Laois Education Centre last week celebrated the publication of books designed, written and produced by over six hundred primary school pupils in seventeen schools from counties Laois, Offaly, and north Tipperary. Hundreds of young authors converged on the Montague Hotel Portlaoise for an Awards Ceremony, where certificates and prizes were handed out by Don Conroy, artist, author and television personality. Books of every variety and from diverse cultural backgrounds were on view, including travel books, stories, poetry, history, sport, cookery, and many others, with imaginative and brightly coloured illustrations. The Gaelscoil Phortlaoise also participated for the first time with books written in Irish.

Don Conroy commended all the pupils for their creativity and imagination, and congratulated teachers and parents for supporting the authors of the future with enthusiasm and commitment.

Write-a-Book Project Merit Award Winners

Mercy Convent Borris-in-Ossory: Eanna Sheeran, Mary Mulvihille, Ashley Pulline Holohan
Presentation Convent Portarlington: Kate McManus, Sarah Fallon
St Mary's NS Templemore: Glenn Dudley, Eliza Wynn Jones
Geashill NS: Siobhan Nolan, Niall Dempsey
Scoil Mhuire Portlaoise: Aoife Conroy, Zainab Shabowale, Paige Fitzgibbon
Ballinakill NS: Patrick McGrath, Michael Ryan, Liadha Madden, Sinead O'Callaghan
St Brendan's NS Birr: Eoin Pilkington, Peter Horan
St Joseph's NS Ballinagar: Ellie Mulhall, Ciara Hanlon, Sinead Scully, Philip Delaney
Camross NS: Therese Tynan, Erin Delaney, Roisin Scully, Alan Delaney, Mary Ryan, Meagan McGlynn, Gemma Mooney, Mairead Burke, Cliodhna Bennett, Junior Infants Class, Senior Infants Class
St Joseph's GNS Mountmellick: Caoimhe Hogan, Navjot Kaur, Grainne McEvoy, Daphne Behan, Eimear McCrohan, Keara Murphy
Ballyadams NS: Louise Fenelon, Aisling Crosby, John Hayden
Shinrone NS: Kate Egan, Timmy Guidera
South School Abbeyleix: Alex Hamilton, Bill Talbot, Thomas Bulfin, David Whiteford
Scoil Mhuire Cloneygowan: Orla Murphy, Kate O'Brien, Barry Kelly, Emer Coleman, Richie Reynolds
Lismackin NS Eibhlis Maher, Laura Burke
Scoil Mhuire Abbeyleix: Vivienne McDonald, Cathal Murphy
Gaelscoil Phortlaoise: Seosamh O Cathain, Pilip O Duda, Veronica Ni Dhonnabhainn, Rebecca Ni Chochubhair