Issued April 2006

2006 TEXACO CHILDREN'S ART COMPETITION WINNERS ANNOUNCED

An 18-year old Longford student Rose Toolan has won the €2,000 top prize in this year's 52nd Texaco Children's Art Competition. From Loughill, Coolarty, Co. Longford, Rose is a student at Templemichael College, Longford. She won her first prize in Category A of the Competition (16-18 years) for her painting entitled ' The Tempest ’, an impressive sunlit seascape with lighthouse backdrop portraying waves breaking across a rocky shoreline.

Announcing the awards at a press reception held in the Royal Hibernian Academy, Gallagher Gallery in Ely Place, Dublin today (Tuesday 11 April 2006), Paul Martin of Texaco (Ireland) Limited described Rose’s winning entry as: “A work of exceptional quality which captures all of the power, energy and beauty of the sea.”

In Category B (14-15 years), the €400 first prize winner was 15-year old Mantas Poderys from Ashfield, Letterkenny, a student at Letterkenny Vocational School, for his painting entitled ‘Gone for Lunch’ while, in Category C (12-13 years), first prize of €300 went to 13-year old Allannah Hoppner from Ulidia Integrated School, Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim for her impressive still-life study of fish entitled ‘The Catch’.

In Category D (9-11 years), first prize of €200 was won by 11-year old Rachel-Ann Raftery, a student at Slowey School of Art, Ballina, for her painting 'Pretty in Pink’ while, in Category E (7-8 years), the first prize of €150 went to 8-year old Westmeath student Emily Jones from Lynn Cross, Mullingar for her colourful study of a baby deer entitled 'The Fawn’.

In Category F (6 years and under), the youngest age group in the Competition, first prize winner of €100 was Laura Brennan, a student of Scoil Mhuire National School in Sandymount, for her painting entitled 'Sunflowers’.

In Category G, reserved for entries from special needs children, first prize of €400 went to 12-year old Ricky Gibson of Conway Court, Belfast, a student at Jordanstown School, Newtownabbey, for his entry entitled ‘Titanic’.

Second and third prizes in all seven competition age categories went to students from Cork, Galway, Donegal, Tyrone, Clare, Wexford, Dublin, Kilkenny, Westmeath and Louth.

Final judging was carried out by the Chairman of the judging panel, Professor Declan McGonagle, Chair of Art & Design at the University of Ulster. Preliminary judges were Brenda McParland (Senior Curator & Head of Exhibitions, Irish Museum of Modern Art), Eoin Butler (artist and former head of Visual Arts department, St. Patrick’s Teacher Training College, Dublin), Dr. Denise Ferran (artist and art historian), Colleen Frew (Education Officer, Ulster Museum, Belfast) and Alan Bremner (Director of Television, UTV).

Declan McGonagle praised the level of creativity and the quality of composition evident across all age categories and the exceptional maturity and skill revealed by winners in the senior age groups.

Now in its 52nd year, the Texaco Children's Art Competition is the longest running event in the history of art sponsorship. The presentation of prizes to all winners will take place in Dublin next month.

Editors Notes

There are approximately 280-branded service stations in Ireland and more than 3,500 across Europe. Texaco Ireland also holds an equity stake in four fuel storage facilities across the Republic. For more information, visit www.texaco.ie

Texaco’s community activities in Ireland include its long running support for Children’s Art – now in its 52nd year as well as the Texaco Sportstars Awards.

For media enquiries about the Texaco Children’s Art Competition or the Texaco Sportstars Awards, please contact Don Hall/Maeve Barry, The Hall Company on 01-6609377, mobile 087-2552699, fax 01-6609742

For any other media enquiries about Texaco (Ireland) Limited, contact Daniel Schraibman on 0044 207 719 4459 or email danielschraibman@chevrontexaco.com