A 17-year-old student from Ennis, Co Clare, won €2,000 for his winning entry in the 53rd Texaco Children's Art Competition.
Cillian Boyd usually sketches birds, but this year he traded in the feathers for fins and took top prize for his watercolour painting, Rising Trout.
Boyd, a student at Gaelcholáiste An Chláir in Ennis, has entered the contest eight times and won as many awards, although never the top honour.
The painting, he said, provided a new challenge in terms of subject matter and technique.
"It took about a week to do," he said. "I've got a great interest in landscapes and nature.
"I did some trial runs and I was experimenting with style."
Out of more than 33,000 entries from students aged four to 18, a panel of judges narrowed the top work to a selection of 21.
In Category B (ages 14 to 15), first prize went to John Macken of Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.. Kelli-Ann Masterson of Gorey, Co Wexford, took the high honours in Category C (ages 12 to 13), while the Category D (nine to 11) award went to Hannah Maharry of Dalkey, Co Dublin.
The youngest winners included Emma Morris of Barntown, Co Wexford, in Category E (seven and eight years) and four-year-old Julia McDonagh of Ballymun in Category F (six and under.) First prize in Category G (children and young adults with special needs) went to Aisling Reynolds (15) of Manorhamiton, Co Leitrim.
The top 21 paintings will be on exhibit at Dublin City Gallery the Hugh Lane in Parnell Square, Dublin, until April 30th, and in Dublin Castle in July.