Six South Dublin students were amongst 29 young artists from the county to have won top prizes in this year’s 67th Texaco Children’s Art Competition, the results of which were delayed until now due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They were Róisín Doody (11) from St. Finian’s National School, Newcastle; Pranay Seetharaman (7) from Citywest Educate Together National School, Saggart; April Houghton (8) from St. Andrew’s National School, Lucan and Megan Bell (14), Naomi O’Toole Ward (15) and Zamakonke Mthanbeni (14), all pupils at St. Michael’s Special School, Chapelizod. All were winners of Special Merit Awards for artworks that Final Adjudicator, Professor Declan McGonagle said: “demonstrated high levels of skill and imagination”.
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 Dublin and counties throughout Ireland have had their talents recognised and their creativity commended. From September 14 to October 2, Drogheda’s Highlanes Municipal Art Gallery is hosting an exhibition of the top 126 winning paintings in this year’s Competition. Admission is free and further information is available at www.highlanes.ie
