Minister of State Brian Hayes & Minister Ruairi Quinn today announced the launch of the 2013 Newgrange Winter Solstice Art Competition. The competition, run by the Office of Public Works (OPW), is open to schoolchildren from 3rd class Primary up to 6th year Post-Primary, with the winning entrants being present for the Winter Solstice in the Newgrange Chamber on December 21st.
Speaking at the launch Minister Hayes said: “I am delighted to announce that my office, the OPW, are once again running this great art competition, which provides a wonderful opportunity for six lucky children to be in the chamber at Newgrange for the Winter Solstice. The competition was very successful last year, with over 800 entries from all over Ireland. We are proud to join together with the teaching unions to encourage school goers to participate and I would like to express my gratitude for the assistance that the ASTI, TUI and INTO are giving the OPW to promote this endeavour.”
Also speaking at the launch, Minister Quinn said, "I am very pleased to be here today to lend my support to the 2013 Newgrange Art Competition. I'm told that the response last year was very positive; hardly surprising with such a wonderful prize on offer. I would particularly urge the 3rd and 4th primary classes to enter this competition as burial sites are on their curriculum. However I wish all entrants the best of luck and hope that the sun shines on the Solstice morning."
Minister Ruairi Quinn, the ASTI President Sally Maguire, ASTI General Secretary Pat King, INTO General Secretary Shelia Nunan and the TUI General Secretary John MacGabhann, joined Minister Hayes at the launch today to lend their support.
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For further information or if you wish to interview Minister of State Hayes, please contact Colette Davis, OPW Press Officer at 046 9426128 or 087 9475552 or colette.davis@opw.ie
Note for Editors:
The Office of Public Works (OPW) is delighted to announce that it will be running an Art Competition for primary and post-primary school children, with the winning entrants being present for the Winter Solstice at Newgrange on December 21st 2013.
To enter, students must be enrolled in one of the following Primary or Post-Primary classes in September 2013. There are three categories and two winners will be chosen from each of these categories:
(a) 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th Class – Primary
(b) 1st, 2nd & 3rd Year – Post-Primary
(c) 4th/Transition, 5th & 6th Year - Post-Primary
This year we will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the inscription of Brú na Bóinne on the World Heritage Sites list and we hope this will inspire entrants to create an artwork on the following theme:
Newgrange – The Winter Solstice
The annual Winter Solstice sun show at Newgrange is a world famous event. Five thousand years ago the Neolithic builders engineered the monument so that sunlight could enter the vaulted chamber at dawn on the shortest days of the year. On clear Solstice mornings, the chamber at the end of the passage is illuminated and bathed in a wonderful golden glow.
Entry is Free – full details and rules of the competition are available on www.heritageireland.ie.
Queries should be directed to: solstice2013@opw.ie
Winners will be present in the chamber with a parent/guardian on the morning of 21st December for one of the most important events in the heritage calendar.
Closing date for receipt of entries is Friday 15th November 2013.
All entries (clearly marked Art Competition) should be posted/delivered to the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre, Donore, Co Meath.