Green awards for 16 Sligo schools

Sixteen schools in Sligo were awarded Green Flags at a special event held in the McWilliam Hotel in Claremorris on May 14 th.

A large gathering of pupils and teachers from Sligo, Leitrim and Mayo, were welcomed by Green-Schools Travel Team Lead, Lukasz Krzywon.

Green Schools is a student-led environmental management programme for schools.

The 16 Sligo schools awarded this week were among 756 schools nationwide that received their flags throughout the month in the areas of Litter & Waste, Water, Travel, Biodiversity and Global Citizenship, .

Ballinode College, Sligo was presented with the Litter & Waste flag upon reinstating the Green Schools programme in their school.

St. Aiden’s N.S, Monasteraden, was also recognised and received their Primary Climate Ambassador flag. This flag is awarded to schools that have already achieved 10 flags and focuses on climate actions related to waste, energy, water, transport, and biodiversity.

Corran College in Ballymote was awarded their Global Citizenship Marine Environment flag. Furthermore, the school was recognised as the Regional Secondary School Winner for the West and North Region at the Green Schools Marine Awards ceremony, which took place at the Hyatt Centric Hotel in Dublin, also last week.

Speaking at the ceremony, Áine O’Loughlin, Environmental Awareness Officer, Sligo County Council said Sligo County Council is committed to the Green Schools programme. She said, “The programme provides a framework for students to apply critical thinking to create positive environmental changes within their schools and beyond. Congratulations to the students, teachers, and entire school communities for their outstanding efforts and steadfast commitment to sustainability. I’m delighted to witness schools being awarded their first flag, as well as those who have been actively participating in the programme for more than two decades. The remarkable work being carried out in schools serves as an inspiration to us all”.

Schools receiving their Green Flag were recognised under the following themes:

Litter & Waste: Ballinode College, Sligo Water:

Sligo Grammar School, Sligo Biodiversity: Rathcormac N.S

Carn NS, Gurteen Culfadda N.S, Ballymote Global Citizenship Litter and Waste:

Taunagh N.S., Riverstown Global Citizenship Energy: St. Ronan’s N.S, Cloonloo St. Pauls N.S., Collooney St. Edward’s N.S., Sligo Ursuline College, Sligo Learn Early Montessori, Ballymote

Global Citizenship Marine Environment:

Corran College, Ballymote Global Citizenship Travel: Kilross N.S, Ballintogher S.N. Realt na Mara, Rosses Point

Global Citizenship Food and Bio:

Scoil Chríost Rí, Enniscrone Primary Climate Ambassador:

St. Aiden’s N.S, Monasteraden