Limerick school’s film wins major European award

STUDENTS at a northside school are celebrating after winning a prestigious European award.

Fifth-class pupils at Corpus Christi in Moyross put together a modern-day retelling of the Flight of the Wild Geese.

It charted William of Orange’s attempted invasion of the city, and the efforts of Patrick Sarsfield’s army to push them back, and the events which paved the way for the signing of the Treaty.

Now, the cast of 50 students and their teachers have been told they have won a European council ‘Histolab’ award for their efforts.

A delegation from the school will travel to Strasbourg in France next month to receive the prize which is given to schools which run innovative history projects.

“It is fairly fantastic,” exclaimed teacher Fionnuala Bromell, who wrote the screenplay, which premiered in the TUS Millennium Theatre last summer.

Of 500 entries to the contest, Moyross’s was one of only four picked out - and will fly the flag for Ireland.

“We are trying to explain to the children that you are not just representing Corpus Christi, Moyross or Limerick - we are representing Ireland on the European stage,” explained Ms Bromell.

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She will travel with fellow teacher Diarmuid Hickey.

Sadly, only two students will get to travel to Strasbourg - Zoe Mullane and Amber McMahon, whose names were drawn out of a hat - but there will be medals given to all cast members when they return to Ireland.

Asked what she feels made the film stand out, Ms Bromell said: “I think what the judges really picked out was how the children were able to tell historical facts.

"They were acting out everything which really did happen. It wasn’t fantasy, a story about some fantastical land. It was a story about Limerick and I think the link with their home city was really important.”