Students in the King’s Hospital rewarded with fifth green flag
By Brendan Grehan
The King’s Hospital school in Palmerstown was recently awarded its fifth Green Flag under the Schools Green Flag programme.
The Mayor of South Dublin County Council, Paul Gogarty, attended a ceremony at the school this week where the flag was raised.
Speaking at the event Mayor Gogarty said: “This school is one of Ireland’s oldest and perhaps nothing marks the transient nature of our time than to think of all the students who have passed through their school grounds over centuries.
“Putting that in the context of our environment we realise that we are guardians who have a duty of care.
“That is certainly happening here through the Green Flag programme and it is happening across Dublin and across Ireland.”
The flag was awarded to the King’s Hospital school for its work under the theme of Bio-diversity.
Science Teacher and Head of the Environmental Committee, Ciaran O’Connor told The Echo: “The King’s Hospital Environmental Committee was delighted to welcome Mayor of SDCC Paul Gogarty and representatives from An Taisce, SDCC environmental section, KHPPU and the parents association to our celebration.
“The students were glad to be able to show off their Buggingham Palace to guests beforehand. It was a wonderful ceremony attended by all the whole school with speeches highlighting how every individual action adds up to a combined community effort at environmental stewardship.
“The ceremony was a reward for all the hard work and effort of the committee over the last two years. It was indeed apt that the sun shone as we raised our Biodiversity flag.”
The programme is coordinated in Ireland by An Taisce, operated in partnership with Local Authorities and is supported by the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government; Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment; Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs; Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Irish Aid, National Transport Authority, NPWS, Irish Water, and the Wrigley Company Limited.
