CREDIT UNION ALL-IRELAND POSTER COMPETITION WINNERS AWARDS IN DUBLIN

“Creativity is Alive” Mark Bailey, ILCU President

Theme “My Credit Union – My Choice”

_____________________________

Credit Unions from all over Ireland gathered today for the Annual Irish League of Credit Unions Poster Competition Awards & Exhibition in Dublin’s Gresham Hotel today (7/2/2010). Illustrating the theme “My Credit Union – My Choice” the awards were presented by Mark Bailey (President, Irish League of Credit Unions) and TV celebrity Marty Whelan.  Winners were presented with Award Certificates and cash prizes.

Speaking at the presentation Mark Bailey said “With almost 3 million members who have savings of €11.9 billion, credit unions have a proud history of serving communities all over the country. It is especially important now, in a time of economic recession, that people have access to secure, personal financial services from providers who have an established track-record of looking after the best interests of their members as Irish credit unions do.

In contrast to other providers of financial services, credit unions are ‘open for business and welcome applications for loans to assist people manage and plan their future.  But it is also vitally important at this time to develop community spirit through involvement and encourage children to be creative in what are difficult times for many families.”

CREATIVITY IS ALIVE

Martyn Turner, the political cartoonist and caricaturist, was one of this years judges for the competition was impressed with the standard achieved by the entrants. Commenting on the entries Mr Turner said “The competition showed a high standard of entry overall. It’s encouraging to see young people taking time out from texting, twittering and Wiing to participate in such events and it leaves me hopeful for the future of graphic art in Ireland.

Mark Bailey (ILCU President) concluded “I commend the high standard of this years entries and I would also like to thank the hundreds of credit union volunteers and staff and the competition judges who all worked to make this year’s competition another success for this unique community-focussed project.

The judges for this year’s poster competition were Martyn Turner, artist Ursula Retzlaff-O’Carroll and John Walsh, Creative Director, AFA O’Meara.

General information on the Poster Competition

Competition entrants were free to express their creativity using a wide variety of media.

The competition required entrants to draw or paint posters on the theme using pencil, charcoal, pen or ink, felt-tip markets, crayon, pastel, water colours, gouache, acrylics, oils, poster colour or collage.

There were two categories – General and Special – with five age groups in each:

7 years and under, 8-10 years, 11-13 years, 14-17 years, 18 years and over (and a further Group section in the SPECIAL category).

The Special Category encouraged participants with a physical or intellectual disability to submit entries in free expression without the restriction of the competition’s official theme, if they so wished.

Note to Editors

The Irish League of Credit Unions is the representative body for over 500 Credit Unions on the island of Ireland.  It is Ireland’s successful financial co-operative run by – and for – its almost 3 million members.  It accounts for €11.9bn of savings; €14bn in assets and (at over € 750m) is Ireland’s leading provider of social finance…by far.