To honour Canada’s Irish Heritage Month in March and in acknowledgement of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Thomas D’Arcy McGee, the University of St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto, in collaboration with the Embassy of Ireland and Consulate General of Ireland, Toronto, announces awards celebrating the important historic and continuing contribution of the Irish in Canada. Ontario Elementary and Secondary school students are invited to submit projects that explore and celebrate Irish heritage in our city, province and country.
Are You a Creative Elementary or Secondary Student from Ontario?
Explore the Irish Canadian experience and history for Irish Heritage Month through your favourite medium, whether writing an essay, poetry or a short story; visual arts like painting or photography; or something performative through video or music. Show us how you would celebrate Irish heritage in Canada! The deadline to submit your projects is March 26, 2025.
Awards Offered
The awards are offered in two separate categories: Elementary and Secondary.
Elementary School Students
- Award of Merit (1)
- Honorable Mentions (2)
Secondary School Students
- Award of Merit (1)
- Honorable Mentions (2)
All award recipients will receive a certificate of achievement at a presentation ceremony at St. Michael’s in April (TBD).
Each Award of Merit recipient will also receive a $300.00 honorarium.
Criteria
Projects may offer one or a combination of the following in response to the theme of the competition: visual interpretation (e.g. painting, photography), literary interpretation (e.g. short story, poem, journal article, essay), multi-media interpretation (e.g. digital, video, recorded performance), or musical interpretation.
Submissions are expected to explore the rich and lasting realities of the Irish experience in Canada, and will be judged on originality, creativity, and quality. Projects will be adjudicated by a panel from the University of St. Michael’s College.
How to Submit
Projects can be submitted on or before March 26, 2025:
- By email to pa.sheehan@utoronto.ca
- Or delivered to 81 St. Mary Street, Toronto, ON M5S 1J4
- Attention Prof. Pa Sheehan, Celtic Studies, St. Michael’s College
Questions?
Please contact Prof. Sheehan at pa.sheehan@utoronto.ca