St Brendan’s NS, Kilmeena, launches water project

St Brendan’s NS in Kilmeena launch unique water project


Students from St. Brendan’s National School in Kilmeena, outside of Westport are set to roll out the red carpet for the launch of a very educational and informative water research project that they have been working on over the past few months.
The project, in partnership with Kilmeena Group Water Scheme and Irish TV has afforded the fifth and sixth class students from St Brendan’s the opportunity to inform themselves and their community about water conservation and source protection in their own locality.  Under the guidance of SeΡn Corrigan from the local Kilmeena Group Water Scheme, Pierce O’Reilly from Irish TV and School Principal Mickey Carney, the students have conducted engaging market research projects, partaken in several field studies whilst also gaining a valuable insight into marketing and media studies.
The project entitled ‘What water means to us in our community’ also saw several expert speakers come to the school to inform the students about water protection, conservation and treatment.  The speakers included Brendan O’ Mahoney, Chairman of the National Federation of Group Water Schemes, Tommy Staunton from the Kilmeena Group Water Scheme, Sharon Cameron, Environmental Officer with Mayo County Council and Brian McDonald from the National Group Water Schemes.  The students also met with Minister with responsibility for water Fergus O’Dowd TD when he visited the Kilmeena Group Water Scheme Treatment Facility.
“We are thrilled to be involved in this project with the Kilmeena Group Water Scheme as it is both educational and informative for the children at school, the community around the school and indeed further afield,” commented St Brendan’s National School Principal Mickey Carney.  “The children are extremely excited about this project as water impacts on their everyday lives and now with the new Group Water Scheme on our doorstep it is a very important to support and promote the importance of water in our community,” commented Carney.
The Kilmeena Group Water Scheme is a community owned and managed drinking water utility covering an area of 34 square kilometres.  The scheme supplies over four hundred houses, the local national school and a factory.  The scheme is run by a voluntary board and is funded by local contributions and grants from the government.  
SeΡn Corrigan co-ordinator with the Kilmeena Group Water Scheme said he was looking forward to the students’ presentation to the community on this Thursday, June 27 in Kilmeena.  “The students and entire school have shown great enthusiasm for this project from the very beginning.  It is great to see this close-knit community working in partnership to benefit everyone,” he said.   The presentation of the students work from St. Brendan’s National School will take place on Thursday, June 27th at 7.30pm in the Kilmeena Community Hall.  Everyone is invited.