St. Ciaran’s National School, Hartstown, Win 2014 Our World Irish Aid Award

Students from St. Ciaran's National School celebrate their award.

St. Ciaran’s National School, Hartstown, Dublin 15, was today announced as overall winner of the 2014 ‘Our World Irish Aid Awards’ with their project entitled ‘World, Don’t Hide – Cherish Every Child!’ 

The St. Ciaran’s students came up with the idea of a 'wishing well', then asked pupils to write their wishes on paper stars and put them into the well. They also came up with the concept of a ‘secret box’ which claimed to have ‘the answer to all the world’s problems on the inside’. On opening the box users were confronted with their own reflection. 

Minister for Trade and Development Joe Costello TD said: 

“The students created posters based on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), on recycling and on fair trade products, wrote poems and displayed great technical ability by developing a ‘Minecraft’-style virtual world based on the MDGs.

“They showed an impressive grasp of the links between a range of development issues, and were particularly engaged with the rest of the school and their wider community, extending the conversation to their families and friends. I would like to

congratulate the winning pupils – and indeed all those who entered - for the creativity, reflection and hard work that went into their projects.” 

Twelve schools were chosen from hundreds of entries from all over Ireland to receive their awards from Keelin Shanley of RTE in Dublin Castle at the national finals. The students worked on their projects for months, and progressed through a series of regional finals in Cork, Limerick, Sligo and Dublin, showing a wonderful sense of creativity and a great understanding of the complex issues involved.

The ‘Our World Irish Aid Awards’ have been running since 2005 in an effort to increase primary pupils’ awareness and understanding of global development issues, in particular the Millennium Development Goals and the work of Irish Aid, and to help them explore the links between their lives and the lives of children in developing countries. All finalists took home commemorative trophies, and the St. Ciaran’s students were awarded with the ‘Our World Irish Aid Awards’ overall winner’s trophy for their school.

The Millennium Development Goals include eliminating hunger, promoting gender equality and achieving universal primary education. The leaders of 189 signatory nations, including Ireland, have agreed to try to achieve the eight goals by the year 2015. This year’s Our World Awards theme ‘A Better Future for All the World’s Children’ related to all the MDGs, and enabled children to explore all aspects of Irish Aid’s overseas work.

For more information please visit http://ourworldirishaidawards.ie or follow us on twitter @Irish_Aid

Press Office 

17 June 2014 

Notes to Editor:

Irish Aid is the Government’s programme for overseas development. It is managed by the Development Cooperation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The 8 Millennium Development Goals are as follows:

1)  Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

2)  Achieve universal primary education

3)  Promote gender equality and empower women

4)  Reduce child mortality

5)  Improve maternal health

6)  Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

7)  Ensure environmental sustainability

8)  Develop a global partnership for development

National Finalists and Project Details:

St. Ciaran's N.S., Hartstown, Dublin 15

World, don't hide - Cherish Every Child!:

One project book. The class focused on way they could help children in the developing world. They came up with the idea of a 'wishing well'. They asked pupils to write their wishes on stars and out them into the well. They created posters on the MDGS. They wrote poems about child labour, posters about recycling and fair trade products and created a Minecraft world based on the MDGs

St. Patrick's N.S., Frenchpark, Co. Roscommon

Developing World Issues - MDGs - A Road Map for the Future:

Class focused on provision on food and education for their project. Class created an 80 page folder outlining main difficulties facing the developing world. Pupils visited other classes in the school to inform them of main issues.

St. Michael's School, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon

A Better Education for All the World's Children:

Group focused on importance of education in a child's life. They created a work book which was brought around the school to show off to other classes

Jones Memorial P.S., Mullylogan, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh

A Better Future for All the World:

One project book and one quilt. Group wanted to incorporate all of the MDGs. They wrote their ideas on their 'working wall' and based their project around the ethos of Irish Aid. They created a music video, a patchwork quilt as the main basis for presentation and they created a project book. They fundraised in Tesco to raise awareness

Killeigh N.S., Killeigh, Offaly

Gender Equality and Women’s rights:

2 booklets explaining Gender equality and writing to Malala.

Scoil Naomh Eirc, Kilmoyley, Ardfert, Tralee, Co. Kerry

The Eight MDGs:

One project book. Class decided to make the rest of the school aware of the MDGs by performing a drama. They also filmed the performance which can be seen online. They will be sending the drama to the Horizons programme on Radio Kerry

Dromclough N.S., Listowel, Co. Kerry

A Better Future for All the World's Children:

One project book. Group’s main message was that everyone is entitled to clean water. They also learned about the MDGs. They put all their learnings into a project book and presented it to the 3rd and 4th classes during assembly.

St. Patrick's N.S., Glencullen, Dublin 18

Bridges:

One big project book. Class wanted to share with their local community the work Irish Aid does in their partner countries and how they can help achieve the MDGs. 

St Patricks N.S., Cock Hill Road, Stamullen, Co. Meath

Our World: We Can Save It:

This class produced multiple documents about the MDGs. They have pictures of the children working on the projects.

Our Lady of Mercy G.N.S, Convent Road, Cahir, Co. Tipperary

MDG Times Magazine:

They created a magazine and sent it around their school and did songs for classes.

St. Colman's B.N.S, Cork

A-Z of Irish Aid:

Powerpoint presentation which goes through the alphabet with each letter containing information on Irish Aid. They displayed n on the school board, website and presented it to other classes. The class also informed parents of their project during a parent visit day.

Burnchurch N.S.,  Burnchurch, Cuffesgrange, Co. Kilkenny

A Better Future for All the World's Children:

One project book. The class were interested in learning about the MDG’s and the progress made towards achieving these. They have all of their work in a well presented project book.