Ballina school crowned champions at Irish League of Credit Unions national quiz

The Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) is excited to announce the winners of the eagerly awaited Credit Union Schools Quiz 2024. In a gripping final at the RDS in Dublin which took place on Sunday, April 7, the champions stood out from more than 90 teams, showcasing exceptional intelligence, knowledge, and teamwork.

The victorious teams were:

Winners Competition A (U-11): Gareth Doyle, Michael Duffy, Aoife Hillery and Cian Gillespie from Quighnamanger National School (representing Ballina Credit Union).

Joint Runners-up Competition A (U-11): Heidi Davies, Conor McGroary, Ciarán McGlynn and Luca Quinn from Scoil Aodh Rua and Nuala (representing Donegal Town Credit Union).

Aqeel Wahid Masud, James Behan, Noah Mukomeza, Nathaniel Gibbs from Glasheen Boys National School (representing The Lough Credit Union)

Winners Competition B (U-13): Cillian Darcy, Cate Reidy, Muireann Lynch and Lucas Quinlan from Knocknacarra Educate Together (representing Claddagh Credit Union).

Joint Runners-up Competition B (U-13): James Cosgrove, Pierce Milner, Caolán Gilliard and Caoimhe Coffey from Emo National School (representing Portarlington Credit Union).

David Baynes, Noah Gallagher, Iarla Hannon and Rowan Harrison from Quighnamanger National School, Ballina (representing Ballina Credit Union)

Eoghan Kelleher, Milo McKeogh, Lucas Getachew Chanie and Paddy Shanahan from Ballyroan Boys School (representing Heritage Credit Union)

Rowan Harrison, David Baynes, Iarla Hannon and Noah Gallagher from Quighnamanger National School representing Ballina Credit Union finished as joint runners-up in the U-13 category. 

This year's competition was fiercely contested, with teams demonstrating exceptional acumen and teamwork. The questions, covering a wide range of topics, challenged the contestants to dig deep into their reserves of knowledge and quick thinking. The event was brought to life by the cheers and support from families, friends, and teachers. Renowned presenter John Sharpson, known to many as Múinteoir John, hosted the final, adding to the excitement of the occasion.

This year's quiz journey began several months ago, with over 25,000 students from schools across the island participating in local and regional rounds. The competition, structured into two sections - Competition A for children under 11 and Competition B for children under 13 - challenged young minds and fostered a spirit of learning and collaboration.

The quiz is an important part of the ILCU’s youth outreach programme, which aims to demonstrate the value of local credit unions to children and young people. The ILCU is the largest credit union representative body on the island of Ireland, working on behalf of member credit unions in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Martin Busch, President of the ILCU said: “We are immensely proud of all the participants in this year's Credit Union Schools Quiz. The level of knowledge and teamwork displayed by these students is a promising indicator of our future. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the winners and express our profound gratitude to all of the families, teachers, and everyone who supported the participants throughout this journey. This competition isn't just about showing off smarts; it highlights one of the values we hold with the highest regard: community spirit.

“Today is also a shining testament to the incredible dedication and hard work of our phenomenal volunteers and staff who pour their hearts into organising and running this competition year after year at local and regional level. We are so proud of their commitment to supporting the development of children who are the future of the communities we serve.”

Credit unions offer a number of educational resources for children, parents and teachers to guide on promoting financial literacy from a young age. This includes Start Money Smart for primary age children and Clued In for secondary school students. Both programmes were developed by teachers and provide a range of engaging and interactive activities, in line with the curriculum subjects of Maths, History and Business Studies. They are freely available for teachers in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.