Heritage Council

WINNERS OF NATIONAL HERITAGE WEEK PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION ANNOUNCED

WATERFORD MOTHER AND DAUGHTER WIN ADULT AND JUNIOR CATEGORIES

Wednesday 30th September: Winners of the 2009 National Heritage Week Photography Competition were announced today by the Heritage Council, coordinators of the week.

Waterford mother & daughter, Mary Jean Timmins and Caoimhe Timmins scooped up the first prizes in both the Adult and Junior Group, while Poppy Vernon from Dublin won the Youth Group.

Speaking about the competition, Michael Starrett, Chief Executive of the Heritage Council said, “We received over 500 images and the standard of photos was very high. It was fantastic to see the enthusiasm and passion for heritage expressed through the eyes of people that took part in Heritage Week and attended events. The images entered in the competition truly illustrate the diversity of our heritage from natural, to built, to cultural heritage.

National Heritage Week was a fantastic success this year, with a significant increase in attendance figures reported throughout the week. I am delighted to announce that the dates for National Heritage Week 2010 have been set for the 21st – 29th August. For updates on plans for next year, log on to www.heritageweek.ie”.

Prizes were divided into three categories of Adult (over 21), Youth (13-21) and Junior (7-12).

The winning photograph in the Adult Group entitled ‘Bubble Blowing’ was taken by Mary Jean Timmins at the Lifetime Lab Water Open Day in Cork. The Timmins family took full advantage of the many free events that took place during Heritage Week and travelled all around the Southeast in the last week of the children’s holidays. The winning picture, which illustrates the children blowing up a giant, colourful bubble, captures the enjoyment of the Timmins family outing to a Heritage Week event.

Poppy Vernon’s photo entitled, ‘Books of Common Prayer’  won the Youth Category and was taken at St Audoen's Church in Dublin. Poppy who is 17 and in her Leaving Cert Year is a photography enthusiast and hopes to study photography in college.

Winner of the Junior Category was Caoimhe Timmins, aged 8. Caoimhe’s photo of a Harris Hawk was taken at the Birds of Prey’ Rescue Centre in Ballycullane, Co. Wexford.

Prizes included an Irish Landmark Trust Weekend Voucher for a stay up to the value of €700, €300 gift voucher from Great Outdoors, ‘Do not handle with care’ Olympus Tough 6000 camera, €55 euro Family Heritage Card, €50 Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate and €50 Eason Book Shop Gift Certificate. Details of winners and runners up in each category are listed below.

Adult Category:

Winner – Mary Jean Timmins, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford

Runners Up – Brian O’Reilly, Dublin and Terry McParland, Waterford

Youth Category:

Winner – Poppy Vernon, Dublin

Runners Up – Davide Greene, Bere Island, Co. Cork and Kevin Thatcher, Waterford

Junior Category:

Winner – Caoimhe Timmins, Aged 8, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford

Runners Up – Eleanor Fox, Aged 7, Dublin and Cian Maloney, Aged 9, Corrandulla, Co. Galway

A selection of photographs from the competition will be exhibited in the Heritage Council headquarters in Kilkenny during October.

ENDS

Note to Editor:

The Heritage Council is the statutory body charged with identifying, protecting, preserving and enhancing Ireland’s national heritage. National heritage includes Monuments, Archaeological objects, Heritage objects, Architectural heritage, Flora, Fauna, Wildlife habitats, Landscapes, Seascapes, Wrecks, Geology, Heritage gardens and parks, and Inland waterways.

Established under the Heritage Act 1995, and operating under the aegis of the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Heritage Council provides advice to the Minister, and partners and networks with Local Authorities and a wide range of other organisations and individuals to promote Ireland’s heritage.

National Heritage Week is co-ordinated in Ireland by the Heritage Council in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, and is part of European Heritage Days, which is celebrated in over 40 countries across Europe.

Further information:

Michelle Guinan, MKC Communications, 01 7038604 / 086 3846630

 
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