Limerick students make a splash and scoop top prize in climate contest

STUDENTS from a Limerick school have scooped the top prize in the first-ever year of a new competition.

Coláiste na Trócaire Community College, Rathkeale, has won the top prize for its water conservation project in the inaugural Make A Switch competition.

An initiative by Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board (ETB), it aims to promote student-led climate action across the region.

Coláiste na Trócaire’s winning team, Patrick Cagney, Aoife English and Ronan Currams received a €1,000 outdoor education and training centre voucher and €1,000 for sustainability efforts at their school.

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They also took home a unique handcrafted trophy made from recycled materials by artists Simon Donnelly and PJ Hehir, who are instructors at the ETB’s College of Further Education and Training Shannon and Kilrush campuses.

Open to all year groups in Primary and Post-Primary, the competition focused on practical, creative projects under the themes of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, encouraging students to tackle energy, food, and water waste.

Speaking at the competition final, chief executive Bernadette Cullen said: “It’s incredible to see the confidence and the enthusiasm that the students have shown here today in representing their schools and also in making small steps which can turn into big steps in terms of changing our attitude towards climate change.”

From November 2024 to March 2025, students developed projects with SMART goals, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound, submitting monthly progress updates.

Over 16 schools participated, with entries judged on creativity, impact, and effort and the final exhibition was held on April 30 at Mungret Community College, where students presented their work to judges and their peers.

The judging panel included John Dolan, head of climate at the Department of Education and Youth, Marta Carrasco, scientific officer at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Michael Curran, manager for state sustainability at SOLAS, Ireland’s Further Education and Training Authority.

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Speaking at the first-ever Make A Switch competition final, John Dolan said: “It was fantastic to see the energy of the students here today, the research they’ve done, the data they’ve developed and presented, and how they’ve communicated that information to the wider community.

“It’s been brilliant to be here and be part of it all,” he continued.

Runners-up were Coláiste Íde agus Iosef, Abbeyfeale, for their Closing the Loop entry, and Coláiste Iósaef, Kilmallock, for their Worm Academy project.

Both received €250 vouchers and sustainability funding.

Fedamore Community National School earned the Most Engaging Exhibit award, and Limerick Community Special School won the Thinking Outside The Box Creativity Award.

The exhibition also featured displays from Further Education Education and Training campuses, including that of the NZEB Green Innovation Campus in Roxboro, An t-Ionad Glas Organic Campus in Dromcollogher, and the Burren and Kilfinane Outdoor Education and Training Centres.