Two Limerick schools awarded as regional Water Schools of the Year

An Taisce Green Schools Awards – Scoil Ailbhe/ Caherelly NS pictured above

Scoil Ailbhe/ Caherelly NS and Glenroe Community National School awarded at 2026 An Taisce Green Schools Awards

Scoil Ailbhe/ Caherelly NS  and Glenroe Community National School were named as regional Water Schools of the Year at the An Taisce Green Schools awards, which were held in Dublin. The schools emerged as regional winners in the primary school-level category on the back of their inspirational efforts in water conservation and environmental action.

Scoil Ailbhe’s vibrant, pupil-led programme places students at the heart of water conservation. A large, rotating committee works in action groups, featuring a unique buddy system with older pupils mentoring younger ones.

This team led an impressive reduction in water use 6.4L to 5.06L per person, made possible by “Leak Detectives,” meter monitoring, and low-flush initiative where students placed sand bottles in cisterns to reduce water usage per flush.

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The students also presented at the awards ceremony, receiving the ‘best show and tell’ prize on the day.

Glenroe Community National School embedded water conservation across school life through classroom learning, student leadership, and community engagement. A student-led committee conducted a detailed water audit, introduced tap monitors, and regularly reviews progress. Themed events like a “Walk for Water,” poster competitions, and the “5 Minute Shower Showdown,” reinforce awareness and make conservation a collective habit. Strong student leadership includes roles such as the Leak Squad and peer educators.

Cathy Baxter, An Taisce Director of Education, said: “The Green-Schools Water Awards are one of the highlights of our year. They celebrate the creativity, commitment and teamwork of students and teachers working together to protect one of our most precious resources: water. These young people are leading by example and showing that real environmental change begins in our schools and communities. We’re so proud of their efforts and inspired by their impact.” 

Uisce Éireann’s Head of Customer Operations, Geoffrey Bourke, who was on-hand at the award ceremonies said: “The vital work being done by Green-Schools in schools across Ireland is clearly bearing fruit in terms of how our young people think about water and the need to conserve and respect it. We in Uisce Éireann are proud of our long-standing sponsorship of the programme.”
 
Throughout the current academic year, An Taisce has been engaging with 450 schools on the Water Flag, working with over 100,000 students and 10,000 teachers across the country. 

The Green-Schools water theme is a grassroots sponsorship that aims to foster awareness and understanding of a range of activities, tailored to students at both primary level and secondary level. In addition to developing awareness around water conservation, the sponsorship incorporates wider engagement around stewardship of our water resources.