Young photographers celebrated at Explore Longford competition prizegiving

County Longford's creative talent showcased in library exhibition

Press Release: Tuesday, 11 November 2025

Longford County Council has celebrated the success of the Explore Longford Young Photographers’ Competition with a recent prizegiving ceremony at Longford County Library, where the winning entries were revealed alongside an exhibition of the county's finest young talent.

The competition, a joint initiative between Longford Library Service and Longford Tourism, attracted entries from children aged 6-13 years who captured the county's landscapes, heritage and hidden corners through their unique perspectives.

First prize was awarded to Finn Mulfaul, 12, for 'A Break in the Trees' (Derrycassin Woods). Finn received a framed copy of his photograph, which has been printed as a greeting card, and won a guided electric bike tour for a family of up to five people with Ethical Tours, Ballymahon, valued at €225.

Second prize went to Emilia Holkovic, 13, for 'The Royal Canal in Clondra'. Emilia received a framed copy of her photograph, a greeting card print, and a family pass for four to Alan's Yippee Kayaking for supervised kayaking on the Royal Canal, worth €100.

Third prize was awarded to Michael Ledwith, 10, for 'Stewart's Farm Sunflower Trail'. Michael received a framed copy of his photograph, a greeting card print, and a €50 National Book Token.

Two Creative Awards recognised exceptional artistic vision: Faolán Feely, 10, for 'Town of Granard' and Marc Lane, 8, for 'Jurassic in County Longford'. Both received framed copies of their photographs.

The first, second and third prize photographs have been printed as greeting cards and are available through Longford Tourism Office.

Paddy Mahon, Chief Executive of Longford County Council, said, "These young photographers have shown us our county through entirely new eyes. Their work demonstrates that creativity flourishes when we give children the freedom to explore their surroundings. Each photograph here represents not just technical skill, but genuine connection to place. Congratulations to all the award winners and indeed all the children who took the time to enter this competition."

Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council, Cllr Garry Murtagh, added, "These photographs show a genuine sense of connection to the places these children know and love. From woodland paths to canal waters, from sunflower fields to town streets, they've documented what matters to them. In doing so, they've created something that matters to all of us. These young people have proven that age is no barrier to artistic excellence."

The exhibition will be on display in Longford County Library until Friday, 21 November before moving onto other branch libraries in the county.