Two Donegal students have won top prizes in this year’s 66th Texaco Children’s Art Competition.
In the 14-15 years age category, P.J. Doherty (15), a pupil at Saint Eunan’s College, Letterkenny won first prize for his self-portrait.
P.J.’s composition is described by Final Adjudicator and Chairman of the judging panel, Professor Declan McGonagle as “a remarkable work in pencil and charcoal, particularly the lighting effect which is captured to convey atmosphere as well as personality.”
Another Donegal winner was Joana Jino (age 10), a pupil at Illistrin National School Letterkenny.
Joana won a Special Merit Award for an artwork entitled ‘The Raspberries’, which Professor McGonagle said: “was imaginative and displayed high levels of skill”.
With the onset of Covid-19, the Competition had to be extended over a longer period this year with delays to the final adjudication process and the announcement of winners.
As a result, activities normally undertaken during April and May – traditionally, the introduction of winners to the media and the formal presentation of prizes – had to be set aside as a consequence of which prizes will be delivered by hand without the possibility of an awards ceremony.