Two Laois students win Texaco art awards
Abdul Ahad Zulfiqar from Portlaoise CBS with his prize-winning portrait
TWO talented Laois students have won top prizes in the renowned Texaco children’s art competition.
There was double delight for the county when Abdul Ahad Zulfiqar (15) from St Mary’s CBS, Portlaoise and Oisín O’Connor (8) from Tobar an Léinn NS, Raheen received awards this week in the 2026 contest.
Abdul Ahad won third prize in the 14-15 years age category for his striking portrait titled ‘Study’, while Oisín scooped a special merit award for his artwork called ‘A Hard Day's Work’. No stranger to the prestigious competition, Abdul Ahad also won a special merit award in 2017.
Final adjudicator Pauline O'Connell, a visual artist, curator and educator, described Abdul Ahad’s entry as ‘an engaging composition with an unusual upward perspective’.
She observed: ‘The male figure with a pen in hand appears mid-thought, conveying concentration and introspection through both pose and framing.’
Ms O’Connell said that primary school student Oisín’s work was ‘imaginative and demonstrated high levels of skill and creativity’, which merited his selection for a special award.
Now in its 72nd year, the Texaco competition has the longest-running sponsorship in the history of arts sponsoring in Ireland, with an unbroken history that dates all the way back to 1955.
Organisers said: ‘This year, as has been the case throughout its life, it has been a platform on which young artists from Laois and counties throughout Ireland have had their talents recognised and their creativity commended.’
