“A Poem as lovely as a Tree”: Schools Poetry Competition for National Tree Week, 2019 Pearse Museum, St Enda’s Park, Rathfarnham - 6 April 2019

To mark National Tree Week, the Pearse Museum and St Enda's Park, Rathfarnham invited school children from across Dublin City and County to write a poem inspired by trees and forests. St Enda's Park contains hundreds of beautiful trees and was formerly the home of Scoil Éanna, Patrick Pearse's experimental school. Pearse moved his school to scenic Rathfarnham in 1910 because he was anxious that his pupils should develop a 'real interest and love for beautiful living things'. Pearse was a great lover of nature and many of his poems and other writings were inspired by the beautiful landscape of St Enda's Park.

Hundreds of children entered the competition.

After much deliberation, the Pearse Museum is delighted to announce the winning poems:

AGED 9 AND UNDER

Ioan J. Dillon - Dublin 7 Educate Together National School

Ruairí Glennon - Scoil Caomhín Naofa, Hollywood, Co Wicklow

Thomas Joseph Olwill - Dublin 7 Educate Together National School

Mia Whearity - St Colmcille’s SNS

AGED 10 TO 12

Luke Donaghy - St Catherine's N.S.

Kellie Kildunne - St Colmcille's SNS

Juno O'Flanagan - Dalkey School Project

Rosie May Penn Chester - Howth N.S.

ADJUDICATOR’S PRIZE

David McGovern - Dalkey School Project

The winners will be presented with their prizes at a special event in the Pearse Museum on Saturday 6 April at 11am.

ENDS

For further information, please contact Brian Crowley at brian.crowley@opw.ie or at 01 4934208.

High quality images are available on request.

The Pearse Museum is operated by the Office of Public Works and is situated in St. Enda’s Park, Rathfarnham. Originally run as a school, the building now houses a museum looking at the life and work of Patrick Pearse. The museum is open seven days a week, from 9.30am to 5.30pm.

Patrick Pearse was the leader of the Easter Rising and one of the principal authors of the 1916 Proclamation. He was also a leading campaigner for the Irish language, a writer and inspiring educator. He moved Scoil Éanna, his experimental school, to Rathfarnham in 1910 to the building which now houses the Pearse Museum.

Follow us on Twitter @opwireland

Follow us on Facebook @opwireland