The Primary Schools Christmas Decoration Competition at Wexford County Council’s headquarters at Carriglawn, Wexford, has concluded and Cathaoirleach Cllr Keith Doyle has presented the prizes.

CLLR KEITH DOYLE, Chairman Wexford County Council presented prizes at Christmas schools’ competition.

A highly popular event now in its 15th year, large numbers turned up to view hundreds of colourful and ingenious Christmas decorations, all of them made from recycled materials by primary school children across the county.
“The school children who participated in this competition have shown us all how to reduce waste by making wonderful and unusual Christmas decorations from everyday household waste materials – simply by using their imagination” said Cllr Doyle, who added; “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.”
Cliona Connolly, Environment Education Officer with Wexford County Council and co-ordinator and mastermind of the competition 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,” said Ms. Connolly.
All 294 decorations received were displayed in County Hall and received great praise.
The People’s Choice award proved to be a great success again this year where members of the public voted for their favourite decoration on display. Ava Skye Byrne, Castledockrell National School secured this award with her decoration ‘Winter Wonderland’.

The Christmas Coffee Tree by pupils from Adamstown National School won the top award at the Wexford County Council sponsored Christmas Decorations event.

A Group Category proved to be a huge success again this year as it encourages children to work together to make amazing decorations from as young as junior infants.
The overall primary school winner was a group entry entitled ‘The Christmas Coffee Tree’ by Scoil Naomh Abbáin, Adamstown. The winning decoration used a range a waste materials including coffee pods, cardboard, lids, straws, plastic bottles and sweet wrappers.
The overall runner-up was also a group entry by Kellie and Amy Cloke of Kilmyshall National School. They created a ‘Vintage Christmas Tree’ with an old mirror frame, pringles box and an old net curtain.
Other winning decorations included ‘Recycled Elf’ by Aisling Kehoe, from Junior Infants, Rathnure National School; ‘Christmas Tree’ by Tiernan Goff, Senior Infants, Kilrane National School; ‘Christmas Wreath’ by Lara McDermott, 1st Class, Mercy School, Wexford; ‘The Krindle Candle’ by Conall Rice, 2nd Class, St Garvan’s National School, Caroreigh; ‘Snowman’ by Kellie Brennan, 3rd class, Scoil Mhaodhóig, Poulfur; ‘Joe the Elf’ by Patrick Rossiter, 4th class, Danescastle National School; ‘Christmas Reindeer’ by Sophia Silva, 5th Class , St John of God Primary School, The Faythe and ‘Art in Christmas’ by Una Fae Flavin, 6th Class, Ballyduff National School.
Primary school group categories winners included ‘Santa’s Toy Factory’ by Abigail, Eli and Tara Hegarty, Mercy School, John’s Road, Wexford, and ‘Christmas in Whoville’ by Leah Wright and Grace Donnelly, Scoil Mhuire Rosslare.