The 2006 Irish Times SchoolMag competition blew a drift of scripts into the Irish Times office - more than 500 in all. Finding the winners in all that writing and design was not easy, but we did it.

The junior entrants brought their usual blend of fresh air, raw talent and downright effrontery - ishort, exactly what we were looking for. We found a measure of honesty and courage that made the section a joy to judge.

On the awards-presentation day, last week, they shouted louder, ran to the stage faster and jumped for joy higher than anyone else at the Laughter Lounge, in Dublin.

We're looking forward to seeing this young talent develop in the coming years. In this week's Transition Times we take a closer look at Ireland's emerging writing and design talent.

Louise Holden