Issued May 24th 2006

MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND SCIENCE, MARY HANAFIN T.D. GUEST OF HONOUR AT 52nd TEXACO CHILDREN'S ART COMPETITION AWARDS CEREMONY

Minister for Education and Science, Mary Hanafin T.D. was Guest of Honour at the 52nd Texaco Children's Art Competition awards ceremony held in the Burlington Hotel, Dublin yesterday (Wednesday, 24th May) where she presented prizes to the winners of this year's Competition. She was welcomed on arrival by Declan McAndrew, Country Chairman, Texaco (Ireland) Limited. After viewing the prize winning entries, Minister Hanafin met the 161 young artists and their parents who had travelled from all parts of Ireland to receive their prizes. They included the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize winners and twenty Special Merit Award winners in each of seven age categories.

Longford student wins €2,000 Overall Award plus €1,500 UTV/Texaco Commission
Leading the list of winners was 18-year old Longford student Rose Toolan from Loughill, Coolarty, first prize winner in Category A (16-18 years) and the artist chosen to be the overall winner of the Competition. A student at Templemichael College, Longford, Rose won her first prize in Category A of the Competition (16-18 years) for her painting entitled 'Tempest’, an impressive sunlit seascape with lighthouse backdrop portraying waves breaking across a rocky shoreline. It was described by Texaco Country Chairman, Declan McAndrew as 'a work of exceptional quality which captures all of the power, energy and beauty of the sea'. In addition to her €2,000 top prize, Rose also received the €1,500 UTV/Texaco Young Artist Commission which is presented each year to the overall winner.

In Category B (14-15 years), the €400 first prize winner was 15-year old Mantas Poderys from Ashfield, Letterkenny, a student of 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.

26 Counties feature on Winners' List - Dublin Most Successful County Overall
This year, twenty-six counties were represented on the overall list of winners. Amongst the top prize winners, Dublin was the single most successful county taking five awards. When Special Merit winners were included, Dublin was also the most successful county with 43 winners overall followed by Cork & Galway (14), Antrim (10), Louth (9), Mayo & Westmeath (8), Donegal & Wexford (6), Kildare (5), Limerick, Down, Waterford & Clare (4 ), Sligo, Kerry & Monaghan (3) Longford, Tipperary & Meath (2) with Cavan, Wicklow, Armagh, Derry, Tyrone, Kilkenny and Carlow receiving one each.

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). Commenting, Professor 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 established as the longest running event in the history of art sponsorship in Ireland. Open to all children from 6 years and under up to 18 years, the Competition attracts over 30,000 entries annually.

END
Wednesday, 24th May 2006

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 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