Green Limerick: Castletroy school runners-up in sustainability competition

ONE LIMERICK school has been announced as runner-up in a national competition where students demonstrated “excellent creativity by upcycling old materials”.

Gaelscoil Chaladh an Treoigh in Castletroy were in the top three of the WillowWarm Briquettes Christmas Storytelling Primary Schools’ Competition.

The school fought off competition from primary schools all over the country to land in the top three of the winning schools.

This is significant as they have been recognised nationally for their hard work in sustainability efforts.

The green schools committee and the student council were rewarded for their hard work in ensuring that their ‘Coill Beag’ was kept safe.

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Príomhoide Frankie Uí Fhrainclín said: “Táimid an-bhródúil astu agus an cúram a léirigh siad don timpeallacht.

“The children demonstrated excellent creativity by upcycling old materials, rendering them with fitting forest-related artwork and ultimately, they identified a solution to a real-world problem.”

For the competition, students were tasked with getting creative to tell the story of their school’s efforts to be more environmentally friendly and sustainable by entering an essay, short story, painting or project.

In their entry, the primary school pupils of Gaelscoil Chaladh an Treoigh noticed that recently planted trees were being damaged by stray footballs during lunch time.

The children from both committees showed their initiative and their commitment to sustainability by creating a barrier from old pallets which now serves to protect the newly planted trees.

The overall prize for the winning school’s sustainability activities was €1,000 plus a visit and storytelling morning with Ryan Tubridy.

All the students of the two runner-up schools also received prizes of goodie bags, while the teachers got complimentary WillowWarm Briquettes, which they said are “perfect for the current cold spell in Ireland!”