On the Town: Some of the most talented and creative children received congratulations from the President, Mrs McAleese, in Dublin this week.
"We are looking at the future," she said. "We are in the company of the very, very, very best in our country. Gosh! That makes you feel very proud." The President was addressing hundreds of young people who attended the prize-giving ceremony of the 50th Texaco Children's Art Competition.
"Their work is awesome. I think they deserve the most thunderous applause," she said.
"The level of skill is very high," said Declan McGonagle, chairman of the judges and professor of Fine Art at the University of Ulster in Belfast.
"It's important to nurture creativity in young people. It's important in any walk of life." Those who received awards, he said, were those "who have been very individual, either in their use of material, subject or technique".
From 50,000 entries, the winners in seven age categories were chosen for first, second and third prizes, as well as 20 special merit awards.
One winner, Orlagh Cramp (aged eight), from St Angela's National School in Castlebar, Co Mayo, took it all in her stride. She was presented with a Special Merit certificate and a paint box for her work, I'm Glad to Be Free. It's of "a dolphin jumping out of the water, and a sunset", she said.
Mark O'Kelly, (6) won third prize in the special needs category. "I'm so proud," said his grandmother Bernie Blake. "His mother and I, we both cried."
"We need people to believe themselves to be mould breakers . . . They are here and they are terrific," the President said.
Then it was time for the winners to take their bows. A total of 161 prizewinners were photographed individually and generally made a fuss of on Wednesday when they were called up to the stage by broadcaster Ian Dempsey to receive their certificate and prize. It was, as President McAleese described it, "lá speisialta i saol na bpáistí".