The winners of the Sightsavers Junior Painter of the Year award have been announced, selecting 3 overall winners alongside 15 regional winners and 17 highly commended entries.

Over 5000 children from over 200 primary schools around the country entered the competition, using their artistic talent to show the importance and value of sight through this year’s theme: ‘I want you to see...’.

The overall winner this year was nine-year-old Katie O’Brien for her painting titled, ‘I Want You to See Books Fly’. Second place went to 11-year-old Ryan Buckley for ‘I Want You to See the World through the Eyes of a Dragon’, and Cian Mangan, age 6, came in third place for his picture, ‘I Want You to See a Colourful Giraffe at Sunset’

One of this year’s judges, illustrator Alan Nolan said, “It was an absolute pleasure to be a part of this competition. The standard was hugely impressive; the students did their best and showed remarkable skill. Each of the 15 regional winners and the 17 highly commended should be truly proud to be awarded."

An exhibition of the competition winners is on display at the Powerscourt Centre in Dublin until Sunday, April 19th.