Cruinniú na nÓg celebrates creativity of young Limerick artists as part of RTÉ This is Art! Island

THREE young Limerick artists will exhibit their work from the RTÉ This is Art! competition in King John's Castle as part of Cruinniú na nÓg 2025.

RTÉ This is Art! Island will see exhibits of young artists' work from the RTÉ This is Art! competition displayed in non-traditional sites across the country on Saturday June 7. 

The Limerick artists who will display their work at King John's Castle are Rupert Danagher (3) with his piece, 'Happy,' Holly O'Connor, (11) with her piece 'The Night Sky,' and Aoife Zhang(15) with her piece 'Limerick Drowning in Love.'

From urban parks to unexpected rural settings, this extraordinary showcase will spotlight the rich artistic voices of Ireland’s young people and celebrate Cruinniú na nÓg, the national day of free creativity for children and young people. The five hero exhibit locations reflect a diverse cross-section of Irish culture, geography, and community spirit. They include: King John’s Castle in Limerick, the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin, The Abbey on Sherkin Island, Cork, Father Burke Park in Galway City and  'In Your Space Circus' Circus Picnic in The Craft Village, Derry. 

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RTÉ’s This is Art! is an annual art competition for budding artists aged 0 to 18 years old in association with Creative Ireland and the Shared Island Initiative. The competition, now in its fifth year, provides a national platform for self-expression, designed to celebrate the creativity and imagination of young people of all abilities across Ireland. Each year, thousands of entries are received from every corner of the island. All submitted works are showcased online at thisisart.ie, forming one of the country's largest collections of art by young people. 

Minister for Arts and Limerick TD, Patrick O'Donovan, said: “Fostering creativity in our young people is one of the most meaningful investments we can make - not only in their personal development but in the cultural life of our nation. Initiatives like RTÉ’s This is Art! and Cruinniú na nÓg provide vital opportunities for young people to express themselves, be celebrated, and contribute to our shared cultural story.

"These programmes show that creativity has no age limit and that the voices of our young artists belong at the very centre of our national conversation. This is Art! Island is a fantastic addition to Cruinniú na nÓg 2025 and I encourage the communities that are hosting exhibitions to go out and see them, and support young artists.”

Commenting on the launch of This is Art! Island, RTÉ Director-General, Kevin Bakhurst added: 

“RTÉ’s This is Art! reveals the extraordinary talent, thoughtfulness, and vision of young people all across the island and I am delighted that our young artists will have another opportunity to present their creativity to the public in some wonderful locations this June. Having had the chance to meet with young artists at the This is Art! exhibition in The RHA in Dublin in 2023, I know what it means to these young artists to see their work exhibited in public spaces and the recognition it gives them. So, RTÉ, along with Creative Ireland, are proud to come together to give these young artists an even bigger platform as part of Cruinniú na nÓg in This is Art! Island. I look forward to seeing it all come to life.”

This all-island exhibition will be live on Cruinniú na nÓg on Saturday, June 7, Ireland’s only national day dedicated to celebrating and encouraging the creative potential of every child and young person in Ireland.