Young artists’ festive card designs draw praise from First Minister
FIRST Minister Arlene Foster has praised the artistic talents of two young Co Fermanagh schoolchildren who were chosen to design her official Christmas cards for 2020.
Talented pupils Matthew Little and Sarah Conlon caught the DUP leader’s eye with their colourful creations and they have fronted the cards sent by Mrs Foster to The Prince of Wales and Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Back in the autumn Mrs Foster had asked all the primary schools in her Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency if their pupils would like to have an opportunity to design her Christmas card for 2020.
Mrs Foster said she was “completely overwhelmed by the response” as hundreds of designs were soon being sent her way.
Such was the huge response that Mrs Foster has been showcasing the talents of those behind the drawings she received in a series of festive videos on her Facebook page throughout the month of December.
“We had almost 800 applications and they were of an incredibly high standard,” the First Minister said.
“We have awarded first, second and third prizes to primary 1-3 and then primary 4-7 categories,” she added.
But in the end there could only be two winners.
They were Matthew Little for the P1-3 category from Newtownbutler Primary School on the Co Fermanagh border with Cavan, and Sarah Conlon in the P4-7 category from St Tierney’s Primary School in Rosslea, the village where Mrs Foster grew up near the border with Co Monaghan.
Matthew’s creation featured a festive window scene with a brightly lit Christmas tree inside while Sarah opted to sketch a well-known local landmark, Enniskillen Castle.
The DUP leader said both Matthew and Sarah can be very proud of their efforts as their cards have been sent to Mr Johnson’s home at 10 Downing Street and to Clarence House, where Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall reside.
“I have had some wonderful feedback from recipients of the cards who really loved the designs and the idea of getting the schoolchildren to design the cards,” Mrs Foster added.
Two other talented P7 pupils Lisa Kerr and Maria Conway, captured Deputy First Minister Michelle O’neill’s likeness as part of a class project to mark the visit of Education Minister Peter Weir to their school, St Brigid’s, Mayogall, in Magherafelt.
Stormont’s Sinn Fein leader was so impressed with their image that she used it on her own official festive greeting card.
The ‘Folk on the Hill’ paintings also became a hit online, with their political subjects taking to social media to praise the art.