Following an invitation to a special ceremony at Hillsborough Castle for her and her fellow finalists, 11-year-old Emily McMullan of Dundonald Primary School was announced as the winner.
Out of more than 2000 vibrant and original designs submitted by students in schools across every county in Northern Ireland, Emily’s design was chosen as the winner.
Thomas Porter, 8, of St. Joseph’s Primary School and Fiadh Rose Kerr, 6, of Omagh Integrated Primary School were the other two contestants who made it to the final three.
Later in the summer, Emily will go to Ulster Carpets and collaborate with their skilled designers to create a beautiful rug from her “snapshot.”
The children of Northern Ireland will present Her Majesty the Queen with the specially created jubilee rug once it is finished as a gift during her Jubilee year.
“I’ve been astonished by the absolutely extraordinary artistic and graphical talent that I have seen in response to the Northern Ireland Office’s Platinum Jubilee Rug competition,” stated Minister of State for Northern Ireland Conor Burns.
“Emily’s design showcases some of Northern Ireland’s best qualities, with its well-known sites being readily recognizable and being associated with this lovely region.“”
The winning design will be brought to life over the summer by internationally renowned Northern Ireland manufacturer Ulster Carpets, and I can’t wait to see it!
The rug will be given to the Royal Household as a gift to commemorate the incredible and historic 70 years of service of the Queen.
“I’m incredibly proud of the young people of Northern Ireland – from schools in every county here – and appreciative to their parents and teachers who have contributed to the success of this idea. Thank you everyone.
“We are delighted at the wonderful artistry shown by primary school students across Northern Ireland, and the fantastic response to the design competition,” said Nick Coburn, Group Managing Director of Ulster Carpets.
“Choosing a winner was an incredibly difficult task, but we can now look forward to creating a rug for Her Majesty The Queen using Emily’s wonderful design.”
Julian Byers, the headmaster of Dundonald Primary, stated: “We are thrilled that Emily’s picture has been selected as the winner.
Her magnificent drawing, which depicts the famous Northern Ireland landmarks as a rug, will serve as a lasting memento of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee and will be displayed with pride in Buckingham Palace.