Brackloon NS Students Present Inspiring Vision for the Future to MCC Climate and Biodiversity Subcommittee
Date: 07-07-2022
Students Fintan Burrows and James McKeown from 6th class in Brackloon National School presented to the Mayo County Council Climate and Biodiversity Subcommittee on Monday 20th June at Brackloon/Drummin Community Centre.
Using the platform ‘Minecraft’ the students creatively presented their Vision for a Sustainable Future for their community. Their vision was used to enter the Ireland’s Future is MINE competition run by Microsoft and RTÉ Jnr., which allows pupils to think creatively, collaborate, problem solve and re-imagine their communities in the future. The virtual community featured existing landmarks, including a virtual Croagh Patrick, with various forms of existing and emerging renewable energy, improved and increased active travel routes, nature-based solutions and many more methods that could be used to reduce carbon emissions and fight climate change. The vision was an example of what our world could be if we take action.
The students followed this presentation with a stark warning to the subcommittee about their experiences on the dangerous roads surrounding their schools, which are preventing many willing students from cycling to school. The students presented the subcommittee with images of these dangerous roads, highlighting the need for cars to slow down and cycle infrastructure to be installed. The students spoke of their passion for cycling and demanded that something must be done.
Students were commended firstly for their inspiring vision and secondly for speaking so passionately about their demands for safer cycling to school. Cllr Blackie Gavin, Chair of the subcommittee, proposed that the student’s presentation is brought to the attention of the Westport Municipal District, saying the student's presentation had “laid the foundation” for this plan on behalf of their school and community.
You can check out Brackloon National School’s Vision for their Communities’ Future here.
During their visit to Brackloon/Drummin Community Centre, the subcommittee members got to take a look at the new world-leading energy efficiency and sustainability technology that has been installed in the centre. It was installed as part of the IDEAS project, which is an EU Commission funded research project led by Trinity College Dublin in association with Mayo County Council.
For more information on IDEAS project visit https://www.horizon2020ideas.eu/.
The MegaAWE - Maturing utility-scale Airborne Wind Energy towards commercialization | Interreg NWE (nweurope.eu) project was also presented to the members by Pat McHale of Mayo Co. Co. Enterprise and Investment Unit as well as receiving information on work ongoing by Sustainable Energy Communities | SEAI in Mayo and funding streams that are available from SEAI by Mayo SEC mentor Dr. Orla Nic Suibhne.