Beard Liberation Front
17th March
Contact Keith Flett @keithbeard.bsky.social
Maynooth academic Peter Coles shaves Colum Eastwood to win 2026 Beard of Ireland vote
The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that competition for the Irish Beard of the Year 2026 bristled and an on-line vote saw Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Ireland, Maynooth, Peter Coles reclaim the title he first won in 2020
Professor Coles won 49.2% of the vote with Colum Eastwood second on 20.3%
The 2017 winner was politician Colum Eastwood who bearded broadcaster William Crawley for the annual Award.
In 2018 the DUP’s Lee Reynolds shaved writer Dominic O’Reilly for the honour with Colum Eastwood in a steady third place.
In 2019 Lee Reynolds retained the title
The 2020 winner was Maynooth academic Peter Coles
In 2021 Aodhan Connolly shaved opponents to win the coveted title and he retained it in 2022 2023 and 2024
In 2025 politician Gerry Carroll won the vote
The BLF says that while traditionally a land of predominantly clean-shaven cultures, Ireland has in recent times become something of a centre for stylish and trendy beards.
Contenders for the title in 2026 include a diverse range of the hirsute- an academic, political activist, a broadcaster, a TV pundit
The campaigners say the poll is specifically about the impact the beard of an individual has made in Irish public life and no other factor.
BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, we congratulate Peter Coles on regaining the title he first won in 2020. Clearly his beard has staying power.
Beard of Ireland 2026 Shortlist
William Crawley, broadcaster
Roy Keane, football pundit
Peter Coles, academic, Maynooth
Colum Eastwood, politician
Kmflett's Blog 
[…] by the Beard Liberation Front, celebrates the most impactful beards in Irish public life.[1][2] Coles, a theoretical physicist at Maynooth University, secured victory with a strong lead over […]