Schools countywide display Christmas decoration talent

An Cathaoirleach, Cllr Michael Sheehan presented the awards at the 2019 Christmas Decoration Competition at a special ceremony held in Wexford County Council Headquarters at Carricklawn, Wexford on Thursday.

“The school children who participated in this competition have shown us all how to reduce waste by making unusual Christmas decorations from everyday household waste materials and a bit of imagination. They are a wonderful example to us all and I congratulate them, their teachers and their parents for making such a great effort in participating in this competition,” stated Cllr Sheehan.

Hundreds of children around the county participated in the Christmas Decoration Competition which was open to all primary and secondary school children. Alan Corcoran from South East Radio stated; The competition which is now in its 16^th year is great, as it aims to get children and their parents thinking about how to reuse materials that might otherwise be thrown away.”

Cliona Connolly, Environment Education Officer with Wexford County Council said; “The aim of the competition is to encourage children to make creative Christmas decorations with waste materials, fostering the ethos of reuse wherever possible. Schools around the county were invited to make a Christmas decoration out of waste materials. Numerous schools throughout Wexford participated in the competition and one entry per category from each school was put forward to the County Final. Among this years’ submissions were cribs, Christmas trees, snowmen, angels, Christmas village scenes, Rudolf, and lots of tree decorations.”

All 306 decorations received were displayed and received great praise.

The overall primary school winner was an entry by Sadhbh McCormack, Mercy School, John’s Road, Wexford entitled ‘Rudy and Sleigh’. Sadhbh made the winning decoration by using a range of waste materials including cardboard, pringle tubs, plastic lids, and toilet roll inserts.

RESULTS WERE AS FOLLOWS; JUNIOR INFANTS; `1^st, Ivy Allen (St. Mary’s National School, Enniscorthy; Joint 2^nd; Kyle Murphy (St. Garvan’s National School, Caroreigh), and Orla O’Connor (St. Fintan’s National School, Taghmon), 3^rd, Leah Kenny (Camolin National School). Highly Commended; Hanora Egan (Scoil Mhuire, Rosslare).

SENIOR INFANTS; 1^st, Medth Dowling (Camolin National School), 2^nd, Matthew Reynolds (Barntown National School), 3^rd, Conor Nolan (Rathnure National School). Highly Commended, Sheena Connors (Court National School, Monamolin).

FIRST CLASS; 1^st, Freya Reck (Screen National School), 2^nd, Mikey Fitzpatrick (Ballycanew National School), 3^rd, Cathal Dunphy (Castledockrell National School). Highly Commended; Lucy McDonagh (St. Garvan’s National School, Caroreigh, and Jared Allen (St. Mary’s National School, Enniscorthy).

SECOND CLASS; 1^st, Aoibhinn McDonald (Adamstown National School); Joint 2^nd; Ava Dreelan (St. Joseph’s national School, Kilmuckridge) and Maisie Kelly (Mercy School, St. John’s Road, Enniscorthy). High Commended; Aidan Ó Sé (Gaelscoil Inis Corthaidh) agus Michael Ivory (St. Patrick’s National School, Ballyoughter).

THIRD CLASS; 1^st, Hannah Hoffheinz (Kilrane National School), 2^nd, Sophie Redmond (Clongeen National School), Joint 3^rd; Dawn Weber Ní Chianáin (St. Fintan’s National school, Taghmon), agus Lucy Harris-Kotras (Mercy School, St. John’s Road, Wexford). Highly Commended; Aoife Kirwan (St. Patrick’s National School, Ballyroebuck).

FOURTH CLASS; 1^st, Emelia Mai Byrne (Castledockrell National School), Joint 2^nd; Drew O’Gorman (Mercy School, Johns’ Road, Wexford) and Seán Colclough (Rathnure National School); Joint 3^rd, Jane Mohamed (St. Patrick’s National School, Craanford), Lily Burke (Holy Family National School, Glenbrien).

FIFTH CLASS; 1^st, Sharry Burke (Ballyduff National School); Joint 2^nd, Leah O’Brien-Miller (Ballymurn National School) and Anna Corrigan (Screen National School); Joint 3^rd, Makayla Tobin-Cosgrave (St. Patrick’s national School, Ballyroebuck) and Annie Allen (Scoil Mhuire Rosslare).

SIXTH CLASS; 1^st, Davy Redmond (Ballyduff National School), and, Padhraic Colclough (Rathnure National School); Joint 3^rd, Michal Bak (St Joseph’s Primary School, Kilmuckridge) and Ava Carroll (Kilrane National School). Highly Commended; Holly Spencer (Gorey Central National School) and Kate Kelly (St. Fintan’s National School, Taghmon).

PRIMARY GROUP; 1^st, Ballyhogue National School, 2^nd, Tanad Byrne Staples, Axel Roulston, Ruth Griffin Doyle, Callina Dunphy and Bryony McGuiness (St. Iberius National School, Wexford), Joint 3^rd, Kate Mooney and Andrew Mooney (Barntown National School) and Kate Higgins and Lilly Kehoe (Rathnure National School). Highly Commended, Ballycanew National School.

SECONDARY SCHOOL GROUP. Senior 3, Our Lady of Fatima Special School, Wexford; 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd year; 1^st, Ciara Enright (Loreto Secondary School, Wexford, 2^nd, Tommy Power (Bridgetown College), 3^rd, Lauren Spencer (Gorey Community School); 4^th, 5^th 6^th year; 1^st Sophia Whitehead (Selskar College, Wexford, 2^nd, Abby Spencer (Gorey Community School).