Longford School named National ‘Something Fishy’ Competition Winners 2014
Press releaseFriday, 17th October 2014
Longford School named National ‘Something Fishy’ Competition Winners 2014
- St John’s National School, Longford awarded top prize for creative angling-related project -
Fifth and sixth class students from St John’s National School, Longford, were today (17.10.14) named National Winners of the Inland Fisheries Ireland’s ‘Something Fishy’ competition award, for their class project ‘Angling at One’, at a prize giving ceremony held today in Carrick on Shannon Education Centre.
The Longford primary school was awarded for ‘Angling at One’ - their self-made interpretation of RTE’s ‘Live at One’- featuring quiz shows, music, dance, arts and cooking, all related to angling, rod and line fishing, as well as the role of Inland Fisheries Ireland.
The winning Class and representatives of St Johns Ns, including Ms Joanne Bowers Principle and the Carrick on Shannon Education Centre
Joanne Bowers, Principal, St John’s National School, was presented with the perpetual trophy by Marian Harkin, MEP, at the ceremony this afternoon. Commenting today, Ms Bowers said: “I am delighted to accept this award on behalf of the students of St John’s National School in Longford, who have demonstrated an extraordinary degree of creativity, organisation and technical know-how, in their creation of their winning project.
“I would like to thank the staff of Inland Fisheries Ireland, who supported the delivery of the ‘Something Fishy’ educational programme at St John’s, including highly engaging presentations and field trips which really made the subject of angling and conservation of rivers and lakes come to life for the students.”
The competition has been running since 2005 nationwide and this year over 130 schools took part, reaching almost 4000 individual students. ‘Something Fishy’ is an educational resource originally designed and promoted by the Central and Regional Fisheries Boards, now Inland Fisheries Ireland, in conjunction with Blackrock Educational Centre.
Speaking at today’s event, Dr Ciaran Byrne, CEO of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), said: “’Something Fishy’ is something that IFI is extremely proud to be a part of. In a typical year, we bring the programme to around 100 schools across the country. And every year our staff are amazed by the willingness of the children to learn, and their passion for our inland fisheries resource.”
Those addressing the attendees today, included: Ms Anna Feely, Chairperson of Carrick on Shannon Education Centre; Catherine Martin, Director of Carrick on Shannon Education Centre; and Mr Pat Seaver Director of Blackrock Education Centre, all educationalists who applauded the high production standards of St John’s National School’s winning ‘Angling at One’ project.
‘Something Fishy’ 2014/15 programme
Aimed at fifth and sixth class students at primary level, the programme is based on the life cycle of salmon and gets students to explore, water, fish, fish stocks, angling, conservation of rivers and lakes and fish as part of the food chain. As well as class based work Inland Fisheries Ireland fishery officers take students into the ‘field’ to get hands on experience of their work.
The Something Fishy programme for 2014/15 will run in the following Education Centres nationwide: Donegal; Sligo; Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim; Galway; Limerick; West Cork; Co. Wexford; Blackrock, Co Dublin; Kilkenny and Navan, Co Meath. Interested schools should contact their local Education Centre for details.
This year’s winning entry ‘Angling at One’ can be viewed online at www.somethingfishy.ie/blog.html.
For more information, visit www.fisheriesireland.ie.
ENDS
Media enquiries
Suzanne Campion, Head of Business Development, Inland Fisheries Ireland
Mob: 087-2690183 Tel: 052 6180055 Fax: 052 6123971
Email: suzanne.campion@fisheriesireland.ie Website: www.fisheriesireland.ie
Notes to Editor:
Photographs accompanying press release:
Caption 1: Marian Harkin, MEP, speaking at the ‘Something Fishy’ awards in Carrick-on-Shannon Education Centre.
Caption 2: The winning class and representatives of St. John’s N.S., including Principal Ms Joanne Bowers, at the Carrick-on-Shannon Education Centre.
Something Fishy is a project aimed at fifth and sixth classes in primary schools based on the SESE Curriculum. It aims to create awareness of the fisheries’ resource and to highlight the importance of the children’s local environment and fishery habitat. The programme explores different aspects of fish life including the life cycle of the salmon, fish species, angling methods and the conservation of our rivers and lakes. It is an activity-based educational resource and is designed to be interesting and attractive to both teachers and students. Key elements of the programme are that it promotes learning about fish and the environment in a specifically local context and promotes sustainable angling. Programme resources are available on www.somethingfishy.ie.
Inland Fisheries Ireland is a statutory body operating under the aegis of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and was established under the Fisheries Act on 1st July 2010. Its principal function is the protection and conservation of the inland fisheries resource. IFI promotes, supports, facilitates and advises the Minister on, the conservation, protection, management, development and improvement of inland fisheries, including sea angling. It also develops and advises the Minister on policy and national strategies relating to inland fisheries and sea angling. www.fisheriesireland.ie.
