Chalk Talk: Kells student takes top prize at Green-Schools Marine Spatial Planning Competition

Students from 12 schools were honoured at an award ceremony celebrating the winners of this year’s Green-Schools Marine Spatial Planning Poster and Photography Competitions, with Freya Coveney, a student of Eureka Secondary School, Kells, named as the overall winner of the Secondary School category.

The prize consisted of the students’ posters being professionally framed, Certificate of Achievement, €100 One4All voucher, publication of the poster on the Green-Schools website, and an overnight stay at awards ceremony venue the night before the ceremony The Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire.

Because Freya was also announced as An Taisce Secondary School National Winner in her category, she was awarded €200, a trophy and €500 will be awarded to the school to be used towards future Green Schools related activities.

Twelve students were awarded for depicting their vision for the future of Ireland’s ocean and coast through posters in the “Every Sea Tells a Story” Poster competition, while three students were awarded in the “My Sea, My Story” photography competition.

In partnership with the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, Green-Schools invited students to design posters illustrating how they envision Ireland’s seas being used in the future. The competition aligns with the National Marine Planning Framework, which seeks to balance the various demands on Ireland’s marine territory while protecting and conserving the marine environment.

Marine planning focuses on deciding when and where human activities take place at sea, ensuring they are carried out in the most efficient and sustainable way possible. The competition was open to schools participating in the Green-Schools Marine Environment theme, which encourages students to learn about the importance of the ocean, take action to reduce marine litter, and raise awareness within their local communities about how to protect the marine environment.

This year’s poster competition was awash with colour and imagination, capturing the many ways we connect with the marine environment. Students brought Ireland’s seas to life through depictions of majestic marine megafauna, winding rivers flowing to the ocean, fishing boats at work, offshore wind farms on the horizon, and communities coming together for litter clean-ups.

Woven through the artwork were powerful messages calling for less pollution and a deeper respect for our oceans, as well as reflections on the sea’s positive impact on wellbeing, beautifully expressed in the words, “The voice of the sea speaks to the soul”.

From the twelve regional poster competition winners, three national winners were selected: Emily Foley from 1st class at Donabate Portrane Educate Together National School, was selected as the national winner for the Junior Primary Category; Liliana Austin from 6th class, Killeen National School, Louisburgh, Co Mayo, won the Senior Primary category, and the overall winner of the Secondary School category was Freya Coveney, a student at Eureka Secondary School, Kells.

The photography competition returned for its second year, once again capturing powerful and personal connections with the marine environment. The national winning entry was titled “Calmness and Escape” and captured by Lottie Billington, a student from Sacred Heart School, Westport, Co Mayo. Inspired by her love of the sea and the beach, Lottie’s image reflects the sense of peace she finds during family walks by the shore, a place where she can unwind and momentarily escape the pressures of school life.

There were two runners up awarded in this competition too. Andrew Clancy from 6th year in Blackrock College was awarded for his photograph “Inis Arcáin” which depicts a visit to Sherkin Island, off the coast of Co Cork. Taken on the first day of exploration, the image shows Andrew’s friends joyfully dipping their feet into the sea, marking a literal and symbolic moment of arrival and connection with the ocean.

Alison Monaghan, a second-year student at Eureka Secondary School, Kells, also received an award for her photograph My Father and Dog at the Beach. Alison viewed her image as a striking representation of how increasingly severe storms are washing unexpected items ashore, a visible reminder of the growing impacts of global warming and climate change.

Together, the entries highlight not only the remarkable talent of the young photographers, but also their deep connections to friends, family, and the marine environment.

Minister of State with responsibility for Fisheries and the Marine, Timmy Dooley TD, congratulated the winners of the Green Schools Marine Spatial Planning Competition today. Minister Dooley said:

“I would like to congratulate all who took part in this competition. It is heartening to see that the ideas that the Green-Schools programme conveys were embraced so imaginatively by students around our island.”

“This understanding came across vividly in all entries received in both the poster and photography competition, showcasing exciting new young talent and capturing everything from plastics and pollution, from renewable energy to marine life and habitats. I am happy to know that our deep and historic connection to our surrounding seas is not lost on our school children, and in fact we may even learn and understand more from them."

"I can see just in the competition alone, that the challenges our maritime area faces are well understood. I have no doubt that we have some future maritime pioneers among these entrants and I encourage all of us to participate in finding solutions in protecting our seas going forward.”

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Green-Schools National Manager, Joanne Scott, said: “I am truly inspired by the winning entries. The students captured the theme with remarkable creativity, colour, and passion, producing artwork that beautifully reflects innovative ways to protect and value our seas. A huge thank you to everyone who took part. It has been a pleasure to celebrate your talent in person at today’s event.”