A DEEPENING of the understanding of port activity on the Shannon Estuary and its contribution to the economy was played out this week in Foynes as three Limerick schools competed in the inaugural Shannon Foynes Port Company (SFPC) Transition Year Schools Competition.
Entitled ‘The Importance of Ports in the Mid West’, the competition was held to spread greater awareness amongst students in the estuary counties of Clare, Kerry and Limerick of the pivotal role that the estuary and ports play and their function in the economy.
Scoil Mhuire agus Íde, Newcastle West, CBS Sexton Street, Limerick City and Salesian College, Pallaskenry were among the five schools shortlisted for the final, which took place on Monday, February 9 at the Flying Boat Museum in Foynes.
The five finalists delivered ten-minute presentations about the port before a 300-strong audience.
The winners were presented with their medals plus a €2,000 cheque for their school and an iPad for each team member, all sponsored by SFPC, by Minister of Education Jan O’Sullivan.
“I think everyone in the room today, outside of those from the Port Company itself of course, learned a lot more about the port and estuary than they probably knew before. The competition shed a light on the incredibly dynamic role that the port company and this amazing estuary plays in everyone’s life in this region and further afield,” commented the Minister.
SFPC CEO Pat Keating said: “It has become obvious to us that the greater public and many of our stakeholders, such as national and regional policy makers, do not understand the full potential of the Port. So we decided that it was necessary to change this. We have an excellent story to tell and we need to tell it.”
