Young Laois artistic talent celebrated by Lions Club and Laois County Council

Artistic talent in Laois schools was celebrated recently when the Arts Office at Laois County Council hosted a reception and prize-giving ceremony for the Lions International Peace Poster Competition. 

Winners of 1st and 2nd prize were presented with a plaque by President of the Lions Club Máire Ní Riordáin and the overall winner of the Laois contest was announced as Luiza Kazakevica from St. Josephs NS Borris-in-Ossory, and her work will go forward to the next stage of the international competition.

The Lions International Peace Poster Contest is an international contest that allows children, ages 11 - 13, to creatively express what peace means to them and to share their unique image of peace and to encourage greater tolerance and understanding. The theme this year is “Journey of Peace” and its the 15th year Laois County Council have hosted the event, organised jointly by the Lions Club and the Arts Office.

Thanks were extended to Lions Club members Mary O’Riordan and Barbara Stanley - the main organisers of the competition and to the judge, well- known local artist Ray Murphy who didn’t have an easy job to pick the winners from the 9 schools who participated this year. 

Winners and schools include

1st Prize Tamara Callaghan 2nd Prize Cormac Page Trumera NS

1st Prize Daniel Whelan 2nd Prize Callum Heffernan Paddock NS

1st Prize Luiza Kazakevica 2nd Prize Killian Mulhall St Josephs NS Borris-in-Ossory

1st Prize Eimear Whelan 2nd Prize Sarah Ryan Killadooley NS

1st Prize Lucy Burke 2nd Prize Mia Chen St Josephs Girls NS, Mountmellick

1st Prize Emily Lundberg 2nd Prize Ella Phelan Scoil Bhride NS, Mountrath

1st Prize Mia Byrne 2nd Prize Vicky Hu Scoil Bhride NS, Rathdowney

1st Prize Kacper Niemiec 2nd Prize Ciara Peavoy Clonenagh NS, Mountrath

1st Prize Michael Kavanagh 2nd Prize Dylan O’Brien St. Fintans NS, Mountrath

The posters were on display to the public in Áras an Chontae during November.