Gulliver Ireland, launched the GoIreland Photography Awards 2006 in association with John Hinde Ireland. The GoIreland Photography Awards 2006 invites Irish holidaymakers and visiting tourists to fast forward to the future and capture a photograph of tomorrow`s Ireland today. These images will contrast sharply with John Hinde`s series of famous postcards which captured Ireland`s idyllic rural landscape where, most memorably, red-haired children collected turf from a Connemara bog.

Last year`s Awards challenged entrants to capture a photograph epitomising contemporary Ireland since John Hinde`s world-famous 1963 series of iconic photographs. Dubliner John Kane`s photograph, entitled `From Famine Ships to Partnerships`, beat thousands of amateur photographer entries from Ireland and a host of countries around the world.

Speaking at the launch of the Awards, the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr John O`Donoghue, T.D. said, Ireland continues to develop its standing and performance in the increasingly competitive international tourism market where we have witnessed many important improvements in the country`s tourism offering since the original publication of John Hinde`s images in 1963.

The GoIreland Photography Awards presents Irish and visiting holiday makers with the opportunity to envisage what Ireland will look like in the future and how that might enhance the country as a tourist destination. Significantly, the Awards will also provide the tourism industry with invaluable feedback on perceptions of Ireland at home and around the world, added Minister O`Donoghue.

The GoIreland Photography Awards 2006 Judging Panel is chaired by Dick Spring. It includes John McCreery, Sales Director, John Hinde Ireland as well as representatives from the tourism, arts and photography sectors such as Paul
O`Toole, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland; the internationally acclaimed artist, Pauline Bewick; and Jerry Kennelly, the founder of Stockbyte, the specialist stock photography agency. Last year`s Awards winner, John Kane, also sits on the Judging Panel.

Speaking at the launch event, Gulliver Ireland`s Chairman, Dick Spring said, This year`s Awards theme asks Irish holiday makers and visiting tourists to take out their cameras, dust down their crystal balls and picture Ireland`s future today. Using John Hinde`s famous photos as inspiration and a benchmark in time, the challenge is to predict what Ireland will look like in the years to come and capture this in a photograph. Last year`s inaugural Awards attracted thousands of submissions from around the world and the Judging Panel looks forward to reviewing just as many creative entries this year.

John Hinde Ireland`s Sales Director, John McCreery, said, The John Hinde brand has long been at the heart of the Irish tourist industry. Its heritage stretches back to the late 1950s when John Hinde started producing high qualitypostcards depicting scenes that have become etched on the memories of millions of visitors to our shores as well as the Irish themselves, both at home and abroad. The company today is now itself a global company, with operations in the USA and the UK, creating and distributing quality, novelty tourist and gift products.

However, I don`t think that we will ever forget or lose the appreciation of quality product and impactful, resonating imagery and design that the company`s founder, John Hinde, has given us. We are delighted to be associated with the GoIreland Photography Awards for the second year running and look forward to reviewing the submissions depicting tomorrow`s Ireland, added John McCreery.