*Pictured are the overall winning team from St. Joseph’s Spanish Point, Co Clare , Captain Roisin Molohan ( left) with her team mates Lucy O’Keeffe, Alysha Sexton, Eve Barry and Ava Harrison. Photograph: Arthur Ellis
STUDENTS from St Joseph’s Secondary School in Spanish Point claimed the top prize and a €2000 cheque for the school at the fourth Shannon Foynes Port Company ‘Compass’ competition for schools across Clare, Kerry and Limerick.
Hosted at the newly renovated Foynes Flying Boat and Maritime Museum at the weekend, the competition, themed ‘Shooting the Breeze’, saw five schools shortlisted for the grand final set out their vision for a future entirely powered from renewable energy by harvesting our infinite wind supply off the west coast through floating wind energy.
Some 250 plus attendees, including students and teachers, poured into the venue as four finalists from Limerick – two from Salesian College Pallaskenry and one each from Ardscoil Ris and Laurel Hill Secondary School – battled it out with the sole Clare finalist, St. Joseph’s Secondary School Spanish Point.
Clare’s representatives claimed the top prize and a €2,000 cheque for the school. The winning team members each received an iPad for their efforts and a Gold Commemorative Medal. Each of the runners up also received a silver medal and a days’ sailing on the Shannon Estuary sponsored by Foynes Yacht Club.
TY students in the three counties were tasked to envisage through a short film and presentation, what realising the unprecedented renewable energy opportunity on the Shannon Estuary can do for the region and nation’s future.
Captain of the winning team Róisín Molohan said that the school was both delighted and surprised by the win and the experience had certainly heightened understanding of the immense offshore wind resource that the school looks out onto every day. “We’re all very shocked. We saw the other teams’ presentations and they were all amazing so we’re just so happy and we’re so shocked that we won it. But it’s great and we’re so happy because we worked really hard on it”.
“We weren’t aware at all of the offshore wind opportunity. But this competition really opened our eyes. It’s our kids and our grandchildren’s world that is going to be affected by this. So, we’re just trying to make the world the best we possibly can. Whoever out there is responsible for making this happen, as young people, we want this to happen, and we need it to happen”.
Roisin was joined on the team by Lucy O’Keeffe, Alysha Sexton, Eve Barry and Ava Harrison.
Members of the judging panel including Shannon Foynes Port Harbour Master Michael Kennelly, CEO of Shannon Chamber Helen Downes, Assistant Engineer at Shannon Foynes Port Tom Treacy, CEO of Tralee Chamber Colette O’Connor, Skillnet Manager at Limerick Chamber Michael MacCurtain and Theatre Producer, Film/TV Co-Ordinator and Arts Consultant Marketa Dowling.
High-ranking political figures were present at the competition including two cabinet ministers Minister for Education Norma Foley (FF) and Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Patrick O’Donovan (FG), as well as Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Niall Collins (FF), Member of European Parliament Sean Kelly (FG), Dáil Deputies Michael McNamara (IND), Richard O’Donoghue (II) and Senator Ned O’Sullivan (FF).
Commenting following the announcement of the winner, Shannon Foynes Port CEO Pat Keating said that the participation rate amongst schools and students and the standard of presentations suggest that the competition objective of raising the awareness of the immense opportunities the Shannon Estuary is being achieved.
Minister Foley said, “I think the Shannon Estuary is a magnificent backdrop for today’s competition. The competition is very much focused on an opportunity for young people to appreciate the potential of the ports here. These young people are beacons if you like. Not just for today, but for tomorrow and generations to come. So, as we hear their voice today, I urge people to listen to their voice. It is a voice of truth and honesty and investment into the future”.
According to Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Niall Collins “the younger generation absolutely want to see the Shannon Estuary turning green. They want the West Coast offshore energy projects. This is exactly what the younger generations want”.
In addition to the schools’ presentations the attendance was also treated to a motivational questions and answers session, compered by MC Seamus Hennessy, with Irish hockey star Róisín Upton, Performance Psychologist with Limerick Hurling Academy and Lecturer on Psychology of Exam Preparation & Performance Pat McCarthy, and Kerry footballer Jason Foley.
Shannon Foynes Port partnered on this year’s competition with the Hunt Museum, leveraging off its ‘Nights Candles are Burnt Out’ exhibition, which charts the previous renewable energy revolution off the Shannon system via the development almost a century ago of the Shannon Hydroelectric Scheme at Ardnacrusha.
