Fionn O’Brádaigh from Gaelscoil An Choillín in Mullingar has been named the winner of the Primary Schools Category at the Bord Gáis Energy Student Theatre Awards.
This is the first year of the awards which have been set up by Bord Gáis Energy to encourage and reward participation in drama among schoolchildren across Ireland. The awards were presented by writer and actress Amy Huberman at a ceremony at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre recently.
Over 7,500 students around Ireland took part in this year’s competition which focused on creative dramatic writing. Students were asked to demonstrate their playwriting skills and write a short scene based on the theme of friendship. There were three categories: primary; junior secondary; and senior secondary - with awards made in each category.
Fionn, a sixth class student, scooped the prize for his script entitled A Purrfect Friend which the judges praised for the fantastic use of language and the great twist of using cats as the main characters.
Commenting at the awards Amy Huberman said: “I had the tough task of helping judge the shortlist and I can truly say that it was a really hard decision to pick our winners. The standard of entries was exceptional and I would like to say a massive well done to everyone who was shortlisted as it’s a fantastic achievement to have been recognised out of the 7,500 students who took part in this year’s competition.
“The winning students in each category should be extremely proud of what they have achieved. They are all wonderfully talented writers and I am thrilled to have been lucky enough to read the work of some of our future playwrights and novelists.”
