And the winner of the 2025 Holly Bough colouring comp is...

We are delighted to announce the winner of our annual Holly Bough children’s colouring competition.

In recent weeks, we've received entries from children right across Cork and further afield for this year’s competition, which featured an outline of th2 2025 Holly Bough cover by visual artist Sue Nelson. 

The cover art, entitled Lighting the Way Home, was inspired by the Cork docklands and the city’s port, an urban landscape familiar to many who emigrated from here, and to those who returned home.

Our youngest readers had no difficulty in putting their own spin on the artwork, and we were delighted to receive so many colourful and imaginative pieces. 

Sue Nelson had a difficult task in selecting just one winner. 

"Choosing a winner from this year’s colouring competition was very difficult, as there were so many wonderful and imaginative entries. It was a real joy to see how each child made the picture their own," said Sue. 

In the end, she chose 10-year-old Lauren Kelly as the winner. 

Sue said Lauren's artwork was "full of energy and excitement" adding, "her bold and playful use of colour, especially in the sky and the water, creates a fantastic sense of movement, as if the scene is alive and sparkling. The swirling lines and bright choices make the picture feel joyful and fun, and show great confidence and creativity.

"I would like to say a huge thank you to all the children who entered. Your creativity, imagination and enthusiasm are truly inspiring. Please keep drawing, colouring and creating — staying engaged with art is a wonderful way to express yourself, and the future of creativity is very bright indeed," Sue added.