Sharon has lived near Larne Lough most of her life. Sharon’s father encouraged her to learn about nature around her and still today she loves living by the sea. Sharon says ‘Larne lough is a beautiful place, on calm days the reflections on the still surface are stunning, on stormy days white horses race towards the shore, on a moonlit night glassy reflections dazzle the eyes. I have sailed, canoed and water skied on the lough, swum in it and travelled its length hundreds of times’.

Sharon’s enjoys sharing her knowledge of the birdlife close by and is excited to tell all who ask that it’s home to Roseate terns, herons, swans, Brent geese, numerous other types of duck and wildfowl, otters and recently as a result of climate change, little white egrets. She recalls how thrilling it was to spot an egret during a train journey along the lough.

When it was threatened by pollution Sharon discovered the lough had 3 European designations that are supposed to protect the waters of the lough and the biodiversity in it. She wondered who would be mad or arrogant enough to propose a landfill site beside this precious habitat, and asked how anyone or any huge company would dare threaten the beauty and diversity of our space, then walk away and leave us with the consequences. From Sharon’s experience of environmental protection, she felt that she’d seen it all too often, and that it wasn’t going to happen here. Every time she travels along the shore, she’s thankful to the team that saved their beautiful place. This beautiful place is called Magheramourne and is now known as Castle Black and Hardhome to millions around the globe.