West Cork trio scoop art awards

THREE young West Cork students were amongst the top winners to receive awards in this year’s 62nd Texaco Children’s Art Competition. 

Their prizes were presented at a gala prize giving ceremony in the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham last week.

 In the 7-8 years category, Darragh Murphy (7) from Lisselane in  Clonakilty won his award for a painting entitled ‘The Bearded Dragon’. A student at Scoil Na mBuachailli in Clonakilty, Darragh is a son of Tim and Emer Murphy, his father being a well-known landscape contractor and his mother a science teacher in St Fachtna’s De La Salle College in Skibbereen.

In the 9-11 age group, Emily O’Regan (9) from Belgooly in Kinsale won her award for a painting entitled ‘Emily by Emily’. 

A pupil at Scoil Mhuire na nGrást, Emily is a sister of Katalin, herself a talented young artist, and daughter of dairy farmer Peter and his German-born wife Gabriele. Emily studies art at Kinsale Art Academy whose founder Louise McKeon said she was delighted at her success. ‘Emily and her sister are both extremely talented young artists. She is the third student from our academy to win a prize in the Texaco Competition – last year we had two winners, including a second prize winner in one of the age categories,’ said Louise.

 In Category G, Conor O’Sullivan (15) from Ballydonegan, Allihies, won his award for a self-portrait finished in collage and pen. The son of farmer Donald O’Sullivan and his wife Teresa, Conor is a pupil at Beara Community School and a student of art teacher Karen Croke. 

His mother Teresa, (whose aunt Miriam and uncle Kevin are proprietors of the well-known O’Neill’s Bar in Allihies), works at the nearby Ardgroom Post office.