‘Variety and creativity’ at Conall Byrne Memorial Art competition

A late pupil of St Kilian’s Junior School, Kingswood, was remembered through an arts competition that filled the school with “variety and creativity.”

Every Easter, St Kilian’s JS holds the Conall Byrne Memorial Art Competition to remember pupil Conall Byrne who passed away in September 2009.

This year, the competition took place in the school on Tuesday, April 8, with the main theme being ‘travel.’

“We were overwhelmed by the variety and creativity of all the projects,” said the school.

“Great entries, large and colourful. Very well done to all who participated.”

Conall’s parents Mary and Brian come back every year to be judges of the competition while celebrating the life of their son.

Eric was the overall Infants’ winner and Lewis was the overall First and Second classes’ winner.

Ten more pupils were winners as they topped the competition within individual classes, namely Josh, James, Sienna, Dylan, Emilia, Sloane, Lilly, Siofra, James and Ciara.

“Every year it’s a wonderful competition,” principal Noreen Coll told The Echo. “We encourage them to work on the projects with a parent, an aunt or a grandparent…anyone in their family who has time.

“While this raises the standards, it brings families together in a time where that doesn’t happen very often, and they all say they love it.”

As per the theme chosen, travel, Ms Coll said the pupils’ creativity was unleashed from suitcases to air balloons and spaceships.

A connection with sustainable travelling was also made in line with the school being a ‘green school.’

On their website, St Kilian’s JS wrote, “Conall was a warm, friendly, happy little boy who touched the hearts of all who knew him. We always remember him with great fondness and affection.”