Winners picked in Photography Competition

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With a theme of 'The Landscape I Love' AONBs Photography Competition was not short of stunning images but only 14 entries could feature in the beautiful 2020 calendar produced.

The management of the three AONBs (Ring of Gullion, the Mournes and Strangford and Lecale AONBs of Gullion) announced the winners of the AONBs Photography Competition after a lot of deliberation by the judges!

Newry Mourne and Down District Council, Ards and North Down Borough Council and the AONBs staff are showcasing the excellent entries on the Ring of Gullion website www.ringofgullion.org and the top 14 entries will feature in the first ever AONBs Calendar.

Pictured are participants in the first AONB photographic calendar competition held across the three AONB areas in County Down. Included are (front)Alderman Bill Kerry, Mayor of Ards and North Down Council, and Cllr Terry Andrews, Vice Chair of Newry Mourne and Down District Council, who acted as judges along with Dessie Patterson, Chair of the Mourne Heritage Trust (absent). The 12 winners each received framed prints of their work.

The theme for this year’s competition was “The Landscape I Love”, which photographers were free to interpret any way they choose.

There were two categories are under 14’s and over 14’s.

Councillor Charlie Casey, Chairperson of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council “I want to thank our judges Deputy Chairperson of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, Cllr Terry Andrews, Mayor of Ards and North Down Borough Council, Alderman Bill Keery, Mourne Heritage Trust Board Member Dessie Patterson and Caoilfionn Murphy O’Hanlon, Photographer. It was with great difficulty, they picked the winners. All the photographs were excellent with the pictures picked to showcase each of the AONBs equally.”

“Well done to the overall winner Allan Davies and the under 14 winner Emily Torrens. Congratulations to Graham Edgar who came second in the competition.”

He added “Well done to Bríd McShane, John Williams, Nigel Clegg, Brian Moore, Danny Gibson, Thomas Murray, Faye Walker, Mary Jo Cunningham, John Clarke, Dermot Mathers and Aidan Carroll as their photos will feature in the AONBs Calendar for 2020."

The calendar will be available at the Visitor Information Center Newcastle, the Council Offices in Downpatrick, the Ring of Gullion Office in Crossmaglen and the Visitor Information Point in Slieve Gullion Forest Park and Newry. There is a limited amount, so get them before they are gone.

This fantastic amateur photography competition is a great way to showcase the skills of local photographers and the outstanding qualities of the Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty(AONBs).

Next year’s competition will open from January and will run until August. It is simple to enter the competition. Go to the Ring of Gullion website and click on competitions on the top of the page. There are lots of ways to explore, experience and enjoy the 3 AONBs just visit www.ringofgullion.org , WWW.MOURNELIVE.COM or WWW.STRANGFORDLOUGH.ORG to see how you can join in.