25 January 2023
By Mary Bermingham
mary@TheCork.ie
Uisce Éireann is home to some of the country’s best engineers, so it was fitting that Grace O’Shea, an Environmental Engineer with Uisce Éireann, was on hand to share her expertise with students from Scoil Eoin, Innishannon as part of the school’s Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths (STEM) fortnight.
Grace, a native of Ovens living in West Cork, recently attended Scoil Eoin to meet with students and talk about the vital works that Uisce Éireann is currently undertaking across the rebel county as well as the importance of water conservation.
PGrace O’Shea from Uisce Éireann, with 1st class students from Scoil Eoin, Innishannon as part of Scoil Eoin’s STEM fortnight.
Following the presentation, Grace explained: “As professionals working in the vibrant STEM sector, we are delighted to have the opportunity to share our stories and knowledge with young people in our local communities. Ireland’s future will increasingly depend on scientists, engineers and innovators. It was wonderful to see their young minds in action and heartening that they already have a strong awareness of the physical environment around them. Having spent time with these children, I’m convinced the future is in good hands.
“To learn more about our water and wastewater networks, we carried out a few experiments. It was fantastic to see that many of the students were already aware of the ‘Think Before You Flush’ campaign and the three P’s message; that only pee, poo and paper should be flushed down the toilet.”
Scoil Eoin National School teacher, Aoife Finn commented on the impact of the STEM programme for students: “As a Green School, having a experienced engineer deliver STEM activities really supports our science curriculum and brings it to life for our students. The pupils all found taking part in the experiments and sharing their knowledge on water very enjoyable and had lots of tips to go home and share with their families about to further spread the message.”
Uisce Éireann is responsible for the delivery of all public water and wastewater services in Ireland. We are committed to continuously upgrading and developing critical infrastructure to support the growth needed in housing and across our economy, while protecting the environment and safeguarding water supplies.
