National and County winners announced in Moo Crew Primary School Competition

Over 5,000 children from 900 primary schools participated in the 2015 Moo Crew – Primary Dairy Moovement organised by the National Dairy Council.  

Moo Crew is a fun and interactive way for children to learn the benefits of a healthy, balanced diet and the importance of exercise – to ‘get moo-ving’.  The programme is designed to be linked to the primary curriculum and includes lesson plans with interactive website resources for teachers.  It is supported by the NDC in light of research that showed 37% of girls and 28% of boys aged from 5 – 12 years in Ireland had inadequate calcium intakes in their diet. (Ref 1). 

264 schools progressed to enter the national Moo Crew poster competition.  The NDC have announced that all 26 counties feature primary school classes Highly Commended in both the Junior Category (1^st – 2^nd class) and Senior Category (3^rd – 6^th class) of the national competition, each winning an €80 sports equipment voucher for their school and a framed Moo Crew certificate.

The overall national winners of Moo Crew for 2015 are:

• Senior category national winners:  Tynagh National School, Tynagh, Loughrea, Co. Galway, combined 3^rd and 4^th class team (teacher Valerie Francis)  
• Junior Category national winners: St. Paul’s National School, Irishtown, Mountmellick, Co. Laois, 1^st class (teacher Serena Senior)

The two top classes have each won a sports equipment pack valued at €1,000 for their school and an amazing VIP farm experience at Causey Farm for their class. They will travel to Causey Farm on 10^th June to milk cows, make their own bread and butter, meet farm animals and enjoy a day packed with adventure. Derval O’Rourke, who is ambassador for Cheese up your life! and is also supporting Moo Crew, will join the two classes in Causey Farm to share her training and healthy lifestyle tips with the pupils.        

Cheese Up Your Life! is a programme financed with aid from the European Union to showcase the quality and versatility of cheese and how easily it can be incorporated into our lives.

The well-known sprint hurdler who is a World Indoor Champion, multiple European medallist and three time Olympian says that there was an astounding level of interest and participation from primary school classes all over the country for Moo Crew this year.

“I’ve always appreciated the importance of having a healthy lifestyle, eating a balanced diet and keeping fit,” says Derval.  “Moo Crew helps children to learn this in a fun way, supported by Milly the cow who has her own exercises, her own blog and tips including recipes.”

“The feedback from teachers has been very positive, saying that children have enjoyed using the lesson plans and website but also expanding on the ideas at school, ranging from dress up dairy days to cheese tasting days,” says Derval.  

“This project is fun, but it nurtures creativity, team building, literacy and numeracy skills and also has important learnings to help kids to think about portion sizes and a balanced diet so that they can make smart choices about what they eat and drink.”       

COUNTY WINNERS – SENIOR CATEGORY (3^rd-6^th Class)

• St Brigid’s National School (5^th Class), Grange, Tullow, Co. Carlow (teacher Ms McCloskey)
• St. Felim’s National School (3^rd Class), Leitir, Bailieborough, Co. Cavan (teacher Roisin McDonnell)
• Cooraclare National School (6^th Class), Cooraclare, Kilrush, Co. Clare (teacher Eadaoin Lorigan)
•  Barryroe National School (3^rd Class), Lislevane, Bandon, Co. Cork (teacher Paddy O’Hanlon)
•  Drumfad National School (3^rd-6^th Class), Kerrykeel, Co. Donegal (teacher Rachel Morrow-Bool)
•  St. Joseph’s Special School (6^th Class), Balrothery, Tallaght, Dublin 24 (teacher Caroline O’Shea)
•  Tynagh National School (3^rd-4^th Class), Loughrea, Co. Galway (teacher Valerie Francis), who became the overall winners in this category
•  Spa National School (6^th Class), The Spa, Tralee, Co. Kerry (teacher Mrs Crowe)
• Kildare Town Community School/Acorn Centre (1^st-3^rd ), Dunmurray Rd., Kildare, Co. Kildare (teacher Ms. Brady)
• St. Brendan’s Mixed National School (5^th-6^th Class), Hugginstown, Co. Kilkenny (teacher Tom Duggan)
• Wolfhill National School (3^rd-6^th Class), Wolfhill, via Athy, Co. Laois teacher (Kathleen Boland) 
• Scoil Mhuire Naofa (6^th Class), Carrigallen, Co. Leitrim (teacher Mr Carty)
• S.N. Muire Banrion Na Heireann (4^th Class), Caherdavin, Limerick, Co. Limerick (teacher Emma Frazer)
• Sacred Heart National School (3^rd-4^th Class), Granard, Co. Longford (teacher Carmel Shaughnessy)
• Scoil Naomh Muire (3^rd-4^th Class), Muchgrange, Grianphort Dun Dealgan, Dundalk, Co. Louth (teacher Mr. O’Donoghue)
• Carn National School (5^th & 6^th Class), Moygownagh, Ballina, Co. Mayo (teacher Pat Dowling)
• Ratoath Senior National School (4^th Class), Ferryhouse Rd., Ratoath, Co. Meath (teacher Laura Campion)
• Annyalla National School (4^th – 5^th Class), Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan (teacher Miss Reynolds)
• St. Patrick’s Boys N.S. (5th Class), Patrick’s St., Portarlington, Co. Offaly (teacher Michelle Doran)
• Clooneyquinn National School (3^rd-6^th Class), Castlerea, Co. Roscommon (teacher Erica Feely)
• St. Colman’s National School (3^rd-6^th Class), Derrnabroc, Cloontia, Ballymote, Co. Sligo (teacher Mr. Dillon)
• Scoil Na Maighne (4^th Class), Moyne, Thurles, Co. Tipperary (teacher Mrs. Moran)
• St. Ursula’s Primary School (3^rd Class), Ursuline Convent, Ballytruckle Rd., Waterford, Co. Waterford (teacher Clodagh Quinn)
• St. Oliver’s National School (4^th-6^th Class), Duncannon, New Ross, Co. Wexford (teacher Martin Lyons)
• Ard na gCrath National School (2^nd-4^th Class), Ard na gCrath, Walderstown, Athlone, Co. Westmeath (teacher Siobhán Flynn)
• All Saints National School (3^rd-6^th Class), Main St., Carnew, Co. Wicklow (teacher Aoife Kenny)

COUNTY WINNERS – JUNIOR CATEGORY (1^st – 2^nd Class)

• St. Laserian’s Special School (Junior 5), Old Dublin Rd., Carlow, Co. Carlow (teacher Julie Finan)
• St. Patrick’s National School (2^nd Class), Killinagh, Blacklion, Co. Cavan (teacher Olivia McGrail)
• Clooney National School (1^st Class), Carrahan, Tulla, Co. Clare (teacher Eibhlin Walsh)
• Scoil Abán Naofa (2^nd Class), Baile Mhuirne, Co. Cork (teacher Marguerite Ní Chonchubhair)
• St. Patrick’s National School (2^nd Class), Lurgybrack, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal (teacher Emer Murray)
• Loreto Junior Primary School (1^st Class), Crumlin Rd., Dublin 12 (teacher Aoife Farrell)
• Coldwood National School (1^st & 2^nd Class), Coldwood, Craughwell, Co. Galway (teacher Denise Leonard)
• Scoil Mhuire De Lourdes (1^st & 2^nd Class), Lixnaw, Co. Kerry (teacher Sue Anne Windle)
• Hewetsons National School (1^st & 2^nd Class), Clane, Naas, Co. Kildare (teacher Ms Loney)
• Church Hill National School (1^st Class), Cuffesgrange, Co. Kilkenny (teacher Nicola Garrahy)
• St. Paul’s National School (1^st Class), Irishtown, Mountmellick, Co. Laois (teacher Serena Senior), who became the overall winners in this category
• Aughavas National School (1^st & 2^nd Class), Carrigallen, Co. Leitrim (teachers Breege Egan/ Marian Crinnigan)
• Glenbrohane National School (1^st & 2^nd Class), Garryspillane, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick (teacher Liz Hyland)
• St. Patrick’s National School (1^st & 2^nd Class), Muckerstaff, Coolarty, Co. Longford (teacher Ms. Gately)
• S.N. Aonghusa (2^nd Class), Sunday’s Gate, Drogheda, Co. Louth (teacher Aonghus Ó Ruaraidh)
• Irishtown National School (2^nd Class), Irishtown, Claremorris, Co. Mayo (teacher Clare Morley)
• Ashbourne Educate Together National School (1^st Class), Ashbourne, Co. Meath (teacher A. Murnagh)
• Doohamlet National School (2^nd Class), Doohamlet, Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan (teacher Noeleen McKenna)
• Scoil Bhride (1^st & 2^nd Class), Ballyboy, Kilcormac, Co. Offaly (teacher Matthew Moylan)
• Croghan National School (2^nd Class), Croghan, Boyle, Co. Roscommon (teacher Cathal Fleming)
• Carbury National School (1^st & 2^nd Class), The Mall, Sligo (teacher Sabrina Love)
• Lissenhall National School (2^nd Class), Lissenhall, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary (teacher Nikki MacLoone)
• Faithlegg National School (1^st & 2^nd Class), Faithlegg, Co. Waterford (teacher Sarah Warner)
• Mullingar Educate Together (1^st & 2^nd Class), Rathgowan, Mulllingar, Co. Westmeath (teacher Michael Gleeson)
• S.N. Mhuire (1^st Class), Baile Bearna, Co. Wexford (teacher Tony Cleary)
• Carysfort National School (2^nd Class), Carysfort, Arklow, Co. Wicklow (teacher Ms. Besanson)