Be Inspired Awards 2019 –Winners
ALL OF THE JUDGES COMMENTED ON HOW EXTREMELY DIFFICULT IT WAS TO PICK A WINNER IN EACH CATEGORY, SUCH WAS THE HIGH STANDARD.
Well done everyone!
| Senior – Photography Paddy O’Halloran 4th Year “Really interesting capture of a foreign scene. The architecture creates an unusual frame and draws the eye in to the figures at the centre of the composition. Great work.” –Photographer and Film Director Shaun O’Connor | Junior – Photography Jack Cullen 3rd Year “Great use of horizontal lines, drawing the eye in. The contrast from the left to right is striking too. Super composition and super work.” – Photographer and Film Director Shaun O’Connor |
| Senior – Art Tadgh Twomey 5th Year “Highly impressive, imaginative composition is sustained throughout this wonderful children’s storybook creation. The endearing story is depicted in a way that is instantly attractive with its accomplished colour choice, style, perspective and technique.” –Artist Una Collins | Junior – Art Yuzhe Chen 1st Year “Amazing execution of this depiction of the comic-strip hero. Phenomenal attention to detail. The skilled brush-strokes, tone, shading and scale give this painting an immediate an impressive impact. Fantastic.” –Artist Úna Collins |
| Senior – Music Paddy O’Halloran 4th Year “A very complex and interesting piece to uptake, which displayed considerable technique and independence. Rhythmically smooth, the phrasing kept my attention and made for an enjoyable listen. The feel was very authentic and really captured the jazz spirit while at the same time putting your own stamp on the piece. Very well done.” James Downing from The Shruggs | Junior – Music Adrian Toma 2nd Year “Don’t Lie (electronica) is a pleasant onslaught right from beat one, great use of L/R fading and the drop was lovely too. It was never boring and hard to keep still while listening. Catchy hooks, might well be a club classic one day in the future, overall excellent programming.” James Downing from The Shruggs |
| Senior – Poetry & Lyrics Aodh Ó Gallchóir 6th Year “This piece could easily be inside an anthology of poems –and by acclaimed and recognised poets. Brilliant” –Poet Brian O’Driscoll | Junior – Poetry & Lyrics James Connolly 1st Year “Economical and succinct, it’s a typical, recognisable story of a school morning and the poem has great rhythm.” –Poet Brian O’Driscoll |
| Senior – Writing Gerald O’Donovan 6th Year “Gerald’s writing is exceptional. His evocation of time and place with simply stunning prose is reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy’s border trilogy. The authenticity and immediacy of character and situation is of the highest order, like that of Hilary Mantel say, or Denis Johnson. Amazing talent.” -Author Ciarán Collins | Junior – Writing Tom Cullen 2nd Year “Ever popular with younger writers, fantasy is the most prominent genre in the junior entries again this year. Tom is at home in the genre and coupled with his vivid imagination, it made for a thoroughly enjoyable and mysterious work. His skilled use of language to create spectacular imagery is salient in this memorable piece.” -Author Ciarán Collins |
| Senior –Book Review Mark Henchion 4th Year “Mature, economical and well-judged, this review has everything you want from a good book review. Never overstated, it is fit for publication anywhere. The use of comparable novels reflects the writer’s knowledge of both literature and the craft of the book review.” -Author Ciarán Collins | Junior –Book Review Daniel O’Mahony 3rd Year “The writer’s love for the book is infectious in this accomplished review, but it was the highly impressive use of language that was most striking. The literary prowess of the writer of the review is a sure way of instilling confidence in the reader for the recommendation of the novel. Impressive stuff.” -Author Ciarán Collins |
Be Inspired Awards 2019 -The Judges
PHOTOGRAPHY: Shaun O’Connor is an awarding-winning photographer and film director, whose exhibitions and films have had huge success at home and abroad. www.shaunoconnor.com
POETRY: Brian O’Driscoll is a poet, spoken word performer, writer and wordsmith who has appeared at many literary festivals and has had his work published broadly, including the magazine Headspace and Dimezine. www.poetart.com
ART: Úna Collins is a very successful Innishannon-based artist who trained in Mallow College of Art and Design and the Crawford. She has held several exhibitions of her work in Cork and has been invited to show work in various galleries around the country. www.unacollinsartist.com
MUSIC: James Downing is a member of the well-known band The Shruggs, a folk/pop musical duo fast becoming a force to be reckoned with on the Irish music scene. www.theshruggs.wixsite.com/theshruggs
WRITING: Ciarán Collins is mainly known for his award-winning novel The Gamal which was published by Bloombury (2013) and his play Primal which premiered in Cork Arts Theatre in 2019. www.ciarancollinsauthor.com