By Margaret Monaghan

The Meath Local Association of An Taisce, the National Trust for Ireland has announced the winners of their recent photography competition titled ‘Capturing the natural and built heritage along the River Boyne and the Boyne Navigation’.

The aim of the competition was to encourage its members and the general public to stroll along the many Boyne walkways and its tributary Blackwater to observe the wildlife and the wonderful heritage buildings nestled among the surrounding forests and grasslands.

Geoffrey Clarke, Chairperson of the Meath Association commented that the response was tremendous, resulting in images from all over Meath and the Boyne section in Louth. They showed a variety of seasons, images ranging from sunrise over the Boyne railway viaduct to sunset over Trim Castle. Several entries were aerial views including the weir at Stackallen and the Lady’s Tower, Mornington. Other properties included Bective Abbey, Oldbridge House, Dunmoe Castle, Beaulieu House and several mills including the Mill house Slane, Newhaggard Mill and the Blackwater Mill while Slane Castle which was the most photographed heritage building from various viewpoints.

The association was delighted to see that the wildlife along the Boyne Canal remains in great health and abundance as An Taisce are the owners of most of the Navigation having acquired it in 1969 from John Spicer and Co. Wonderful photos of ducks, heron, salmon butterflies and other species were also received.

The winners were chosen by the independent judges, professional photographer Joseph Carr and Timothy Smyth. Their task was not an easy one due to the diversity and high standard, some were panoramic while others were highly zoomed or monochrome. They awarded first prize to Aubrey Martin for an absolutely stunning picture of a large male salmon crossing the highest weir on the Boyne outside Navan (pictured in banner image). An absolute gem as it shows the skill and patience required to capture that fleeting moment, the judges felt it was an incredible image – maybe it was the salmon of knowledge!

Second prize went to Gerry Shanahan for a black and white vibrant image of a heron (above) and its reflection pictured on the weir at the Ramparts, Navan.

Third prize was awarded to Gerald Phelan for ‘Slane Mill built 1766 and Slane Bridge' (above) which was one of the earliest crossings across the Boyne.

Geoffrey thanked the judges and the organisers Aisling Killilea and Margaret Monaghan. He also expressed his gratitude to everyone for their effort to record such important and overlooked bits of heritage and encourages people to continue making observations especially with climate change and as Joseph Carr commented in the past “it is a great way of local people being able to take ownership of their area's natural and man built history and to foster pride and interest at a grassroots level".