Prestigious national award for Mayo student's animation skills

A Mayo student has scooped a prestigious national award for his animation skills.

Ethan Evans, St. Gerald’s College, Castlebar, won the Animation Dingle’s Young Animator of the Year 2026 Award for his project, 'What's the Story'.

He was presented with his award by Orion Ross, vice president of international animation Disney branded television, sponsors.

His standout animation impressed judges "with a tense yet playful riff on film noir, blending laugh-out-loud moments with a sharp and timely dose of AI paranoia."

(YAOTY), proudly supported by Disney, celebrates incredible talent of young creatives across Ireland.

Each year, secondary school students and first-year college students from all over the island are invited to submit their original animated short films, showcasing their storytelling and artistic skills on a national stage.

For 2026, under the inspiring theme “What’s the Story?”, the award was proudly won by Ethan Evans of St. Gerald’s College Castlebar. He was presented with his award by Orion Ross vice president of international animation Disney branded television His standout animation impressed judges with a tense yet playful riff on film noir, blending laugh-out-loud moments with a sharp and timely dose of AI paranoia."