Sinéad Lawless' talent in the frame after painting competition win

The country’s official art collection has a new exhibit after Cork woman Sinéad Lawless was named the winner of RTÉ’s Painting the Nation competition.

Sinéad, 37, was announced as the winner of the amateur painting competition last night and her winning painting will now hang in Dublin Castle, where it will become a permanent part of the Office of Public Works’ State Art Collection.

In the final, Sinéad — who is originally from Cork City but now lives in Dublin — competed against another Leesider, Sinéad McCarthy, and Agnieszka Ryan from Meath for the title as first winner of Painting the Nation.