Scoil Mhuire na Trócaire in Ardee wins National Climate Ambassador Award

An Taisce’s Primary Climate Ambassador programme celebrated the inaugural award ceremony at Richmond Barracks in Dublin, on Tuesday 13th of June.

The pilot programme is sponsored by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, with exceptional schools who have achieved all ten Green Flags over the last 25 years invited to participate.

As many as 308 students and 17 teachers in 14 schools took part from Louth, Carlow, Clare, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Sligo.

And Scoil Mhuire na Trócaire won first place at the National Climate Ambassador awards.

Scoil Mhuire na Trócaire in Ardee Co. Louth was approached by Gráinne Ryan, Senior Climate Action Officer, in September 2022 and was asked to take part in this pilot programme.

Ms Clinton established a committee within the school and 17 pupils were selected to represent Scoil Mhuire na Trócaire as Primary Climate Ambassadors.

The children completed different climate challenges and took action within their own communities to help others to make positive changes.

Children wrote letters to the council to enquire about solar panels for their school, they wrote to local papers with tips to prevent food waste and they invited The Energy Team from Dunleer to speak to their pupils about saving energy.

The committee along with teacher Ms Joanna Clinton and principal Mrs Deirdre Sweeney were delighted to have been awarded 1st place during the awards ceremony last Tuesday. They took home a prize worth €4,000 for a mini forest and outdoor classroom for their school. 

Scoil Mhuire na Trócaire said it  is proud to be a leading school in promoting climate action and their Primary Climate Ambassadors look forward to continuing this great work next year!