Two talented Longford pupils strike gold in prestigious national art competition

Pupils from Cloontagh and Melview National Schools have been named the Longford Junior and Senior County Winners respectively, of the prestigious national art competition, Someone Like Me. 

Maximus Thorpe, 2nd Class Cloontagh National School, produced a colourful drawing entitled 'Always Include Everyone', while Kamilla Pounina, 3rd Class Melview National School, drew a poster entitled 'Someone Like Me'.   

The achievement has secured Maximus and Kamilla a place at the national awards ceremony that is to be held at Dublin City Hall on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, where they will join 50 other schools to compete for the much sought-after national senior and junior titles.

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Now in its ninth year, the Someone Like Me art competition, which is organised by the National Disability Authority has attracted 2,783 entries from national schools across the length and breadth of the country.

The competition was created as part of the National Disability Authority’s work to nurture more positive attitudes towards persons with disabilities. To date, it has seen more than 25,000 children take part in lesson plans and pupil activities designed to help them develop an awareness and understanding of visible and non-visible disabilities, drawing on their own experiences of disability in a bid to help create a more inclusive society.

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Director of the National Disability Authority, Dr Aideen Hartney, congratulated the two schools and said that the number of entries this year is a tribute to the commitment of Ireland’s primary school teachers, who continue to play an important part helping to create an ever-more inclusive Ireland.

“Selecting the county winners was not an easy task for the judges and choosing an overall senior and junior winner will be an even harder job. And, while I know it will be an anxious wait for the pupils and teachers to hear which of the 52 county winners will be awarded the national titles, every pupil should be congratulated for their entries and for coming up with ways to include all people within society.”

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“The Someone Like Me art competition is an important way of building an acceptance and understanding of all disabilities amongst the primary school community and developing an autism-affirming society.

The competition offers a range of prizes, including €500 each for the senior and junior winning schools.

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Entries included posters , collages, large sculptural installations, and videos.