Talent recognised in art competition

SEVERAL Cork students are amongst students across the country to have won top prizes in this year’s 70th Texaco Children’s Art Competition.

Aoife O’Regan (16), from Coláiste na Toirbhirte, Bandon; Keelin Ní Laoire (18), from Scoil Mhuire, Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidh and Gael Taaffe (17), from Skibbereen Community School, each won special merit awards for artworks that final adjudicator, Gary Granville, Professor Emeritus of Education at the National College of Art and Design, said ‘demonstrated high levels of skill and imagination.’

In addition, other Cork winners each won special merit awards including Darragh Woods (14) and Aimee Lombard (14), both pupils at Coláiste Choilm, Ballincollig; Vihaan Manne (8) from Mary Murphy School of Art, Carrigaline and Lily Atkinson (15) from Our Lady of Good Counsel School, Ballincollig.

The Texaco Children’s Art Competition is popularly regarded as the longest-running sponsorship in the history of arts sponsoring in Ireland, with an unbroken history that dates back to the very first Competition held in 1955.

This year, as has been the case throughout its life, it has been a platform on which young artists from Cork and counties throughout Ireland have had their talents recognised and their creativity commended.