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Something Fishy in Co. Wexford Education Centre.
The ‘Something Fishy’ programme for 2010 / 2011, promoted by the Co. Wexford Education Centre, came to a very successful completion, at the Presentation of the National Awards to St. Joseph’s National School, Poulpeasty, Co. Wexford. This celebratory occasion was the culmination of months of learning in school for the pupils, combined with a most educational and experiential fieldtrip to their local river, the Boro, a tributary of the river Slaney. The Co. Wexford Education Centre in Enniscorthy was the venue for this Awards Ceremony on Friday 17th June 2011. Special guests on the day included Brendan O Mahony, Chairman of Inland Fisheries Ireland, Dr. Ciaran Byrne, CEO IFI, Suzanne Campion, Head of Business Development, IFI, David McInerney, Director S.E. River Basin District, IFI, Dr. Séamus Cannon, Director Blackrock Education Centre, Dolores Hamill, Director Kildare Education Centre and Co. Wexford Senior Footballer, Brian Malone. Unfortunately Paula Carolan, Director Co. Wexford Education Centre could not be present, due to earlier work commitments and she was represented by Margaret Jacob N.T. a member of the Co. Wexford Education Centre Management Committee. Also unavoidably absent on the day was Mark Corps, IFI. This was a real pity because Mark is the driving force of Something Fishy throughout the country and is totally committed to its success. Others present were Shane O Reilly, IFI Swords, the local IFI team in Enniscorthy, Stephen Byrne, Myles Roban, Michael Farnan and Morgan Rowsom, Catherine Rochford, BEC, Helen Kirwan, CWEC, Michael Kennedy, National Coordinator Something Fishy and reporters and photographers from the local Newspapers. Topping the bill, as guests, on this very special occasion were the children of 5th and 6th class from St. Joseph’s N.S., Donard, with teachers and parents.
 St. Joseph’s N.S., the winning school this year, is a small rural school in Co. Wexford. Their presentation was a little gem… “Something Fishy – The Musical”. Into their seven minute production the pupils of 5th and 6th class incorporated many of the ideas and recommendations being promoted by the IFI. They indicated a comprehensive understanding and experience of the Something Fishy Programme and they presented their ideas in a most unique way. Their ‘Programme’ for the Musical was a very clever way of elaborating on and developing their interpretation of the themes of the project. It included the Song Lyrics, the Musical Storyline, the Cast, Credits and the Chairperson’s Address. All in all it was a complete presentation, to the point, concise and beautifully executed. It was a project which showed the children’s understanding and appreciation of their environment, especially our rivers and streams and in particular the life cycle of the salmon.
Suzanne Campion, IFI, was MC for the day. She welcomed everyone to the Education Centre and made the children feel very special by her congratulatory words. 
Dr. Séamus Cannon, Director BEC, spoke of the crucial role that teachers play in the instilling of an interest in, and love of nature in children. Teachers can challenge the imagination of a child, he said, and guide them to respond emotionally to their environment and realise how it is effected positively and negatively by our behaviour. Séamus concurred with all that Ciaran Byrne had said and paid his own tribute to all concerned with the promotion of Something Fishy.
 After the showing of the DVD, “Something Fishy – The Musical”, the highlight of the morning, David McInerney, IFI , whose South Eastern River Basin District serves the school’s catchment area, made a short congratulatory speech and then introduced Brian Malone, Wexford Senior Footballer, to present the awards. Brian made a short speech to begin with and addressed the children mainly, in his talk. He stressed the importance of having a vision and following it through. He congratulated the children on their project and marvelled at their achievements. Brian then made a presentation of the “Something Fishy Perpetual Trophy” – a bog oak carving of a salmon – to Mr. Kevin Kennedy, Principal of St. Joseph’s N.S. and teacher of 5th and 6th class. This trophy is a very special Bog Oak Trophy, sculptured by Michael Casey. Michael is one of Ireland’s top artists in wood, especially bog oak, yew and pine. His work can be found all over the world, in the homes of the rich and famous, in churches, financial institutions and public buildings. Kevin gratefully accepted the award on behalf of the children and received, also, a special trophy of a leaping salmon for the school to keep. As well as a cheque for their school the children will be given fly casting lessons and fly fishing on Lough Mahon courtesy of IFI and Tom Stafford, owner of the fishing lakes.
The idea of inviting Brian Malone, one of Wexford’s Star Senior Footballers, to present the awards to the children was brilliant and very appropriate. Morgan Rowsome IFI used his influence in this regard and succeeded in getting Brian for the day. Brian made his debut with Wexford footballers against Monaghan in the All – Ireland qualifiers in 2006. He also represented Wexford in senior hurling. He won a Leinster and all-Ireland Intermediate hurling medal in 2007. 
Suzanne then invited Mr. Brendan O Mahony, Chairman IFI, to do a special job; to present Dr. Séamus Cannon with a sculpture, on the occasion of his upcoming retirement. Séamus has been with ‘Something Fishy’ since its inception. In fact it was under his watch, as Director of BEC, that the whole programme was envisaged, devised, planned and created. In 2003 sponsored and funded by the, then, Central Fisheries Board, Séamus and his team of four writers, inspired and led by Marian Rollins, came together to write the content of the programme. Together with IADT, and supported by Monaghan EC they developed the web site www.somethingfishy.ie and in 2004 Something Fishy was launched at Blackrock Education Centre by Minister Mary Hanafin. Séamus has delivered, since then, the Something Fishy Programme with an enthusiasm and emphasis that one would give, only, to the most important projects. He recognises the great benefits that can be achieved for both education and fisheries, from the programme. He is aware of the national aspect of Something Fishy and seeks to have it promoted accordingly. But he is also keenly knowledgeable of the local significance of the endeavour and the opportunities it provides of linking schools and Fisheries together in the class room and on the river bank. He has been instrumental in the great uptake of the programme in so many Education Centres nationwide and in all the centres I visited Séamus is very highly thought of and respected. Sally Bonner, Director Donegal EC summed it up best when she said; “Séamus will be sorely missed”.
 It is great credit to the Wexford Education Centre, under the guidance of Paula Carolan, Director, that this prestigious honour of winning the overall National Award was achieved. It is testament to Paula’s commitment and dedication to education and teachers that one of the schools under her educational umbrella was chosen first out of a total of one hundred and sixty three competing schools, nationwide. Paula and Helen Kirwan have given one hundred percent in their promotion of Something Fishy through the Co. Wexford Education Centre. They have supported it at all levels and have always been available to help sort out any difficulties that might have arisen.
Sixteen schools signed up to the Something Fishy programme in September 2010 with multiple classes taking part in St. Joseph’s School, New Ross and Scoil Réalt na Mara, Kilmore.
The schools on the River Slaney catchment were: 1. Ballyconnell N.S. Tullow
The schools on the River Barrow catchment were: 1. Carrig-on-Bannow N.S.
All schools involved completed the lessons in the class room except for Boolavogue N.S. Theresa Curtin Byrne, Principal Teacher left the school early in the school year, to take up a new appointment, and it was decided by the school not to continue with the project at that point.
In the springtime and early summer all the pupils taking part in the programme were facilitated with a fieldtrip to the river side and were looked after by the Inland Fisheries Ireland staff, who gave them an experience of life in the river and on the river.
 These IFI officers explained the values of life on the river and its environments. They encouraged safety and awareness and explained the importance of good water quality and ways of judging it and improving it. They demonstrated the importance of conservation and promoted the anti pollution and anti litter message. They took ‘kick samples’ with the children and explained the findings. They showed samples of fish life in the river by ‘electric fishing’. This activity was very exciting for the pupils as they saw young salmon, trout, eels and other species up close and they were allowed to touch and feel the caught fish. It was universally agreed by all that the day on the river was the highlight of Something Fishy. The children returned to their classrooms re-energised and eager to complete their involvement in the programme.
In Newtown N.S. Borris, the Fisheries officers brought the ‘river’ into the classroom. Unsuitable ground conditions, due to bad weather, did not allow for easy or safe access to the Barrow river near the school. IFI staff came, fully equipped with fish, tanks, kick samples from the local river and other teaching / learning aids including a powerpoint presentation on the ecology and threats to the local fisheries environment. The students were given the opportunity of physically studying various forms of aquatic life from their local river, including insects, fish eggs and juvenile fish. Students were split up into small groups and given trays,
containing locally sourced ‘kick samples’ of rocks and insects from the river bed. Each group examined these samples and the various creatures were picked out and viewed through microscopes. The mobile fish tanks ensured the children got the chance to pick up and study these creatures in an interactive and fun-learning environment. To complete their involvement in Something Fishy the pupils were invited to take part in a Competition based on any aspect of their learning and experiences from the programme. The theme for the project was: Angling : Fishing with Rod and Line.
 Five schools entered a project for this competition: (1) Horeswood N.S.; (2) Newtown N.S.; (3) Ballon N.S.; (4) Donard N.S.; (5) Scoil Réalt na Mara. The standard was very high and the projects were beautifully presented, showing a wonderful understanding of the work in hand. The quality of the different presentations is proof, if proof is needed, of the efforts and commitment that has gone into Something Fishy in the schools. Donard N.S. was selected as winner of the local competition and the winning project was sent to Blackrock EC for the National Finals. It was in Blackrock that Donard N.S. was declared the National Winner of the Something Fishy Competition 2011.
 Donard N.S. received a cheque towards classroom equipment as a prize from the Co. Wexford Education Centre, for winning the local competition. Before the end of school year Paula Carolan went to all the schools that entered a project and presented them with beautiful books and other educational stuff suitable for their schools and ages. This was a lovely gesture and was very much appreciated by all concerned. To conclude this report, it is nice to confirm that Something Fishy has been an outstanding success this year, in our area. The Co. Wexford Education Centre has done its local schools proud in its promotion of Something Fishy. It has made available an excellent educational programme which has enhanced the experiences of many teachers and pupils in their classrooms. However the icing on the cake for this year has been the fantastic win by Donard N.S. of the ‘Overall Winner of the National Something Fishy Competition’.  Roll on next year!!!!
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