Youngster’s canal inspired poem goes up in lights as part of luminaire celebration

A youngster from Llangollen has had an extract from a poem she wrote projected on to the front of an iconic canal bridge as part of a luminaire celebration.

11-year-old Megan Mascarenhas, a pupil at Ysgol Dinas Bran, entered the poetry competition organised by Gandŵr Cymru  – the Canal & River Trust in Wales earlier this year, to mark 10 years since the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal was inscribed as a World Heritage Site.

The theme of the competition was ‘Go with the Flow’ and young entrants aged between five and 11 years were asked to take inspiration from visits to the canal and its’ surrounding natural beauty.

A line from Megan’s poem will be projected on to the Chirk Tunnel frontage, a Grade II Scheduled Monument from today.

Megan was delighted to receive the news and said: “I’m excited to see part of my poem up in lights. It’s a real honour and I enjoyed taking part as I love living so close to the canal and visiting when I can with my family.”

Poetry competition organiser Lynda Slater from the Canal & River Trust said: “We were very impressed with Megan’s competition entry.

“We wanted youngsters to create a poem that would inspire others and show how being next to water makes them feel and why our canals are so special to them.

“Megan demonstrated this in her poem and we are delighted that she was the overall winner and that we are able to light up a line from her poem on the Chirk Tunnel frontage during this special event.”

The luminaire event runs until 27th October as a celebration of Thomas Telford’s breath-taking nineteenth century Pontcysyllte Aqueduct at Trevor Basin being given the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage Status in 2009.

Each site is unique and is either graded, a scheduled monument or both and is lit up by expert lighting company Enlightened of Bristol for two hours each evening from 7.30pm – 9.30pm.

The sites lit up are as follows:

Aqueduct, Chirk (Grade II Scheduled Monument)
Viaduct, Chirk (Grade II)
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Trevor (Grade I Scheduled Monument)
Dinas Bran Castle, Llangollen (Scheduled Monument)
Horseshoe Falls, Llangollen (Grade II)
Chirk Tunnel Frontage

Due to the popularity of the Luminaire visitors are reminded to avoid traffic congestion and avoid stopping on nearby lanes. You are kindly requested to use designated car parks in the vicinity of each of the sites (which aren’t stewarded);

Pontcysyllte: Acrefair Football Club, Gate Rd LL20 7RH
CHIRK: Glyn Wylfa, LL14 5BS
Dinas Bran: Llangollen Town Centre, car parks
Horseshoe Falls: LL208BN