A local father-daughter duo is set to make their mark on the international stage as they compete in the World Jigsaw Championship in Valladolid, Spain, from September 17 to 22.

Emma Quirke, a 24-year-old teacher, will be representing Ireland in both the individual and pairs categories alongside her father, Darren Quirke.

The individual competition involves completing a 500-piece puzzle within 90 minutes, while the pairs competition requires the duo to finish a 500-piece puzzle in 75 minutes.

A former pupil of Lissivigeen National School and St. Brigid's Secondary School, Emma has a long history of involvement in the community.

She was a competitive swimmer with Killarney Swimming Club and later served as a coach. In her final years of secondary school, she volunteered her time to assist with Special Olympics swimming training.

Emma's passion for jigsaw puzzles began at a young age, and she has spent countless hours completing puzzles of varying difficulty, often tackling 1,000-piece puzzles. Inspired and encouraged by her family and friends, Emma decided to enter the World Jigsaw Championship.

To prepare for the competition, Emma participated in an online UK jigsaw competition, where competitors had until August to submit their best times.

She achieved a time of 29 minutes and 38 seconds placing her among the top competitors.

Over 3,000 participants are expected to compete in this year's championship.