Search for the 'Golden Acorn'

A debut book, a reign as chairman of the borough's youth council, Junior Mayor, actively pursuing a major charity cause and now leading the search for Derry's 'Golden Acorn'. On Saturday Ryan launched his book 'If Stones Could Speake ~ The Walled City Treasure Hunt', at the Roe Valley Country Park's Green Lane Museum. The book is a photographic treasure hunt competition involving buildings and structures from around the historic Walled City of Derry – Londonderry. The lucky winner who scourges the city and finds the home of each of the zoomed in images in Ryan's book will win the coveted 18 carat Gold Acorn worth 1,500.

"This is a treasure hunt with a difference in that there are no cryptic clues to solve and that the prizes are real treasures specially commissioned for this competition". Ryan tells the Sentinel, "I decided to compile the book because I wanted to bring Derry's architecture to people's attention and a photographic treasure hunt was definitely the best way.

"The Acorn is symbolic of the Gaelic name of the City Doire. Also, it is symbolic of this small project from which it is hoped that a greater number of people will appreciate the rich shared built heritage of the City."

The competition is based on participants purchasing the treasure hunt book (RRP 9.99) and submitting an entry form clearly identifying the location of each photograph. As well as the 18 carat gold first prize, there are five solid silver Oak Leaf's as runner up prizes. The Silver Oak Leaf is symbolic of the now lapsed tradition of wearing an Oak Leaf on the feast of St Columba, June 9, similar to the wearing of Shamrocks on St Patrick's Day. All of the profits raised from the sale of the treasure hunt book will be donated to the Kenya Fund organised by Limavady Grammar School aiming to build a Maasai girls' secondary school in Oloiyankalani, Kajiado, Kenya and to the local international charity Children in Crossfire.

"The first person I asked for advice was my dad, to see if it was possible and when he said it was, I started work on it right away." explained the talented teen, "I knew from the start that I wanted the proceeds to go to charity. The Kenya Fund jumped out from the start as a great cause. I kept costs down by doing the publishing myself, with all profit going to the cause." added Ryan.

Brian Dunwoody, team leader of the school's fundraising campaign for the Kenya Fund praised Ryan for his work: "Since 2001, Limavady Grammar School pupils have been raising funds for the building of a catchment well and a secondary school for girls in Kajiado, Kenya. In 2004 a team of 32 from Limavady Grammar School spent 4 weeks in Kenya helping with the wells project. In 2008 a second team spent 4 weeks laying the foundations for the school. In July 2011 Ryan, along with a group of 35 of our teachers and pupils will be continuing the work at the school in Kenya. By that time it is hoped that the first stage of the school will be complete and opened. I commend Ryan for this initiative and for all his hard work and trust that, as in the past, the North-West community will generously support the work in Kenya by entering the competition."

Richard Moore, founder Children in Crossfire also heaped praise on the Limavady teen author's efforts: "We are amazed and grateful for Ryan's support. The actions of an individual like Ryan Lusby can have a great impact on other peoples' lives. There are 134 million people in the world aged from 7 to 18 years old who have never been to school. With Ryan's support from the proceeds of his book, it will enable us to train teachers and provide educational equipment so that more children, including those with disabilities, can go to school." Richard continued: "Ryan's book is an example of a local citizen helping to restore the heritage of our City and as global citizen working towards breaking the cycle of poverty for some of the worlds' most vulnerable children".

Newly elected Mayor Michael Carton offered his support to the project.

He said: "I am delighted to support this project by the recently elected Junior Mayor Ryan Lusby as it demonstrates the creativity and innovation of youth in Limavady Borough and I look forward to working with Ryan and the Limavady Youth Council over the next 12 months". The Treasure Hunt competition will run for 12 months with a sustained marketing campaign targeting not only local citizens but also Irish Diaspora in Britain, North America, Australia and New Zealand as well as the key tourism markets of Germany, France, South Africa and Japan. The Derry Visitor and Convention Bureau, The Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Tourism Ireland has agreed to help promote this project in the UK and in international markets. Copies of the book can be purchased from Limavady Borough Council's Tourist Information Centre and the Derry Visitor & Convention Bureau.

The Acorn is symbolic of the Gaelic name of the City Doire. Also, it is symbolic of this small project from which it is hoped that a greater number of people will appreciate the rich shared built heritage of the City. The five runner's up prizes of a Silver Oak Leaf is symbolic of the now lapsed tradition of wearing an Oak Leaf on the feast of St Columba June 9th similar to the wearing of Shamrocks on St Patrick's Day.