Schoolboy artist from Laois in Texaco winners’ show
Laois student artist, Abdul Ahad Zulfiqar, with his prize-winning artwork titled 'Study' at the opening of an exhibition of winning works from this year's 72nd Texaco Children's Art Competition at Kildare's busy motorway services hub, Junction 14 Mayfield. Image: Mac Innes Photography
A POWERFUL portrait by a Laois teenager will be viewed by thousands of people every day, at a new exhibition of winning works from the Texaco children’s art competition.
A student at St Mary’s CBS in Portlaoise, Abdul Ahad Zulfiqar won third prize this year in the 14-15 year age category of the renowned contest.
His striking artwork titled ‘Study’ is featured in the 2026 winners’ exhibition, which opened on 1 October at Kildare’s busy motorway services hub at Junction 14 Mayfield.
Situated off the M7 motorway near Monasterevan, Junction 14 has been transformed into ‘a gallery of artistic achievement’ where 21 winning works are each exhibited in 1.5 metres-tall, window-size formats.
Many thousands of customers who visit the venue daily will be able to enjoy the exhibition, which will run until 1 November.
Abdul’s portrait was highly praised by the Texaco contest’s final adjudicator Pauline O'Connell, an Irish visual artist, curator and educator, who described it as ‘an engaging composition with an unusual upward perspective’.
The competition judge observed: ‘The male figure with a pen in hand appears mid-thought, conveying concentration and introspection through both pose and framing.’ Officially opening the exhibition, Junction 14 co-owner Liam Fitzpatrick praised the vibrant range of artworks on show.
He said: “It’s a pleasure to showcase the remarkable talents of Ireland’s young artists and to be able to give customers from our local communities of Kildare and Laois, and other counties, the opportunity to appreciate such outstanding work.”
