The Portlaoise Schools Cluster Project is part of the Portlaoise Low Carbon Town Initiative. While the project was initiated by Laois Co. Co., it is run in the 10 primary and secondary schools of Portlaoise by Green-Schools.
The aim of the project is to reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality and safety on the way to school. This will be achieved by encouraging students, parents and teachers to walk, wheel, cycle, scoot, park & stride, use public transport or carpool instead of using the private car on the school run. Beside the environmental benefits, the added bonus of active travel will be improved physical and mental health for all.
The project is planned to run over 2 years, but the 10 schools involved are already ploughing ahead with the organisation of WOW days. WOW days, also known as Walk On Wednesdays, are a weekly initiative where the whole school community is asked to make the extra effort to travel sustainably to school, with a focus on walking or park & stride (park away from the school and walk the rest of the way). The children and students have embraced WOW days and are now asking grown-ups to do the same, i.e. WOW days on the way to work. They are also asking employers to offer the flexibility needed for their employees to take part in WOW days.
Past Events
March 2025 to June 2025: bike skills workshops
Thanks to Laois Co. Co.’s amazing support, the schools involved in the Portlaoise Schools Cluster Project have the opportunity to avail of a bike library to improve their cycling skills and learn basic road safety rules. The bike skills workshops are run by Green-Schools Travel Officers Chiara Hanrahan and Michèle Castiaux in the People’s Park of Portlaoise. Schools have been contacted and will be able to book workshops to the end of the school year. So far, the uptake has been amazing and the feedback really positive.
1st April 2025: Portlaoise Primary Schools Travel Forum and 8th April 2025: Portlaoise Secondary Schools Travel Forum
The Green-Schools Committees of the primary and secondary schools of Portlaoise met in the Chambers of Laois Co. Co. as part of their work on the Portlaoise Schools Cluster Project on April 1st and 8th. The students showed great confidence and shared their insights on road safety issues, both as walkers and cyclists. They planned for upcoming bike week and for weekly COW days (Cycle On Wednesdays) after the Easter break. Keep an eye out for a special COW day on the 14th May, there might even be a COW cycling around town! Well done to all involved and many thanks to Laois Co. Co. for their ongoing support.
4th-14th February 2025: Big Travel Challenge
The Big Travel Challenge, a Green-Schools competition where schools promote sustainable transport for two full weeks, saw a great participation from the schools of the Portlaoise Schools Cluster Project. The imagination and creativity of the students was second to none, with the organisation of WOW days, Park & Stride days, colouring competitions, letter writing competitions, bus karaoke and so on. They were so good, that Scoil Chriost Ri, a Portlaoise secondary school, won the sought-after Sustainable School of the Year Award. Well done to all for taking part!
23rd January 2025: PCP Online Cluster Clinic
11th December 2024 – Santa Stroll
27th November 2024 – Secondary Schools Travel Forum
7th November 2024 – Primary Schools Travel Forum
Success for the first Travel Forum of the Portlaoise Schools Cluster Project! With the fantastic support of Laois Co. Co. Travel Officers Chiara Hanrahan and Michèle Castiaux gathered representatives of the Green-Schools Committees of 6 primary schools in Laois Chambers. The children were in awe at the opportunity to sit in the County Councillors seats, but very quickly showed great knowledge and confidence at expressing themselves. They discussed the outcomes of their participation in Walk to School Week 2024, then focused on planning for two upcoming events: Clean Air Week from the 25th to the 29th November and a town wide Santa Stroll / WOW day planned on the 11th December 2024.
Check it out here: Portlaoise schools’ travel project is a first of its kind for Ireland – News – Laois Nationalist
26th September 2024 – Green-Schools coordinators seminars
The Green-Schools coordinators from the Portlaoise schools taking part in the project were invited to a seminar at Laois Education Centre on the 26th September 2024. This was the first opportunity for the teachers to meet each other and Travel Officers Chiara Hanrahan and Michèle Castiaux, who will be supporting them throughout the year. They were informed of the goals of the project and the planned timeline to achieve this goal.