Neill O’Neill to be remembered with new creative competition

HONOURING A COLLEAGUE The new competition is in memory of the late Neill O’Neill.

Judges revealed for art, writing and photography categories

Ciara Galvin

THE late Managing Editor of The Mayo News, Neill O’Neill, was passionate about his county and told some of its stories countless times through his prolific writing and as a keen amateur photographer.
With this in mind The Mayo News has decided to organise an Art, Writing and Photography competition in his memory.
The theme for each of the three categories is: ‘What Mayo means to me’ and each section will be open to National School pupils, Secondary School students, and adults.
Launching the ‘Neill O’Neill creative competition’, The Mayo News Editor, Michael Duffy said Neill’s former colleagues felt it was fitting to have all of his creative interests included.
“Neill loved what he did. He had his own distinctive writing style and could throw his hand to anything, including photography, which he developed a great interest in.
“Neill was very passionate about where he came from and always championed Westport and Mayo,” he added. “That’s another reason we thought it would be appropriate to pick a theme that reflects this.”
The judges in the writing category are Mayo News columnist and respected journalist, SeΡn Rice; The Mayo News Living Editor, Ciara Moynihan; and Dublin UNESCO City of Literature Writer-In-Residence, Elizabeth (EM) Reapy.
The panel tasked with judging the art entries are Breda Burns, John Mulloy and Marie Wood.
Breda Burns is an award-winning artist living and practising in Westport. She has had several solo shows in venues such as the Claremorris Gallery, No 10 Ormond Quay in Dublin and the Custom House Studios Gallery, Westport.
Dr John Mulloy lectures in Art History, Contemporary Art Theory and Creativity in Social Care at GMIT Mayo. A traditional sign-writer for over 30 years, with a keen interest in typography, Dr Mulloy also runs Stick, Brush and Eye traditional sign-writing workshops.
Marie Wood, a Manchester native, lives and works in Rosmoney, Westport. She has exhibited at The National Gallery of Scotland and The Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh, and in shows in Westport, Achill and Ballina, and her work features in private collections in Ireland, UK, America, Italy and France.
Tasked with adjudicating the photography submissions are Michael McLaughlin, Frank Dolan and Alison Laredo.
Award-winning photographer Michael McLaughlin is no stranger to commissions for magazines, PR agencies and state bodies and is a celebrated art, sports, weddings and landscape photographer.
The Westport-based photographer also worked alongside Neill for many years with The Mayo News.
“It’s a great honour to be asked to judge this very special competition. Neill loved Mayo, it’s people and its landscape and I’m excited to see interpretations of that from people,” said Michael.
Frank Dolan, one of the country’s best-known and most experienced sports and wedding photographers, is also relishing the opportunity to see the talent of Mayo’s amateur snappers. Alison Laredo is based in Castlebar and is best known for her distinctive style and the way in which she captures people and their emotions.
Details regarding competition rules, the main competition sponsors, how to make submissions, and the deadline for entries will be outlined in The Mayo News on Thursday, January 3.