Mayo school wins Explorers Ocean Champion National School Award 2024

Dooagh National School, Achill, has been announced as the winner of the Explorers Ocean Champion School National Award 2023/24 for their Healthy Ocean project entitled The Basking Sharks.

The project highlighted how important basking sharks are to Achill and Ireland historically. The primary school students worked together to create giant basking shark sculptures on the seashore and art sculptures from marine litter.

Over the past year, the students have been involved in beach cleans, visited the Marine Institute’s Newport research facility, worked with artists, learnt about the work of shark experts and scientists from the Irish Basking Shark Group, produced e-books, and campaigned to erect a sign at Keem Bay to advise boaters and swimmers about respecting this species.

Presenting the award at the school, Dr. Rick Officer, CEO of the Marine Institute, said: “Congratulations to the children, teachers and all involved in this project for the incredible work they did raising awareness about the return of the basking sharks to Achill. Learning about the history of basking sharks and engaging the community in understanding the importance of protecting these magnificent species today is a great achievement.”

Irish waters are home to basking sharks, the second largest shark species in the world. With an estimated 10,000 breeding basking sharks left worldwide, the species has been classified as ‘Endangered’ and at risk of extinction.

In the 1950s, basking sharks were plentiful in Irish waters. By the 1980s, the numbers had dwindled. The basking shark fishery was closed in Ireland and worldwide in 2006, and in 2022, under Ireland's Wildlife Act, basking sharks were given further protection in Irish waters. There are now increased sightings of basking sharks around Achill and other parts of the Irish coast during spring and summer.

Dooagh NS principal Irene Gielty commented: “This was a magnificent project and we are so delighted to have been given the opportunity to work with the Explorers Education Programme and other members of the community. This award recognises the school's effort for being ocean champions, where we have not only learned but also made a positive impact.

“The children took the lead in this project, and I am very proud of them for wanting to make a difference. I will never forget the sense of collaboration and teamwork they achieved.

“As a small school, we set out to make an impact and we are delighted it has had a ripple effect on the children’s parents, families and friends, and many other members in the community.”

As part of the project, the students also explored what it was like living on Achill Island in the 1950s by interviewing Brian McNeil, one of the last living connections to the basking shark fishing industry during that era. The children's interview with McNeil provided incredible insight into fishing for sharks, and a better understanding of the fishing industry at the time.

Dr. Officer added: “Meeting local fishers, marine scientists, shark experts and working with artists and the Explorers outreach officer shows the children’s engagement and commitment to making a difference in their community. This project has helped to raise awareness about the importance of protecting basking sharks in Irish waters, particularly in Achill.”

The Healthy Ocean School project and Ocean Champion Awards are organised by the Explorers Education Programme. The Ocean Champion Awards is the only ocean-themed award for primary schools in Ireland. It recognises the effort, commitment and collaboration of teachers, children, the wider community and the Explorers outreach officers, who have engaged in the all-school, marine-themed project.

Twenty-eight coastal schools participated in this year's competition, creating healthy ocean school projects based on themes that included Marine STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics), Ocean Literacy, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Ocean, and Marine Outdoor Education.

There were eight winning schools from around the coast of Ireland. Each school used marine themes in the curriculum and involved the whole school in the learning experience. The stand-out entries also engaged with their wider community to make a positive difference by raising awareness about the impact the ocean has on our lives and the impact we have on the ocean, and creating actions for change.

The Explorers Education Programme is funded by the Marine Institute and is managed and delivered by the Explorers Team of Camden Education, Galway Atlantaquaria, SeashoreKids, Oceanics Surf School, Old Cork Waterworks Experience, Sea Synergy, and Leave No Trace – Ireland. For further information, see www.explorers.ie.