24 April 2025
By Valerie Ryan
valerie@TheCork.ie
14 Cork students have won top prizes in this year’s 71st Texaco Children’s Art Competition.
In the 7-8 years age category, Hazel O’Brien (age 8), from Ovens National School, won second prize for her work entitled Me, My Selfie and I’. Her artwork is described by Final Adjudicator – Irish visual artist, curator and educator – Pauline O’Connell, as “an unusual composition which depicts a reclining figure – perhaps in water, perhaps not – lying amidst translucent layers of blue paint”.
In the 6 years and under age category – the youngest age group in the Competition – Donnacha Buckley Moloney (age 5), from Dromleigh National School, Kilmichael, won second prize for his work entitled ‘The Titanic’. Commenting on his artwork, Ms. O’Connell said: “each artist’s view of life, reflecting the world around them, is unique, and a visit to a museum fuelled Donnacha’s imagination – evoking the sinking of ‘The Titanic’ as it slips diagonally across the compositional plane”.
Second prize in Category G of the Competition was won by Brian Daly (age 18), a pupil at Skibbereen Community School, for his work entitled ‘Still Life With Fruit’ – described by Ms. O’Connell a work which “demonstrates an economy of brushstroke and a mastery of minimalist staging along with expressive paint handling.”
In addition, 11 Cork winners each won Special Merit Awards for artworks that Ms. O’Connell said ‘displayed high levels of skill and creativity.’
They were Lily Levine (16), a pupil at Coláiste an Phiarsaigh, Glanmire; Emma Fenny (14) and Layla O’Mahony (14) – both from Carrigaline Community School; Tadhg Kinsella (11) from Glandore National School; Avisa Singh (10) from Lisavaird National School; Anna Roche (8) from Scoil Bhríde, Ballinlough; Krishavraj Karthikeyan (7) from Gaelscoil Mhachan, Mahon; Hannah Watkins (5) from Scoil Chúil Aodha-Barr d’Inse, Coolea; Jude Murphy (3) from Leamlara; Brianna O’Reilly (16) from Loreto Secondary School, Fermoy and Gael Taaffe (18) from Skibbereen Community School.
No stranger to the Competition, Gael also won a special merit award last year.
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.
Second prize in Category E of the 2025 Texaco Children’s Art Competition was won by Cork student, Hazel O’Brien (age 8) from Ovens National School, for her work entitled ‘Me, My Selfie and I’.
Hazel is pictured with her prize-winning artwork at a function to announce the top winners held in Dublin.
Picture Credit: Mac Innes Photography/Justin Mac Innes
Second prize in Category F – the youngest age group in the 2025 Texaco Children’s Art Competition – was won by Cork student, Donnacha Buckley Moloney (age 5), a pupil at Dromleigh National School, Kilmichael for his work entitled ‘The Titanic’.
Donnacha is pictured with his prize-winning artwork at a function to announce the top winners held in Dublin.
Picture Credit: Mac Innes Photography/Jason Clarke