Thirteen Offaly schools celebrate receiving green flags
Thirteen schools from Offaly were awarded the Green Flag last week for their dedication to sustainability and protecting their environment.
Despite two school years with closures and challenges posed by Covid-19, 526 schools across Ireland were awarded Green Flags, including 33 schools that have been awarded the Green Flag for the first time.
Green-Schools is an environmental management programme for schools which focuses on themes including Litter and Waste; Energy; Water; Travel; Biodiversity; Global Citizenship and Marine Environment.
The Offaly schools receiving their green flag this time around were:
Mercy Primary School, Birr
Scoil Bhride, Rhode
Philomena's N.S, Tullamore
Scoil Bhride Boys N.S, Tullamore
Francis B.N.S, Clara
Scoil Mhuire Naofa, Rhode
Josephs Gortnamona N.S, Tullamore
Scoil Mhuire Banrion, Edenderry
Scoil Naomh Eoin, Birr
Scoil Naomh Mhuire, Tullamore
Edenderry Youthreach, Edenderry
Scoil Bhride, Edenderry
Mary's N.S, Tullamore
Speaking at each ceremony this week, Green-Schools Manager Cathy Baxter congratulated the 526 schools receiving their Green Flag: “We know that you have all been working incredibly hard in your schools over the last year and you continued to find innovative ways to keep the programme going during school closures and social distancing. You managed to have outdoor Committee meetings, online workshops and attending online webinars to keep up to date, so thank you.”
Schools were invited to six online award ceremonies which took place from Monday, October 4th to 8th with the final ceremony for the Water theme taking place on October 14. At the ceremonies, schools enjoyed activities like Sea Shanties and online quizzes, with messages of support played from “Captain Climate”, actor Nicola Coughlan, champion cyclist Lara Gillespie and local authority Environmental Awareness Officers, who support schools during their participation in Green-Schools.