Miriam O’Callaghan Presents Awards to the Winners

Josh Joyce with his winning entry, Josh won first place in the secondary school category.

Miriam O’Callaghan, along with a selection of high profile academic guests were on hand to award prizes to the overall winners of the Boyne Valley Honey Book of Kells National Art Competition in the Long Room, Trinity College Dublin on April 22nd.

The competition attracted huge interest from aspiring artists up and down the country, but only three winners (1st, 2nd and 3rd) could be chosen from the three categories (primary, secondary, and third/adult). Three Fine Art Facsimiles of the Book of Kells were presented to the overall winners from each category while runners up received cash prizes.

Amanda Dillon from Chapelizod in Co. Dublin, who won first place in the adult/third level category, pictured with her painting "Homage to an Unknown Scholar".

The event was the culmination of a five month long national art competition which invited primary, secondary, and third level students, and adults, to submit a work of art based on one of the following briefs; The Book of Kells itself, the monks who illustrated the manuscript, the materials they used to create it, or life in 9th century Ireland.

Amanda Dillon from Chapelizod in Co. Dublin who was named overall winner of the adult category, explained her nerves before the announcement as being “Worse than if I was starring on the X-Factor!”.
Josh Joyce from Skerries in Co. Dublin, and a student at Drogheda Grammar School, was named overall winner in the secondary school student category, while teacher Fionnuala Brennan accepted the overall prize in the primary school student category for her 6th class from St. Brigid’s School in Killester.

Students from Scoil Mhicil from Co. Limerick who won third place in the secondary school category.

Speaking about the success of the competition, Gillian Hennessy, Brand Manager for Boyne Valley Honey commented, “We were overwhelmed by the quality of entries we received. Each of the winners in their respective categories demonstrated an original and imaginative interpretation of the brief. We are delighted to announce that each of the winning entries will remain on display in the Long Room, Trinity College Dublin for a limited period’.

Judges and speakers on the night included; Malachy McCloskey, Chairman and Founder of the Boyne Valley Honey Company; Des Egan, renowned poet; Robin Adams, College Librarian and Archivist, Trinity College Dublin and Dr Edward McParland, Fellow Emeritus, History of Art, Trinity College.

 

Miriam O Callaghan with the second prize winners in the secondary school category.

Runners up on the night included; Noel McCloskey from Dundrum, Co. Dublin and Michael O’Neill from Enfield in Co. Meath, who won second and third place respectively in the third level/adult category. Group entrants Claire McKenna, Marie McFadden, and Rachel O’Keefe from Kells in Co. Meath, and the 1st year art class from CBS on Sexton St in Co. Limerick won second and third place respectively in the secondary school student category. Scoil Cholmcille from Co. Donegal, and six year old Mia Farrell from the Burren in Co. Clare won second and third place respectively in the primary school student category.

 

Noel McCloskey, from Dundrum in Co. Dublin who came second in the adult/third level category accepting his award from Miriam O'Callaghan.

 

Mike O’Neill, third prize winner of the adult/third level category, with his wife.