Scoil Naomh Bríde Named Green-Schools Water School of the Year

Scoil Naomh Bríde in Wexford has been recognised as a regional Water School of the Year at the An Taisce Green-Schools Awards, held in Dublin last month.

The primary school was named among the regional winners in recognition of its strong commitment to water conservation, environmental awareness, and whole-school sustainability initiatives.

Throughout the year, pupils at Scoil Naomh Bríde took part in a wide range of hands-on learning activities designed to deepen their understanding of water and environmental protection. These included educational river visits with heritage experts, biodiversity workshops, and the development of a dedicated digital learning resource focused on water themes for use across all classes.

The school also took practical action on-site, identifying and repairing significant water leaks and installing a rainwater harvesting system to support more sustainable water use.

One of the standout initiatives was “Walk for Water Day,” where pupils and staff walked up to 6km while carrying water, highlighting the global challenges faced by communities who do not have easy access to clean water. The event was followed by classroom activities such as quizzes and student-led designs for water harvesting systems.

Sustainability work at the school also extends beyond water conservation, with ongoing collaboration with local Tidy Towns groups, eco-workshops, guest speakers, and active community engagement. The school regularly shares its environmental work through social media and its Green Flag programme.

Speaking at the awards, An Taisce Director of Education Cathy Baxter said the Water Awards highlight the creativity and teamwork of students and teachers working together to protect one of the world’s most vital resources.

Uisce Éireann’s Head of Customer Operations, Geoffrey Bourke, also attended the ceremony and praised the impact of the Green-Schools initiative, saying it is helping to shape how young people understand and value water conservation.

An Taisce currently works with around 450 schools nationwide through the Water Flag programme, reaching more than 100,000 students and 10,000 teachers across Ireland each year.