12-year-old Lily Areeya Maher will turn on the Christmas lights at RTÉ this Friday

12-year-old Lily Areeya Maher will turn on the Christmas lights at RTÉ this coming Friday.

Lily won news2day's annual art competition which saw 5,000 entries this year. 

Lily's winning picture will be donated to the National Library of Ireland's Special Collections Archive for permanent preservation after the competition.

'My Hope For Christmas' was the theme for the competition, and Lily’s art details her hopes to see her grandparents safely, to play with friends without having to social distance, to travel abroad without having to be tested beforehand, and a hope that Covid-19 be under control so that health-workers can relax.

Lily’s mother told RTÉ that when Lily heard her name announced on Tuesday, she jumped up and down with excitement.

Lily is a pupil in 6th Class in Scoil Phadraic Cailíní, and will be joined by her mum and dad and her six-year-old brother this Friday as news2day broadcast live from RTÉ at 4:20pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.