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On Monday, we were delighted to have three groups representing Clonaslee College among the fourteen finalists in the Intro to Ag final at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin.
Intro to Ag is a Transition Year programme that highlights the vital role agriculture plays in both employment and food production, while also showcasing the diverse career opportunities available within the agri-food sector. Our groups progressed to the national final thanks to their innovative and well-researched projects.
Michelle, Grace, Niamh, and Cadhla looked at ‘Women in Agriculture’ examining the role women play, the career opportunities available, and the significant contributions they make to the sector. As part of their research, they interviewed Sophie Bell a well-known young sustainable beef farmer from Co. Cavan, who shared her first-hand experience of being a woman working in agriculture.
Cullen, Kevin, Senan, and Ronan compared automated calf feeding systems with traditional bucket rearing, focusing on live weight gain and the overall impact on calf performance. Conor and Ethan’s project, titled ‘Soil Health’ examined soil fertility, the importance of soil testing and analysis for grass productivity, and the link between soil pH and nutrient availability.
Students had the opportunity to present and discuss their projects with judges including Farmer Phil, Kaleb Cooper, Tony Dalton, Director of Further Education and Training with LOETB, and Roz O’Shaughnessy, Communications Manager in Bord Bia. While our groups didn’t place in the top three, they did an outstanding job representing themselves and the school!
These projects provided students with an excellent foundation in the research and experimentation involved in Leaving Certificate Agricultural Science. Thank you to Mr Madden for his endless enthusiasm for his subject, and a huge thank you to Agri Aware and LOETB for another fantastic year of the Intro to Ag programme!
