On Wednesday 30th September: Winners of the 2009 National Heritage Week Photography Competition were announced today by the Heritage Council, coordinators of the week.  Waterford's Mary Jean Timmins scooped up the first prize in the Adult Group with her entry titled "Blowing Bubbles" taken during Lifetime Lab Water Open Day.

The winning picture, which illustrates the children blowing up a giant, colourful bubble, captures the enjoyment of the Timmins family during Lifetime Lab Water Open Day

Speaking about the competition, Michael Starrett, Chief Executive of the Heritage Council said, “We received over 500 images and the standard of photos was very high. It was fantastic to see the enthusiasm and passion for heritage expressed through the eyes of people that took part in Heritage Week and attended events. The images entered in the competition truly illustrate the diversity of our heritage from natural, to built, to cultural heritage. National Heritage Week was a fantastic success this year, with a significant increase in attendance figures reported throughout the week. I am delighted to announce that the dates for National Heritage Week 2010 have been set for the 21st – 29th August."

For updates on plans for next year, log on to "www.heritageweek.ie”.