Pupils show flair for handwriting

EBS Ennis and the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) recently teamed up to nurture the handwriting talents of Clare primary school children. And 700 kids across the county picked up their pens and took up the challenge, with the adjudicators looking for neatness, style and flair in their work.

The handwriting competition has been running for nearly two decades and has grown in size and scale during that time. This year’s Clare winners were announced at an awards ceremony in the Temple Gate Hotel earlier in the week where the work of the competition finalists was displayed throughout the hotel for guests at the ceremony to review.
Mary Curley, INTO co-ordinator for Clare, said it was fantastic to have watched the popularity of the handwriting competition grow over the last number of years.
Commenting on the achievement of the award winners, Emer O’Reilly, EBS Ennis, said the company believes it is important for children to continuously improve their writing skills.
The pupils were asked to draft a piece of prose or a poem about their own family or to copy a piece connected to family. Entries were then submitted through their primary school teacher and the INTO co-ordinator in their local area. Guidelines for applicants varied for the different age groups and entries were judged on neatness, style, flair and layout of the handwriting. The Clare winners were:
Junior infants: 1, Conor Farrell, Scoil Mhuire, Corofin; 2, Oisín Sexton,    Mullagh National School; 3, Joanna Doohan, Mullagh National School.
Senior infants: 1, Ciara Lernihan, Mullagh National School; 2, Seán Miller, Mullagh National School; 3, Abby McNamara, Coolmeen National School.
First and second class: 1, Aobh Ní Chéitinn, Gaelscoil Uí Choimín, Cill Ruis; 2, Gearóid O’Grady, Kilmihil National School; 3, Ali Kelly, Ballynacally National School.
Third and fourth class: 1, Caitríona O’Gorman, Cahermurphy National School; 2, Sarah Normoyle, Kilmihil National School; 3, Sarah Maher, Ballynacally National School.
Fifth and sixth class: 1, Orlaith Daly, Tullycrine National School; 2, Méabh McCarthy, Caherea National School; 3, Emma Burke, Doora National School.
Special category: Alana Brigdale, Knockanaen National School; Lee Cunningham, Annagh National School; Ronan Cahill, Scoil Mhuire, Corofin; Aoife Talty, CBS Primary, Ennis; Niamh Bradfield-Smith, Doora National School and Antonio Bonito, St McCreehy’s National School, Liscannor.