27th ALL IRELAND CREDIT UNION SCHOOLS QUIZ WINNERS ANNOUNCED
Posted on: 09 Apr 2018
9th April 2018: Drumconrath National School, Co Meath and Scoil Mhuire, Dungarvan, Co Waterford have been crowned the national winners of the 27th annual All Ireland Credit Union Schools Quiz. The winners claimed their titles following a nerve-wracking final during which almost 100 teams-of-four from North and South battled it out at the RDS in Dublin on Sunday April 8th. The participating children were accompanied by families, relatives, teachers and friends who enthusiastically cheered them on.
The hotly contested event is run by the Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) each year and attracts more than 25,000 participants. The local and regional knockout rounds were organised by credit union volunteers and took place in over 300 venues between January and March.
Quizmaster Aidan Power, in between doling out the tough questions, ensured that he eased the nerves of the finalists and kept the atmosphere light-hearted. The radio and television broadcaster was Quizmaster for a second year after proving a big hit with the children at the Quiz Final in 2017.
Following the final fiercely competitive rounds, the winning teams were announced:
Competition A Winner: Under 11 years of age: Drumconrath National School, Co Meath; Shauna Carolan, Muireann McMahon, Thomas O’Connor and Seamus Hughes.
Competition B Winner: 11-13 years of age: Scoil Mhuire, Abbeyside, Dungarvan Co Waterford; Kate McKeon, Emily Fahey, Sarah Fahey and Keeley Flynn.
The questions for the Quiz are compiled each year by primary school teachers and cover topics such as geography, history, music, literature and sport. The event is a popular fixture on the annual schools’ calendar and aims to encourage and develop teamwork and collaboration between schoolchildren. It is one of the central events in the ILCU’s programme of youth initiatives.
Speaking at the event, ILCU President Charles Murphy said “Every school child who participated in all rounds of the Quiz this year should be hugely proud of their achievement. I congratulate their teachers and parents for the time they dedicated and the effort they demonstrated. The national round of the competition was fiercely fought and our two winning teams are extremely deserving of the title. I hope all the children enjoyed the event as much as those of us who watched.”
The quiz is divided into two sections; Competition A for children up to 11 years and Competition B for children between 11 and 13 years. The winning teams at the national final receive €1,250 per school, with the runner up teams in each category receiving €750 for their schools. Local and regional winners also receive a range of prizes.