Newry teen makes final of Chelsea Flower Show comp

Q Radio News

A green-fingered Newry student's through to the final of the Chelsea Flower Show.

Seventeen year-old Eilis Quinn and fellow CAFRE student Clare McAuley, who is 22 and from Newtownards, created hand-tied presentation bouquets to secure their places.

The pair are studying for their Level two Diplomas in floristry.

They will compete in the Young Chelsea Florist of the Year category later this month.

Eilis says she's delighted to have made it to the final, "I’m really excited to be taking part in such a prestigious horticultural show and have started to work on my final piece for the competition. It’s a floral kite and we will be judged on colour, technique, idea and composition - so there has been lots of designing and trying out different techniques over recent weeks to get it right."

Clare added, "Getting this far in the competition is in itself just incredible. Everyone has heard of the Chelsea Flower Show so the pressure will be on to get the challenge they set us just right. It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase our talent and what we have learnt from our floristry lecturers at Greenmount. I’m really looking forward to soaking up the atmosphere and seeing all the competition entries and other exhibits."

Head of Horticulture at CAFRE, Paul Mooney praised both students for their achievements so far, "It’s a fabulous achievement for the students to get to the final of such a prestigious event. I’m very proud to say that our Greenmount florists already have an amazing track record of design competition success with a current student or CAFRE floristry graduate winning a Chelsea Medal in each of the last five years."