Pictures: St Patrick’s de la Salle boys hoist Green Flag and Active Flag in Kilkenny

There was huge excitement in St Patrick’s De la Salle recently with the boys celebrating getting their Green Flag for Biodiversity – their fifth green flag, and also their first Active Flag.

Students, staff and invited dignitaries gathered in the school to raise both flags and mark two years of hard work to achieve these flags.

The Green School Committee, led by Ms Martha Woodcock, spent the past two years educating the whole school community on the importance of biodiversity for the school environment and community. A beautiful school garden boasts wild flowers, vegetables and plants to encourage pollination and growth. Each class took responsibility for their own plot, watching the growth cycle carefully over time.

The committee also organised Biodiversity workshops delivered by Eoin Boyle, from Biodiversity Ireland. These fun and active workshops enabled the boys to engage in outdoor learning and see, first hand, the importance of biodiversity.

The school was also awarded the Active School Flag, in recent weeks. Ms Louise Herity and the active school committee have worked tirelessly to promote an active lifestyle for the boys in the school. The children experienced activities in a huge range of sports including hurling, tennis, Irish dancing, soccer, gymnastics, skipping, cycling, basketball, volleyball and much more.

They are very proud of the newly established ‘Active Walkway,’ which adds a competitive and fun element to break times.

“Today was indeed a proud day for the De la Salle community,” said Ms Woodcock.

“They celebrated their wonderful achievements with Mayor Joe Malone, David Fitzgerald outgoing Mayor, Billy Ryan and Cian Kenny from the Kilkenny senior hurling team, who are working in the school at the moment, along with the Bob O’ Keeffe Cup which was won Sunday, June 11.

Speaking to Principal Doireann Hester, she said that ‘the final word must go to the boys themselves and the hardworking staff who brought these flags to fruition for the school’.
A great team effort for sure.