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It’s great to see a local company near your school Cathríona, Irish Organics, who place huge importance on sustainability in their packaging and in using natural ingredients in their products. The pupils in your school can learn so much from knowing that a local company is dedicated to keeping the environment clean and safe for the future generations in Connemara. It’s fantastic to hear that the pupils are actively involved in keeping the local beaches clean and recycle anything they can from what they collect.
I teach in a school in Maynooth in Co. Kildare. In 2025, Kildare County Council, as part of their Climate Action Plan 2024-2029, launched The Maynooth Decarbonising Zone (DZ). This is Kildare County Council’s designated area for testing and implementing ambitious climate-action measures. Maynooth was selected because of opportunities linked to Maynooth University, active travel, green infrastructure and biodiversity, as well as the potential to use successful initiatives elsewhere in Kildare. The key aims of the initiative according to Kildare County Council are to;
• Reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 51% by 2030, based on the 2018 baseline.
• Work towards net zero emissions by 2050.
• Improve energy efficiency and encourage renewable energy.
• Increase walking, cycling and other forms of active travel.
• Protect and enhance biodiversity and green spaces.
• Encourage local communities, schools, businesses and farmers to participate in climate action.
The 2018 baseline estimated emissions in the Maynooth DZ at 73,635 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. The largest sources were: Residential 38.5%, Transport 36.7%, Commercial 16.5%, Agriculture 4.9%, Other sectors 3.3%.
This means that homes and transport are particularly important areas for reducing emissions in Maynooth. One particularly interesting project is the DemoHouse, which demonstrates how an existing home can be made more energy efficient. It includes improved insulation and airtightness, triple glazing, an air-to-water heat pump, heat-recovery ventilation, solar PV panels and an electric-vehicle charger. The DZ also promotes community participation such as the Climate Champions Awards, which recognise climate, biodiversity and sustainability initiatives carried out by local schools, businesses, community organisations and farmers.
From a primary school context, the Maynooth DZ is a useful real-world case study of local climate action. Pupils can investigate how changes to transport, homes, energy use, biodiversity and waste can contribute to making their own community more sustainable.I think that using visual food pyramid charts alongside actual samples or picture examples of local seafood is a very good idea Áine to help make the pupils understanding of healthy eating more concrete than abstract. I can see how well it would link to Oral Language through the ‘Eye Spy in the Supermarket’ game also.
Learning about the nutritional value of seafood can help to recognise its importance as part of a healthy, balanced diet. Seafood is an excellent source of high-quality protein, vitamins and minerals, while oily fish provide omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for brain and heart health. This knowledge could be applied in the classroom by encouraging pupils to explore the different types of seafood available and investigate their nutritional benefits. Simple activities, such as comparing nutrition labels, creating a balanced seafood-based meal, or discussing the importance of eating a varied diet, could make the learning practical and engaging. This topic could also be linked with Science, SPHE and Geography by exploring where seafood comes from and how it contributes to healthy lifestyles. Using real-life examples and hands-on activities would help pupils understand the connection between food choices, nutrition and overall wellbeing.
Your ideas on how to adapt lessons and resources for junior end classes are excellent Orla. To be able to provide younger pupils with the opportunity to develop their problem-solving and teamwork skills from an early age can only have positive effects for their STEM learning.
I found the ARC online lessons and resources to be a very useful way of exploring how STEM can be made more practical, interactive and engaging for younger pupils. Although some of the activities are designed for older classes, many of the ideas could be adapted and simplified to suit younger children through play-based and hands-on learning. In junior classes, these approaches could be used to encourage pupils to ask questions, investigate, and discuss what they observe during simple activities. These experiences can help develop early problem-solving, collaboration and communication skills, while also making links between Science, Maths and oral language. The ARC online lessons and resources align well with the STEM Education Policy Statement, particularly through their focus on curiosity, exploration and active learning. From an SSE perspective, they could help promote a more consistent approach to STEM across the school, with teachers building skills progressively from the infant classes onwards and sharing practical, inquiry-based approaches. I believe these resources provide a valuable way of developing STEM learning in a practical and accessible manner for younger pupils, while ensuring that the learning remains meaningful and purposeful.
I agree with you Diarmaid that there are very rich curriculum links to explore with our pupils, which can foster pride in our thriving and growing aquaculture sector and further enhance their critical thinking skills. Instilling in them a greater understanding of the importance of caring for coastal ecosystems is vital for passing on to our future generations.
When I was on holiday recently in Achill, I saw up close the wild Atlantic salmon farms that are located in Clew Bay between Achill and Clare Island when we went out on a sea safari trip with our tour guide, Peter. He told us that in each of the salmon farm pens, there are between 50,000 and 100,000 salmon and that each pen was worth approximately €3 million. Ireland’s long coastline, numerous sheltered bays and clean marine waters provide very favourable conditions for aquaculture. Factors such as water quality, shelter from strong waves, suitable seabed conditions, access to transport infrastructure and proximity to local communities all influence where farms can operate. Aquaculture is particularly prominent in areas such as Donegal, Galway, Mayo, Kerry, Cork and Waterford, with significant activity concentrated around bays including Bantry Bay, Clew Bay, Dingle Bay, Donegal Bay, Kenmare Bay and Kilkieran Bay.
I think the location of fish farms is especially significant because many of Ireland’s coastal communities are relatively remote and have fewer employment opportunities than larger urban centres. Family-run farms can provide opportunities for people to remain in their local area rather than having to move elsewhere for employment. Aquaculture can therefore provide an important source of local employment and help maintain economic activity within communities that might otherwise experience population decline. According to An Bórd Iascaigh Mhara, in 2024, Irish aquaculture produced more than 38,000 tonnes of seafood, generated approximately €210 million in sales and contributed €73 million in Gross Value Added to the Irish economy. The sector directly employed 1,835 people, with many of these jobs located in coastal and rural communities. The socio-economic benefits to many coastal communities around Ireland are enormous.Like you Zoe, I think the young chef ambassador programme is an excellent idea in helping children to better understand where our food comes from and to also develop an interest in cooking from a young age, which I think we’d all agree is an essential life skill.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading through all of the slides and watching all of the accompanying informative videos in Module 1. I live and teach in a school in Kildare so there would not be the same opportunities to explore aquaculture in a hands-on way as those who live and teach on/near the coast. I was on holiday in Achill with my wife and two boys a few weeks ago and we went out on a sea safari to explore the marine life in Clew Bay between Achill and Clare Island. We were extremely lucky to see a pod of dolphins, seals, many different types of sea birds and the famed basking sharks in Keem Bay. It was without doubt the highlight of the sea safari and of our week in Achill. Our tour guide on the safari, Peter, was a fountain of knowledge about all of the marine life in the area. He also had a huge amount of very interesting facts and information about the wild Atlantic salmon farms that are located in the waters between Achill and Clare Island, as he navigated the speedboat around them. It was amazing to see the salmon leaping out of the water inside the huge nets. I think the Aquaculture Remote Classroom (ARC) is a wonderful initiative run by An Bórd Iascaigh Mhara and it can provide all primary/secondary school students with a greater insight into aquaculture and everything it emcompasses whether those students live near the coast or an more inland areas.