Minister of State announces winner of NIO Platinum Jubilee Competition
Minister of State for Northern Ireland Conor Burns has announced the winner of the Northern Ireland Office’s Platinum Jubilee design competition.
Minister of State Conor Burns & Ulster Carpet designers Sarah Healey & Sinead Tumilty with competition winner Emily McMullan.
Emily McMullan, age 11 from Dundonald Primary School was revealed as the winner after she, and her fellow finalists, were invited to a special ceremony at Hillsborough Castle.
Emily’s design was chosen from over 2000 colourful and creative entries to the competition, from children in schools from every county in Northern Ireland.
Emily was joined in the final three by Fiadh Rose Kerr, age 6 from Omagh Integrated Primary School and Thomas Porter, age 8 from St Joseph’s Primary School.
Emily will visit Ulster Carpets later in the summer, working with their professional designers to turn her ‘snapshot’ into a wonderful rug.
Once completed the specially designed jubilee rug will be delivered to Her Majesty the Queen as a gift from the children of Northern Ireland in her Jubilee year.
Minister of State for Northern Ireland Conor Burns said:
“I’ve been overwhelmed by the truly amazing artistic and illustrative talent that I have seen in response to the Northern Ireland Office’s Platinum Jubilee Rug competition.
“Emily’s design shows some of the very best of Northern Ireland, with its well known landmarks instantly recognisable and synonymous with this beautiful place.
“”I can’t wait to see Emily and the designers at internationally recognised Northern Ireland manufacturer Ulster Carpets bring the winning design to life over the summer ahead of the rug to be presented to the Royal Household as a gift to mark the incredible and historical 70 years of service of the Queen.
“I’m incredibly proud of Northern Ireland’s young people - from schools in every county here - and grateful to their parents and teachers who have helped make this idea such a success. Thank you all.”
Group Managing Director of Ulster Carpets Nick Coburn said:
“We are delighted at the wonderful artistry shown by primary school children across Northern Ireland and the fantastic response to the design competition.
“Selecting a winner was an extremely difficult task and we can now look forward to transforming Emily’s wonderful design into a rug for Her Majesty The Queen.”
Headmaster of Dundonald Primary Julian Byers said:
“We are delighted that Emily’s picture has been chosen as the winner. Her magnificent drawing, showing the iconic landmarks of Northern Ireland, transformed into a rug, will be a lasting memory of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee, taking pride of place in Buckingham Palace.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
- The finalists of the Platinum Jubilee Rug competition are
- Emily McMullan, P7, Dundonald Primary School & Nursery Unit
- Thomas Porter, P5, St Joseph’s Primary School, Ballycruttle, Downpatrick
- Fiadh Rose Kerr, P2, Omagh Integrated Primary School