The UCD Centre for Japanese Studies (JaSt) is delighted to announce the winners of the Irish Section of Japan's International High School Student's Photo Festival Exchange 2024. This is the first year Ireland is a partner country in the competition. UCD JaSt, working alongside the Department of Education's Post-Primary Languages Ireland (PPLI), has attracted participation from twenty schools across twelve counties in Ireland.
The competition theme was "The Charm of Your Region" and each team submitted a portfolio of six photographs, judged by three professionals from the fields of photography, arts, and media. The aim is to connect people from around the world, encourage dialogue and promote peace through photographic. The winning team will travel to Higashikawa in Japan this August as part of their prize to participate in the Photographic Festival.
St Andrews College (Dublin) has been selected to represent Ireland at this Youth Festival. The schools from the other countries will be selected by the end of May, and the complete list will be announced on the Japanese organisers' website in late June. The Irish Section prize winners along with their entries are displayed below.
For more information on the 9th International High School Students’ Photo Festival Exchange [HIGASHIKAWA Youth Fest.] visit (opens in a new window)higashikawa-youth-fest.jp.
Irish Section Competition Result
- 1st Place St Andrews College, Booterstown, Dublin
- 2nd Place Colaiste Muire, Ennis
- 3rd Place Coláiste Íosagáin, Baile an Bhóthair, An Charraig Dhubh
Theme: “The Charm of Your Region”
1st Place - St Andrews College, Booterstown, Dublin
Valeria Camacho, Sara Drobova and Elisa Shortt Melendro are 5th year students
- Camera Used: Cannon 1100D
- All the photographs were taken on 24th April 2024
- Title: Dublin Coastline
- Message with the Portfolio:
Dalkey // Dun Laoghaire Baths // Dun Laoghaire Seafront // Dun Laoghaire // Sandycove // Forty Foot Steps
1st Place - St Andrews College, Dublin
2nd Place - Coláiste Muire, Ennis
Olivia Haugh, Cliona Jones and Tara Moroney are 4th year students
- Camera Used: Nikon D500
- Photographs were taken between 19th and 21st April 2024
- Title: Legends and Landscapes: Capturing the Charming Essence of Co Clare
- Message with the Portfolio:
The charm of my region lies in the welcome (#1), where friends come together, and our ancient music (#2) and stories are passed from generation to generation. Where even if you live in an isolated place (#3), the community will all bond for a common cause (#4). It’s an ancient landscape (#5) that has stood against the ocean for thousands of years, and even where it may appear bleak, you will always find colour and character (#6)
3rd Place - Coláiste Íosagáin, An Charraig Dhubh
Hanako Ní Dhónaill, Sorcha Ní Shíocháin and Moya Ní Thiarnaigh are 4th year students
- Camera Used: Nikon D90
- All the photographs were taken over the course of one day, the 26th April 2024
- Title: A Day in the Life of Bloom [Lá i Saol Bloom]
- Message with the Portfolio:
Living in South Dublin, we took inspiration from Irish writer James Joyce, who famously captured the region's charm in his work. As in 'Ulysses', the photos act as a walking tour through our city. The novel's episodes inspire the photos' titles. In addition to showcasing our region, the photographs also represent various Greek Myths. Our principal subjects are the city's residents, displayed in a tableau similar to the 'Dubliners'.
As we embark on our Odyssey 'Episode I' exhibits a gender-swapped Hades and Persephone. 'Episode II' mirrors the myth of Calypso, the charming shopkeeper we encountered in the DART Station, who is bound to a routine cycle of abandonment as people leave to catch their train. During the walkthrough of Monkstown Village 'Episode III' and 'Episode IV', we showcase the simple beauty of ordinary people, the core of our community. 'Episode V', much like the mythical sirens luring sailors, we find when the sun emerges, it draws the people of Dublin to the sea. On our way home 'Episode VI', we encounter an 'An Post' van, which parallels the episode 'Aeolus' in 'Ulysses' where Bloom tries to send a message. What was once a symbol of necessity is now a nostalgic relic of a historical but personal mode of communication.
