‘My Ocean’ is the Irish Ocean Literacy Network’s new all-island campaign that invites you to share your personal connection to the ocean. Whether the ocean shapes your daily routine through work and recreation, or offers a place of adventure, inspiration, and healing, everyone has an ocean story to tell. Our goal is to honor and celebrate our shared relationship with the ocean.
To bring this vision to life, we are curating a digital archive of Irish ocean stories. By preserving and sharing these memories and personal experiences, we hope to deepen our collective ocean connection and encourage greater understanding of why our marine ecosystem matters.
Science week this year is exploring the theme of water which provides an excellent opportunity to engage with people who are already exploring their connection to the ocean and to encourage them to share their own stories, memories and experiences. Through conversations, interviews and outreach, we hope to grow the My Ocean archive and inspire more people to recognise the importance of our relationship with the ocean.
We encourage all forms of submissions from written stories, poetry and artwork to interviews.
Explore Highlights Across Ireland
Take a look at a few of the story highlights gathered from communities across the island so far:
Honoring community maritime traditions at Cruinniú na mBád in Kinvarra:
“But the sea and the ocean is a very, very special place for us… for lots of reasons. Obviously, it was our livelihood, and still is for some of our family members. The boats that are here in Kinvarra, the hookers, they’re part of that culture.”.
https://youtu.be/rH-Y93Jsf04?si=X-pY-clRXQcR6dnJ.
Connecting over shared coastal memories with Friends of the Elderly in Dublin:
“And my mother brought me down as a six-month-old child, placed me in the sea… She gave me a love of the sea then, which I’ve retained all my life”.
https://youtu.be/Hpc4LfWqtIU?si=Zs7LGdJGdrU_aOB2.
Preserving Irish marine folklore, myths, and legends in Ballycastle:
“I also love storytelling and the legends of Ireland and Scotland. And one of those special legends for me as a kayaker is the Legend of the Selkie, where the selkie can transform from human form to seal and from seal to human.”.https://youtu.be/cA2xLssQGm8?si=lIqMZrRs7dIgoJPu
Do you have an ocean story to share?
Reach out to us to organise an interview or to submit your ocean story directly to our archive.
Find out more about the campaign here: Campaign – Irish Ocean Literacy Network
Work on this project is funded by the Heritage Council under Heritage Organisations Support Fund 2026.
