Young Ahoghill artist inspires climate action with Translink bus design

Emily, aged 11, from Ahoghill, was one of eight young artists selected from over 1,000 entries across Northern Ireland for Translink’s Climate Action ‘Brand A Bus’ competition.

A young artist from Ahoghill has seen her creative vision come to life in spectacular fashion — on the side of a Translink double-decker bus.

11-year-old Emily is one of eight talented young artists from across Northern Ireland whose artwork was selected from more than 1,000 entries in Translink’s inaugural ‘Brand A Bus’ competition, themed around “painting a greener future.”

Today, Emily’s colourful design was unveiled as part of a full bus wrap at Belfast Grand Central Station, where the winners gathered to see their artwork take to the roads for the very first time.

Emily was all smiles as she stood beside the eye-catching vehicle bearing her vibrant artwork and illustrating an important message.

Celebrating Creativity and Climate Awareness

The atmosphere was filled with excitement as the bright, climate-inspired bus was revealed — a moving celebration of young people’s creativity and environmental awareness.

For Emily and the other winners, the celebration didn’t end there. Each received a bumper art pack prize to encourage their artistic journey and took part in an illustration workshop with local artist and competition judge Rory Quigg.

Mr Quigg praised the standard of entries, saying:

“The standard of entries was incredible; the imagination and talent shown by these young people was inspiring. To see their work celebrated on something as visible and everyday as a double decker bus is fantastic.

“It means thousands of people across Northern Ireland will get to enjoy their creativity and hopefully it will encourage the artists to keep going with their ideas and inspire more people to take climate action.”

A Bus that Carries a Message of Hope

The competition encouraged children to imagine a sustainable future for Northern Ireland, promoting public transport as a key part of tackling climate change.

Translink Group Chief Executive Chris Conway said the response to the campaign was overwhelming:

“The response to our first ever ‘Brand A Bus’ competition has been fantastic and for over 1,000 young people from all corners of Northern Ireland to have taken part is quite an achievement. This campaign really showcases how younger generations see the world around us: hopeful and unafraid to dream big.

“I think when people see this bus on local routes, it will be a true eye-opener as we continue the fight against climate change. I’d like to congratulate the competition winners and thank everyone who took part.”

Belfast Grand Central Marks Milestone Year

The vibrant unveiling also coincided with the first anniversary of Belfast Grand Central Station, which has welcomed over 8 million visitors in its opening year and supported over 4 million extra passenger journeys across Northern Ireland’s transport network.

The milestone reflects Translink’s progress toward its Climate Positive Strategy, as more people switch to sustainable travel options.

For Emily, the experience has been more than just an art competition — it’s been a chance to inspire others.

Her design, now travelling across Northern Ireland, carries a message of hope, creativity, and environmental action — a reminder that even small ideas can help shape a greener future.