Five other Drogheda students win Special Merit Awards
A Drogheda 16- year old, James Moonan, has just won his fith prize in the prestigious Texaco Children’s Art Competition by topping the same category of as he did last year and in 2019. He also won second prize in 2018 and a Special Merit Award in 2017!
James is one of six Drogheda students who 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.
James, who is a pupil at The Arthouse, won first prize in Category G of the completion which is reserved for entries from young artists of all ages with special needs, for his work entitled ‘Heron on the River Boyne’.
In addition, five other Drogheda students each won Special Merit Awards for artworks that Final Adjudicator, Professor McGonagle said, “demonstrated high levels of skill and imagination.”
They were Martin Lawrence (14) from St. Ita’s Special School and Eshika Eva Paul (8); Braden McDonnell (8); Ellie Martin (6) and Úna McDonnell (6), all pupils at The Arthouse.
Eshika Eva is no stranger to the competition either, she won a Special Merit Award in 2020.
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.
Entries from eight-year old Eshika Eva Paul (left) and Ellie Martin (6) both won Special Merit Awards.
This year, as has been the case throughout its life, it has been a platform on which young artists from Louth 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
