Kiltiernan NS, grant funded by Galway 2020 STBI and in partnership with visual artist Veronika Straberger are working on a project called ‘Bee Loud Glade’.
This project aims to develop an appreciation of the amazing life of bees. It was declared the most invaluable species on the planet by Earthwatch in 2008. Our school hopes to build awareness within our school community, and beyond, of the importance of conserving this amazing creature.
This is being done by inviting a series of expert speakers to tell our pupils about the life cycle and work of the bee, about how over 250,000 species of flowering plants depend on bees for pollination, its steady decline, and the ways in which we could help to preserve and expand biodiverse habitats.
Inspired by these talks, the children make art, write poetry and stories and research the science stimulated by the speakers’ input. So far we have had local beekeeper, PJ Murphy, Ardrahan Honey, Éanna Ní Lamhna (RTÉ, environmentalist), Áine Ní Fhlatharta (Seedsavers), Saoirse McHugh (former MEP candidate and Green Party candidate, Achill Island) and with Burren Beo, Burren Perfumery and many others to visit. Our project engages and informs our local community through updates on our website and local media.
We plan to advocate a change of policy in maintenance of roadside verges, motorways and roundabouts by our local council to conserve and expand biodiverse planting which supports pollinators, the ‘bee loud’ part of our work! We will curate our art work and writing and display it in hexagonal boxes in local cafés and visitor centres to engage the public further.
Our project culminates on May 8th 2020 with its ‘public moment’ where we plan an exhibition to showcase our work.
See out blog spot page here
