Knocknagoshel’s National School gets a nod of approval from Europe

KNOCKNAGOSHEL National School is one of only eight schools in the country to be awarded a special five-year achievement award by the Blue Star Programme.

This programme is run by European Movement Ireland. Fourth, fifth and sixth-classes were invited to the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin on Europe Day, Wednesday, May 9.

The Knocknagoshel team displayed and presented its projects to the invited guests from across Europe.

Class teacher Patricia Cusack, Máire Collins and Carmel O Connell accompanied the children to Dublin.

The children also took part in the ‘Handshake for Europe’ on the day and they even featured on News2day on RTE 2

“We received our award from Minister of State for European Affairs, Helen McEntee,” said Principal Máire Collins.

“The Blue Star Programme involves five main components or elements. There’s an historical projects theme on different aspects of European history, such as World War I and World War II; the Romans and the Vikings; the Ancient Greeks; and Christopher Columbus.

“There’s geographical projects on countries of Europe.

“In the ‘Cultural and Creative’, we looked at major artists and monuments such as The Scream by Edward Munch, and Leonardo Da Vinci; the Leaning Tower of Pisa; the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, and so on.

“Under ‘Institutional’, we looked at EU institutions like the European Parliament; the Courts of Justice/Council of Europe. and European Commissions.

“The teachers and pupils also put on a display for parents and the school community,” said Ms Collins.

Photo by John Reidy Front row: David Horan, Conor Cahill, Andrew Browne, Angel-Mia Wright, Shannon Collins, Ella Murphy, Jessica Collins, TJ Griffin, Sara Churmann, Ciarán Mangan, Jack McCrohan, Katie Walshe, Thomas Keane and TJ Walsh. Back: Joseph Bell, Jack Wright, DJ...