EU Funds Ireland Managing Authorities have today launched Our Ireland, Our EU, a national photography competition inviting members of the public to capture how projects co‑funded by the European Union are making a difference to everyday life across Ireland.
Organised by the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (DPER) and hosted on eufunds.ie, the competition aims to raise awareness of the impact of EU funding while encouraging creativity and active citizen participation.
Across Ireland, EU funding supports a wide range of initiatives from buildings, public spaces and infrastructure to training programmes, community projects, research and innovation. Our Ireland, Our EU invites people to explore these projects in their own communities and tell their story through photography.
The competition is open to members of the public resident in Ireland who are aged 18 or over, subject to the competition terms and conditions.
Two Ways to Take Part
Participants can submit photographs under one or both of the following categories during Phase A of the competition:
Category 1: Eligible Project Locations
This category invites photographers to visit and capture EU‑funded projects at designated locations across Ireland. These may include buildings, regeneration schemes, public spaces, infrastructure or other physical facilities supported by EU funding. Photographs should show how the project is used, experienced or how it benefits the local community. A full list of eligible locations is available on eufunds.ie.
Category 2: EU‑Funded Activities – People & Participation
This category focuses on the human impact of EU investment. Participants are encouraged to capture real activities supported by EU‑funded programmes, such as training courses, education programmes, community initiatives, or activities that promote inclusion, participation and integration.
The category also includes EU‑funded research and innovation, including researchers, students or innovators working collaboratively, as well as innovation hubs, pilot initiatives or testing environments.
All photographs entered under this category must clearly relate to an EU‑funded activity. Participants will be asked to briefly describe the project or initiative shown when submitting their entry.
EU Funding Requirement
All entries, across both categories, must relate to projects or activities co‑funded by the European Union. Images that are not connected to EU‑funded initiatives will not be eligible for the competition.
Voting and Selection
Following the submission phase, eligible photographs will be published on eufunds.ie., where members of the public will be invited to vote for their favourite images within each category. Prizes will be awarded to the photographs that receive the highest number of public votes, in line with the competition rules.
Capturing Our Shared Story
By showcasing both physical projects and lived experience, Our Ireland, Our EU highlights how EU funding supports communities, creates opportunities and drives positive change across Ireland.
Full competition details, including eligibility, consent requirements, submission rules and terms and conditions, are available at https://eufunds.ie/photo-competition/.