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Despite facing stiff competition from 30,000 other students from across the 32 counties of Ireland, and 433 students from Co. Down, lower sixth year student, Shane Finegan, emerged as winner of the 56th Texaco Children’s Art Competition. Shane’s still life picture entitled “Mackerel,” a study of two fish, won him first prize.
His inspiration came in the form of a plate of shimmering mackerel caught some years ago while fishing with his father, which he recalled and brought back to life using watercolour pencils. “When we pulled them out of the water, the fish gleamed and the colours were so beautiful, I never forgot them.” Commenting on his work, the chairman of the judging panel Professor Declan Mc Gonagle said Shane had exhibited great skill, technique, imagination and maturity in winning the top award against such intense competition, adding that while it was a “quieter” work than some of the other pieces, it was also quite abstract and figurative in its shape, form and colour. Professor McGonagle also said that “Shane’s success reflects the emphasis being placed on art teaching at the Abbey Grammar School.” “This is seen in the fact that two other Abbey Grammar students, Niall Murchan (seventh year pupil) and Jonathan Taylor (sixth year pupil) each won special merit awards in the same category.” It’s the first time in the 56-year history of the competition that the first prize has been won by any school in County Down. Announcing the awards at the reception held in Dublin castle, Enda Riney, chairman of Chevron Ireland Limited, owners of the Texaco brand, described Shane as a talented young artist. He said that his success provides further evidence of the strong artistic talent to be found in our young people, whilst placing him on the honour roll alongside the many other great Irish artists and designers whose names have featured amongst the award winners in the competition in the course of its 56 year history. Shane’s work will be the star attraction at an exhibition featuring the 161 award-winning paintings from the 56th Texaco Children's Art Competition, in the Ulster Museum, Belfast on Thursday 21st October - Sunday 28th November 2010.