St Mary’s Senior School representing Blessington Library won a special quiz competition to mark 50 years of Irish EU membership.
As part of the 50th anniversary celebrations, local authorities around the country were asked by the Department of European Affairs/Department of Foreign Affairs to submit an event to mark the golden jubilee and which would receive funding.
Wicklow County Council was successful in its proposal to hold an inter-library quiz with all questions having a European theme.
Each of the 13 libraries in County Wicklow and the Mobile Library was asked to select a team from their local primary schools to go forward to the final. This required local heats to ensure each of the 83 primary schools in the county had the opportunity to take part.
The final took place on Monday night last (8th May) in the Woodenbridge Hotel with 14 teams taking part in the quiz. Questions centred around various European themes, including general knowledge, national flags, well-known landmarks, sport, and the Eurovision Song Contest.
The team representing Blessington library, from St Mary’s Senior School, emerged victorious. Team members included Conor McGee, Orlaith Cummins, Erin Keogh and Anna Nugent whose names will be engraved on the EU50 trophy.
Roundwood National School, representing the Mobile Library, was in second place while Baltinglass library and students from Naomh Iosaf school finished third.
Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, Cllr Tommy Annesley, said: “This is a great event, and it is wonderful to see such enthusiasm from students from throughout county Wicklow.”
Wicklow County Council Chief Executive, Emer O’Gorman, added her own congratulations to all the participating schools and complimented the library staff for their innovation in organising the event. She thanked both Government Departments for their generous funding.
Michael Nicholson, Director of Services with the Council, who acted as quizmaster on the night, said that the event would not have been a success without all the participants and their enthusiastic supporters and added that all of those who took part were winners on the night.
