Pictured is Seanán Gallagher sharing his successes with Rotary President, Dr. Morris Brown and his parents, Damian and Patricia Gallagher
The theme for the 2023/24 competition was ‘Rebuilding’. Rebuilding lives and rebuilding communities are aims and threads which run through all elements of Rotary’s service activities.
Expression is at the core of the Rotary Young Writer competition, with the broad theme leaving contestants with a wide scope to create a piece that is pertinent to them.
Seanán Gallagher took up the challenge, with his 500-word piece entitled ‘Re-Building O’ Connolly’s Amazing Wildlife Sanctuary Island’ and emerged winning 1st place in the intermediate section (11–13-year-olds) at the local club’s stage of the competition.
Success didn’t stop there for Seanán.
The local club submitted Seanán’s entry to the Rotary District stage of the competition and again he emerged winning 1st place in the intermediate section.
Rotary District covers all the Rotary Clubs in the whole of island of Ireland.
However, this wasn’t to be the end of Seanán’s success.
Rotary District submitted Seanán’s entry into the Rotary, Great Britain and Ireland, stage of their competition and he emerged winning 2nd place in the intermediate section.
At that stage of the competition Seanán was competing with all the other entries from 19 Districts of Rotary.
During the awards presentation that took place at the school by Rotary President, Dr. Morris Brown, the Principal of St. Mary’s Primary School, Mrs. Andrea Devine, congratulated Seanán and added that, his success was testament to the school’s special literacy programme that had been developed by the school, and to Seanán’s hard work and creativity.
Further proof of this was the success of two other pupils of St. Mary’s P. S. at the local club’s stage of the competition.
Jason Lynch coming 2nd in the Junior Section and Davin Friel coming third in the Intermediate Section.
Dr. Morris Brown President of the Rotary Club of Strabane-Lifford presenting the awards to Seanán Gallagher, pupil of St. Mary’s Primary School, for his success in the Rotary Young Writer Competition. Also pictured is Rotarian John McCosker, Youth Services Officer for the local club
This was Seanán’s final year at St. Mary’s Primary School and President Morris wished him continued success with his 2nd level education.
Other success at Rotary’s club stage of the competition were: –
Aalaiya Wilders coming 1st in the Junior section and Eoin Strawbridge coming 2nd in the Intermediate section.
Both pupils being from St. Catherines Primary School, Strabane.
Christine Coyle a pupil form St. Theresa Primary school, Glebe, Sion Mills, came 3rd in the Junior Section.
President Morris says he hopes the success his Rotary Club had with the competition this year will encourage the local Primary Schools to take part again next year.
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