And the winners are...

We’re happy to announce the winners of the Concern Cecil Woodham Smith Creative Writing Competition 2009.

As you may or may not know, we received over 800 entries from places far and near: Japan; Niger; Liberia; India; USA; UK and of course Ireland.

Entrants were asked to let us know what they would write in a letter to President Obama on one of three critical issues: world hunger, climate change in the developing world or child labour.

And the winners are…

Junior Category (12-15)

First prize

Eoghan Curran, Aquinas Diocesan Grammar School, Belfast, UK

Joint second prize

• Eoin Ferry, Loreto Community School, Milford, Ireland
• Anna Lyttle, Aquinas Diocesan Grammar School, Belfast, UK

Third prize

Barry Maguire, Belvedere College, Dublin, Ireland

Senior Category (16-18)

First prize

Niamh Burke, Christ King Secondary School, Cork, Ireland

Second prize

Cliona Campbell, Ballincollig Community School, Cork, Ireland

Third prize

Soracha O’Rourke, Presentation College Currylea, Tuam, Ireland

Adult Category (19+)

First prize

Ndifor Eleves Funui, Zinder, Niger

Second prize

Cathy Howlett, Ireland

Joint third prize

Brian Harding, KenyaAmy White, USA

The prizes

• First prizes – laptops
• Second prizes – iPods
• hird prizes – magazine subscriptions

More prizes

The following essays were also highly commended by Concern and will receive book tokens and certificates.

• Third level education: James Bradshaw, University of Limerick, Ireland
• Adult and continuing education: Mary Kinsella, Apple Tree Training Centre, Gort, Ireland
• Special merit awards: Lisamarie Duffy, Youthreach Wicklow, Ireland and Charlene Tola, Youthreach Leixlip, Ireland

Shortlisted

Concern would also like to mention the following entrants who were shortlisted for the final round and will receive certificates.

• Junior category: Sarah Crompton, UK, Kyro Iskander, USA, Ciaran McFarland, UK, Stephanie McGrath, Ireland, Karl Milne, Ireland and Leanne Murray, Ireland
• Senior category: Ana Flynn, Ireland, Shane Gibbons, Ireland, Guy King-Hall, Ireland, Marian Ni Ainle, Ireland and Katie St John, Ireland
• Adult category: Togba Rodney Davies, Liberia, Tony Devlin, Ireland and Sugata Mukhopadhyay, India