Waterford student wins big LEGO award for truly stunning creation
The Waterford boy picked up a gold award at the Heritage at Play ceremony for his LEGO model of a Turnstone
A Waterford student has picked up a gold Heritage Council award for his stunning LEGO creation of a Turnstone.
LEGO versions of The Cliffs of Moher, a piano accordion, Dr Hyde Park and Phil Lynott, as well as Waterford boy Aedan Murray's Turnstone LEGO bird were among the winning and runner-up entries at a competition organised by the Heritage Council.
The contest tasked children with recreating their favourite example of Irish heritage using LEGO and to explain what their chosen subject meant to them. Aedan Murray won gold in the 8-12-year-old natural heritage category.
The competition finale, which took place at Kilkenny’s Medieval Mile Museum the eve of World LEGO Day, Saturday January 27, was also attended by LEGO Brick Artist and competition judge Jessica Farrell.
The competition received more than 150 entries from across the island, with entrants turning to all aspects of Ireland’s rich and varied built, natural and cultural heritage for inspiration. The competition was open to children aged between four and twelve years, with two age categories: 4-to-7-years, and 8-to-12-years. Children were asked to build their model, choose their category, write a short description of what their model represents and why it’s important to them, and then take a photo of the model and submit it via the Heritage Council website.
Winners of both categories took home a ‘How to build LEGO® dinosaurs’ book and an OPW Heritage Card, while winners in the 4-7-year-old categories will be awarded a LEGO® classic set, with a LEGO® creator set going to the winners of the older categories.
The full list of winners are:
Ages 4-to-7 years:
Built heritage – James Sturgeon "Newgrange"
Cultural heritage - Harrison McKeoin "Phil Lynnot"
Natural heritage - Cian Crowley "Irish Lynx"
Ages 8-to-12 years:
Built heritage - Toby and Aoibhín Egan "Thatched Cottage"
Cultural heritage - Tadhg Sinnott "Mise agus Pangur Bán"
Natural heritage - Aedan Murray "Turnstone"
The winning entries are now on display at a special exhibition at Kilkenny’s Medieval Mile Museum. The exhibition runs until February 8.
PICTURED: Aedan Murray with Lorcan Scott (Wildlife Officer with the Heritage Council) and Jessica Farrell (LEGO®Brick Artist and competition judge)
LEGO®Brick Artist and competition judge Jessica Farrell said of Aedan’s work: “This is a fantastic piece, very artfully created and presented. The colours and shape are true to life and the bits of seaweed on the rocky shore set the scene nicely. The blue crab is a nice additional touch. Well done, Aedan!”