*Róisín Ní Bhraonáin, Aoibhe Ní Bhriain & Alice Nic Cárthaigh from Gaelscoil Mhíchíl Cíosóg, Clare, helped launch Green-Schools Irish language resources. Photograph: Simon Boyle
AN Taisce’s Green-Schools held an event in Galway on Thursday to launch the programme’s suite of Irish language resources including handbooks, teaching resources and dedicated web page.
Green-Schools, an initiative of An Taisce, is now in its 27th year and boasts more than 3,200 schools actively participating in the programme around the country, with more than 250 of those being Ionaid Ghaelscolaíochta.
The programme’s thematic approach allows school to focus on wide ranging themes including waste management, biodiversity, sustainable travel, water awareness, global citizenship, and issues related to the marine environment. Each of these themes is supported by a team of Green-Schools officers and a handbook which serves as a guide throughout the two-year cycle of work on any given theme.
The translation into Irish of each of these is a welcome development of the Green-Schools programme, thanks to the support and funding of an Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG).
Speaking about the project, Jacqueline Ní Fhearghusa, Príomhfheidhmeannach COGG said, ‘Buíochas ó chroí le foireann chlár na Scoileanna Glasa as a gcuid díograise leis an togra seo.Tá an- áthas ar COGG maoiniú a chur ar fáil don togra seo agus is mór againn an comhoibriú le Clár na Scoileanna Glasa. Tá sé ríthábhachtach go mbeadh na hacmhainní seo a dhíríonn ar chosaint ár dtimpeallachta ar fáil ar ardchaighdeán as Gaeilge do ghaelscoileanna, gaelcholáistí agus scoileanna Gaeltachta ag an dá leibhéal.’
(COGG is delighted to fund a project like this and we have great respect in working with Green-Schools. It is so important that resources that focus on protecting the environment are available in Irish for gaelscoileanna, gaelcholáistí and schools in the Gaeltacht of both levels.)
The launch was held in the Michael D Higgins auditorium of NUIG and attended by gaelscoileanna and gaelcholáistí from different regions around the country, who presented their work on the Green-Schools programme to attendees.
Speaking at the event, Joanne Scott, Green-Schools Programme Manager, said, ‘The launch of our Green-Schools handbooks in Irish is a hugely significant milestone for the programme. It ensures that schools can engage with sustainability through the language of our culture and heritage, strengthening both environmental education and the Irish language. We are deeply grateful to COGG for their support and funding, and we are so proud of the gaelscoileanna and gaelcholáistí involved today.’
