In PICTURES: Laois Gaelic football champs raise the Green at Portlaoise school

The Laois Ladies Gaelic Football team raised a lot of green flags on their way to All-Ireland Championship victor in 2023 so they were the perfect people to help raise a Green Flag in Gaelscoil Phortlaosie.

Members of the team help teachers and pupils raise the Braith Glas on Thursday, June 22 in recognition of school's work for the environment. To see more pictures taken at the event by photographer Denis Byrne for the Leinster Express / Laois Live TAP NEXT OR ARROW. Read more about the day below this picture.

Ardaíodh an 9ú Brat Glas i nGaelscoil PhortLaoise ar an Déardaoin 22ú Meitheamh sa scoil le comóradh iontach speisialta.

 'Sé an téama a bhí ag an mBrat seo ná 'Saoránacht Dhomhanda - An Mhuirthimpeallacht'.  D'ardaigh peileadóirí Laoise na mBan Eimear Barry agus Clodagh Dunne an brat. 

Bhí na páistí thar a bheith tógtha leis na cailíní ar an lá ag  fáil síniú ar a gcuid geansaithe agus ar a gcuid leabhair.  Bhí na páistí gléasta suas ina gcuid dathanna gorm agus bán.  Sheinn Tadhg Ó Floinn na píobaí uileann nuair a ardaíodh an brat.  Bhí dioscó ag na páistí ar an gclós i ndiaidh an ardú. Bhain pobal na scoile an-taitneamh as an siamsaíocht ar an lá.  Chríochnaigh an lá suas leis an veain uachtair reoite a chuir meangadh gáire ar aghaidh gach éinne a bhí i láthair. 

Le dhá bhliain anuas, rinne na páistí grinnstaidéar ar an muirthimpeallacht.   Bhí ceardlann againn faoina héisc, linn clocha, gnáthóga faoin uisce agus tháinig Uiscelann na Gaillimhe chugainn chun ceardlann agus nithe beaga a thaispeáint dúinn. 

Dúirt an Comhordaitheoir Rita Ní Aoláin 'An rud is tábhachtaí a d'fhoghlaimíomar ná gur féidir le himpleachtaí drámatúla a bheith ann dona héisc agus na hainmhithe faoin uisce má chaithear bruscair nó plaisteach amach faoin aeir fiú anseo i lár na tíre'.  Bhí an Príomhoide Dominic Ó Braonáin an-sásta leis na gníomhachtaí ar an lá agus mhol sé na páistí go hard sa spéir don obair ar fad atá déanta acu le dhá bhliain anuas.  

Gaelscoil PhortLaoise raised their 9th Green Flag on Thursday 22nd June in the school with special celebrations.  The theme of this flag was Global Citizenship - The Marine Environment. 

The All-Ireland winning Laois Ladies Football players Eimear Barry and Clodagh Dunne raised the flag to rapturous applause.  The páistí were so excited to meet the two girls. 

The girls were inundated for autographs.  The páistí were dressed in blue and white and the odd flag was seen flying in honour of the girl's achievements on the pitch.  A 6th class pupil Tadhg Ó Floinn played a lively jig as the flag was raised.  Múinteoirí, Cuntóirí agus Páistí thoroughly enjoyed the days activities.  They had a disco on the yard and there were big smiles all round when the Ice-cream van appeared.

For the last two years the children have studied the Marine Environment.  We engaged in marine workshops about fish, rockpools and habitats under the sea.  Green School's Coordinator Múinteoir Rita Ní Aoláin said 'One of the most important things we learned was that our actions even here in the midlands can have a dramatic effect on the what lives beneath the ocean'. 

Principal Dominic Ó Braonáin was really happy with events on the day and praised the children for their hard work over the last two years.