Mayo School awarded title of ‘Ireland’s Water School of the Year’
Ireland's Water School of the Year:
Patrick Gilgunn, Aine Thompson, Adam
O'Grady and Dominick Stephens of
Killasser National School, Swinford
pictured at the Green School's Irish
Water awards ceremony in the Royal
College of Physicians, Dublin. The
children are pictured with their Teacher
Ms. Aine Gibbons, Elizabeth Arnett (Irish
Water), Patricia Oliver (An Taisce,
Education Unit), Sharon Cameron, (Mayo
County Council) and John Tierney (Irish
Water)
Katie Howe, Shraigh National School
was awarded her prize by Minister
Alan Kelly for her winning poster in the
Irish Water Poster Competition. Katie
is pictured with her parents Richard
and Josie and her brother James. Also,
pictured is John Tierney, Managing
Director of Irish Water, Sharon
Cameron, Environment Awareness
Officer, Mayo County Council and
Patricia Oliver, Director of the
Education Unit of An Taisce
A primary school from Mayo was named Ireland’s Water School of the Year at a recent
ceremony in Dublin’s Royal College of Physicians. St. Joseph’s National School,
Killasser, Swinford took both the Connaught/Ulster Regional award and the overall
National award in the Primary School Category.
The school was awarded for their success in reducing their water consumption,
spreading awareness about water issues and involving their community in their GreenSchools Water programme. The competition is a partnership between An Taisce and
Irish Water. The awards recognised the dedication and innovation shown by schools as
they worked on the Green-Schools Water theme. Killasser NS introduced measures to
reduce water consumption in their school, including weekly meter readings, checking for
leaks and appointing children as Home School Water Officers to spread the word on
water conservation at home. They also advised their families on the use of natural
homemade cleaning products in an effort to cut down on the use of chemicals in the
home. The school now has water usage of less than 7 litres per person per day. This
represents an amazing 45% water reduction for the school.
Mayo also had national success in this year’s annual Green-Schools Irish Water poster
competition, the theme of which was ‘Water: from the cloud to your glass’. Katie Howe,
a 5th class student from Shraigh National School was announced at the ceremony as
the Regional Connaught/Ulster winner in the senior primary category.
Speaking at the event, John Tierney, Managing Director of Irish Water said, “Safeguarding our water for future generations is a primary function for Irish Water and we
are delighted to play a role in the Green-Schools Awards for the Water Schools of the
Year. These Awards foster an appreciation for water conservation that these children
will take with them through their lives giving them the opportunity to educate their
friends, families and local communities on the importance of water as a precious natural
resource.”
Sharon Cameron, Environment Awareness Officer with Mayo County Council
congratulated the winning schools. “This is a huge success for the County. For a small
rural country school to take a National award is very special and shows how every drop
of water really does count and how each of us can make a real difference by saving
water. I am so happy for Killasser NS as the teachers and children have worked so hard
on their Green School’s Programme. There was added joy at the awards when Katie
Howe from Shraigh NS was announced as a regional winner for her brilliant water
poster’