The achievements of Ireland’s young water champions were celebrated this week at the annual Green-Schools Water Awards hosted by An Taisce Green-Schools and Irish Water.
Over the past school year, over 123,000 students in 551 schools all over Ireland have participated in the Green-Schools water theme which is sponsored by Irish Water. The water theme looks at developing awareness around water conservation and how to effectively manage this precious resource in our schools and at home.
Cork was well represented at the event with awards for local students in the Water Ambassador section and the Green Schools poster competition.
Lilian Gleave of Kinsale Community School was named the Southern Regional winner in the Water Ambassador category, while Niall Kelly, Felix O’Sullivan and Sam Cooke of St Francis College, Rochestownwere runners up in the same category.
In the poster competition, Luke Packham of St Mary’s National School, Carrigaline was the regional winner in the senior primary category, with Ciara Fitzpatrick, Glanmire Community College taking top slot in the regional secondary category.
Nationally, Balbriggan Community College in Fingal was named the Secondary Water School of the Year, while St Brigid’s National School in Meath Hill, Navan, Co. Meath were the winners in the Primary category.
Speaking at the awards, Geoffrey Bourke of Irish Water congratulated all the winners for their efforts to highlight the value of water.
We have seen how the younger generation has taken the lead in the battle against climate change. In the same spirit, the students and schools who have taken part in the Green-Schools Water Theme this year have shown exceptional leadership in inspiring their communities to value our precious water resources. We all have a role to play in safeguarding our water and they are leading by example through outstanding water conservation, communication and education initiatives. Congratulations to all the winners and everyone who has taken part in this excellent programme.
Green-Schools Manager Cathy Baxter said:
Once again this year we have seen some and inspirational ideas from the participating students. They have shown great leadership, not just in their schools but also in their wider communities. Our Schools of the Year winners have shown a real willingness to reach out beyond the schools themselves to engage with a wider audience, including using social media to spread the word about water conservation.
Well done to all the schools who took part in the programme this year for their outstanding efforts.
Among the awards given out at the event were the regional and national Water Schools of the Year and the Green-Schools poster and video competition winners. The country’s top Water Ambassadors were also honoured at the special ceremony which took place in Dublin.
This is the ninth year of the Green-Schools partnership with Irish Water, and in that time over 1,600 schools have taken part, attending interactive water workshops or Walk for Water events, hosting talks from Irish Water staff or visiting their local water and wastewater treatment plants.
Winning schools and students:
Water Schools of the Year:
Primary:
- Southern Region: St Joseph’s Primary School, Creagh, Co. Wexford
- Northern and Western Region: Kilbarron NS, Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal
- Eastern and Midlands Region: St. Brigid’s National School, Meath Hill, Navan, Co. Meath
- Dublin Region: Scoil Íosa N.S., Tallaght, South Dublin
Secondary:
- Southern Region: Presentation Secondary, Castleisland, Co. Kerry
- Northern and Western Region: Merlin College, Galway City
- Eastern and Midlands Region: Gaelcholáiste Cheatharlach, Carlow
- Dublin Region: Balbriggan Community College, Balbriggan, Fingal
Primary Overall Winner
- St. Brigid’s National School, Meath Hill, Navan, Co. Meath
Secondary Overall Winner
- Balbriggan Community College, Balbriggan, Fingal
Water Ambassador Programme Awards: Runner-Up Water AmbassadorsSouthern Region:
Niall Kelly, Felix O’Sullivan & Sam Cooke,
St Francis College,
Rochestown, Cork
Northern and Western Region: Leah Chapman, Muireann O’Reilly & Alanna Henry, Coláiste Iascaigh, Co. Sligo
Eastern and Midlands Region: Sofiat Akindele & Faith Abdul,
Franciscan College Gormanston,
Co. Meath
Dublin Region: Laura Connolly & Emily Barnes, Rockford Manor School, Blackrock
Regional Water Ambassador Winners
Southern Region: Lilian Gleave, Kinsale Community School, Co. Cork
Northern and Western Region: Chloe Gray, Lauren Creane, Caoimhe O’Brien & Emily Carr, Merlin College, Galway
Eastern and Midlands Region: Allanah Willoughby & Ancita Roney, St Leo’s College, Carlow
Dublin Region: Charlie Savage & Keilan Noonan Kessie St Joseph’s Secondary School, Rush
Water Awards – Poster Winners
JUNIOR PRIMARY
Dublin Region:
Cathy Zheng, St Peter’s National School, Dublin
Eastern & Midlands Region:
Mai Madigan, St Declan’s National School, Ashbourne, Co Meath
Northern and Western Region:
Alice Mulkeen, Carbury National School, Co Sligo
Southern Region:
Seán O’Sullivan, Nagle Rice Primary School, Milltown, Co. Kerry
SENIOR PRIMARY
Dublin Region:
Noah Behan, John Scottus National School, Dublin
Eastern & Midlands Region:
Robyn Kelly, Scoil Bhríde, Co Meath
Northern and Western Region:
Noya Batia Montbouli, Carbury National School, Co. Sligo
Southern Region:
Luke Packham, St Mary’s National School, Carrigaline, Co Cork
SECONDARY SCHOOL
Dublin Region:
Lucy Learmonth, St Joseph’s Secondary School, Rush, Co. Dublin
Eastern & Midlands Region:
Gabriella Dodd, Avondale Community College, Co. Wicklow
Northern and Western Region:
Nicole Saville, Archbishop McHale College, Tuam, Co. Galway
Southern Region:
Ciara Fitzpatrick, Glanmire Community College, Co. Cork
Green-Schools Water Video Competition Winner 2022
Mercy Secondary School, Ballymahon, Co Longford
- Tomi Arole – 6th Year
- Sophia Asiwe – 6th Year
- Laura Szulczynska – 6th Year
- Grace Nwadike – 6th Year
- Sadbh Mac Giolla Rí – 6th Year
Their video can be viewed at :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMi22Rsaeho
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