This April, the Green-Schools Water team, in partnership with Uisce Éireann brought together hundreds of students and teachers to connect them with their local water and help them better understand how they can protect it. Read more about all our Walks for Water events below.
Galway
In Galway, 80 primary school pupils from Scoil an Linbh Íosa and Scoil Iognáid walked along a 3km route from the historic Claddagh to the Salthill promenade. The students learnt about the rich history and heritage of the Claddagh on the walk. This included how women used to walk several kilometres to get freshwater from a well near the Cathedral and brought the full earthenware jars back on their heads. The children learned how water is treated and delivered to homes, schools and businesses today – and how valuable this is. The event was topped up with an art activity on the beach where they collected shells and seaweed to create some art pieces. The walk was all about connecting the past with the present, and people with nature while appreciating and caring for our most precious resource: water!
Cork
The second Walk for Water was held in Cork to mark Earth Day, where 55 students from Nano Nagle College, St Aloysius Secondary School and Coláiste an Phiarsaigh walked along the Curraheen river to explore and appreciate the natural environment and local heritage. Once again, they heard from the experts how water is taken from the river Lee and treated before being piped to homes, schools, hospitals and more. The walk encouraged students to reflect on how nature makes them feel. The group took a few quiet minutes on the way to sound map the trail- tuning into birds, rustling leaves, flowing water and human sounds around them. The walk offered a meaningful way to celebrate Earth Day!
Wicklow
The final Walk for Water brought together over 100 students and teachers from Hartstown Community School, Castleknock Community College and Coláiste Ráithín who enjoyed views of the Blessington reservoir and a variety of landscapes, including woodlands, wetlands and fields along a 5 km walk. The group were joined by Uisce Éireann’s staff from the nearby Ballymore Eustace Water Treatment Plant, Ireland’s largest water treatment facility who spoke to the students about the day-to-day operations at the plant, the importance of water conservation to protect drinking water supplies and how everyday actions can collectively make a meaningful difference. Midway, the students engaged in a nature art-based activities using natural and man-made materials found on site.
Organise your own Walk for Water!
We have loved how so many schools have already embraced Walks for Water in creative ways, showing that these walks can be adapted to any setting, encouraging awareness, empathy and a deeper connection to the environment. Read about some of these schools below:
Pupils and staff from Enable Ireland Sandymount School headed out on a special walk to the beach in Sandymount, supported by Transition Year students from Sandymount Park Educate Together Secondary School, Gardaí and the An Taisce Green-Schools team. Many of the pupils have complex needs and several use wheelchairs, so the support of the TY students was invaluable. Each student was paired with a pupil, helping with mobility, chatting along the way or simply sharing the experience side by side. The walk is a wonderful example of inclusion in action and a lovely reminder of what can happen when schools and local partners come together for the good of the community.
Want to organise your own Walk for Water event?
Check out our resource below and start planning!