AONB and Geopark Amateur Photography Competition Winners Announced!

Each year, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council hosts an amateur photography competition to highlight the splendour of the district’s three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The winning photographs from across, the Mournes, the Ring of Gullion and Strangford and Lecale, are then compiled into the highly sought after AONB calendar. 

This year the standard of entries to the competition has been exceptionally high, with amateur photographers entering an amazing array of beautiful images of the three areas. Judging took place in September, where a panel comprised of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Pete Byrne, Ards and North Down Borough Council Mayor, Councillor Alistair Cathcart, and the Chairperson of the Mourne Heritage Trust Mr David Maginn, came together to select the winning entries. 

The Council are delighted to announce that Evan Boyce won the overall competition with his image ‘Murlough Driftwood’. Receiving second place in the overall competition was Enda Quinn with ‘The Misty Three’ at Killeavy. Winner of the Under 18 category was Rowen Gallagher with his black and white photo of ‘Binnian and Wee Binnian’ in the Mournes.

You can find the full gallery of winners and finalists for the 2024 competition on the competition pages of www.ringofgullion.org 

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Pete Byrne said, “This annual competition held by the Council’s AONB and Geopark management team, allows amateur photographers to show us through their camera lens the truly breathtaking landscapes that make up our district, which are now also internationally recognised as part of the Mourne Gullion Strangford UNESCO Global Geopark. It has been a pleasure to take part in the judging of this competition, I have been very impressed by the quality of the images entered and I am looking forward to receiving my AONB Calendar for 2025.” 

The AONB Calendar will be available in time for Christmas, in which the competition will once more be launched for our 2026 calendar. Visit the AONB websites for more information on where to get your copy.

Overall Winner - Murlough Driftwood by Evan Boyce

Runner up - The Misty Three by Enda Quinn

U18 Winner - Binnian and Wee Binnian by Rowen Gallagher