Donegal Bike Week was officially launched at Drumfad National School in Kerrykeel on Monday morning.
Speaking about the event, Louise Gallagher, Green-Schools coordinator at Drumfad National School, said that all of the school’s 34 pupils were involved.
“We have established a great partnership with Green-Schools and Donegal Sports Partnership,” she said.
“We are currently working towards the Green-Schools travel flag and part of that whole initiative is to try and get our pupils travelling to school in renewable ways, or in ways that don’t involve everybody taking a single car.”
Drumfad National School taking part in Bike Week 2023
The school has been working their way towards the travel flag in September and are encouraging students to cycle, walk or run to school.
An Garda Síochána attended the launch of Bike Week to promote bike safety and show staff and pupils that the local area can be safe.
Drumfad National School taking part in Bike Week 2023
Drumfad NS Principal, Sara Narin, said: “Bike week is an excellent initiative that the children in the school have thoroughly enjoyed.
“With the help of Aengus Kennedy from the Green-Schools programme, Donegal Sports Partnership and some members of our local Garda Station, our children were able to safely cycle to and from our local beach, learning and practising vital road safety skills.”
Senior Green-Schools Travel Officer, Aengus Kennedy, who attended the event on Monday, said that the An Taisce Green-Schools progamme was celebrating 25 years this year.
“We’ve been participating in National Bike Week for the last number of years with the help of Donegal Sports Partnership who have provided us with grants,” he said.
“That grant support enabled a bike mechanic to come to Drumfad National School the day before the launch event, go through everyone’s bike and make sure they were serviced and roadworthy.
“The big success of events like Monday’s is that it is local children cycling on their own local roads using bikes that have been fixed up, and doing what people used to do in the past and what we all should be able to do.”
Drumfad National School taking part in Bike Week 2023
Praising all involved with Monday’s event, Donegal Sports Partnership’s Community Sports Development Officer, Karen Guthrie, said: “I’d like to thank the Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Cllr Liam Blaney, and Drumfad NS for helping us launch Bike Week here in Donegal.
“We are indebted to the cycling clubs, community groups and schools for continuing to provide those opportunities, year after year.”
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