography competition that was ran as part of the Local Authority Waters Programme’s (LAWPRO) World Wetlands Day celebration.

The overall winner is Lee Williamson, from Lanesborough in Co. Longford for his photo of Lough Ree, Co. Longford. Lee is also the regional winner for the Midlands & East and won the top prize of a €500 voucher for Powerscourt Hotel Resort and Spa in Co. Wicklow, along with an A3 framed print of his winning photo.

The other regional winners are:

*Hollywood Lake in Scotstown, Co. Monaghan by Jimmy O’Neill.*

*Lacken, Blessington Lake in Co. Wicklow by Marie Melvin*

*Derryclare Lough, County Galway by John Collins*

*Dalia Guzauskaite, with her photo from Connemara*

“We are delighted to announce the winners of the ‘My Favourite Waterbody’ photo competition as part of LAWPRO’s World Wetlands Day celebrations. We would like to congratulate all of the participants in the competition and in particular our overall winner and five runners up. The photos showcased Ireland’s inland waterways, lakes and coastal waters and communicated a sense of beauty, comfort and wellbeing in people’s favourite waterside places.”
Anthony Coleman, Director of Services at LAWPRO

The competition was shortlisted by an internal panel and the winning photos were selected by an external judge the award-winning Cameraman, Director and Broadcaster, Colin Stafford- Johnson.

Winning and shortlisted photos will be featured in LAWPRO’s 2025 calendar and winners will receive a calendar later in the year in addition to their prize.

Learn more:

www.lawaters.ie/press-release-lough-ree-photo-scoops-top-prize-in-national-photography-competition

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EPA Catchments Unit

Administrator

The EPA Catchments Unit is based in Dublin, and the team is involved with catchment science, chemistry, ecology, hydromorphology, modelling, Geographic Information Systems and planning. We work with the wider EPA, all of our local authorities, the Local Authority Waters and Communities Office, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, and other public bodies and Departments to ensure we have the best available data and information about our catchments.

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Quite simply, everyone in Ireland has a role to play. This can be from something as simple as making sure you don’t pollute your local stream, or a local community working together to establish a Rivers Trust to enhance the rivers and lakes in their area, to a Government Department or Agency helping a Minister implement a new policy to help protect and enhance all our water bodies.

This website has been developed and is maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency, and is a collaboration between the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Local Authority Waters Programme.

Local Authority Waters Programme

The Local Authority Waters Programme coordinates the efforts of local authorities and other public bodies in the implementation of the River Basin Management Plan, and supports local community and stakeholder involvement in managing our natural waters, for everyone’s benefit.

Environmental Protection Agency

The EPA is responsible for coordinating the monitoring, assessment and reporting on the status of our 4,842 water bodies, looking at trends and changes, determining which waterbodies are at risk and what could be causing this, and drafting environmental objectives for each.

Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The Department is responsible for making sure that the right policies, regulations and resources are in place to implement the Water Framework Directive, and developing a River Basin Management Plan and Programme of Measures to protect and restore our waters.