Press release 05/06/13

O’Dowd presents children’s art awards at Ministerial reception to mark International Salmon Gathering in Drogheda

Winners of the Inland Fisheries Ireland NASCO Art competition received their prizes from Minister Fergus O’ Dowd TD in the Highlanes Gallery in Drogheda tonight. The overall winner of the competition was Karen Wai Leesin from Marymount Girls National School whose entry was voted the best overall by delegates to the conference.

Dr Ciaran Byrne CEO of IFI, Minister Fergus O'Dowd, TD and Dr Mary Colligan President of NASCO with the winners of the Inland Fisheries Ireland NASCO art competition

Three local schools; St Mary’s Parish Primary School, Gaelscoil an Bhradáin Feasa and Marymount Girls National School participated in the competition.

Salmon conservation, the salmon life cycle, North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO), the salmon of knowledge, salmon as a resource and the value of salmon were all topics covered by the children who produced art on the salmon/NASCO theme.

Minister Fergus O’ Dowd commended the fantastic art entered by all schools and the amazing artists saying  “Congratulations to all who took part in this competition, I am blown away by the high standard of the entries, but especially by the understanding and appreciation that our primary school students have in the whole area of salmon conservation.  IFI have excellent programmes in place to increase awareness of fish, the aquatic environment and habitats among young people and Ireland’s hosting of the NASCO annual meeting provides an excellent opportunity to focus on the iconic salmon”.

From June 3rd to 7th  Ireland is hosting this year’s internationally prestigious North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO) conference and as part of this event IFI invited a number of  schools to participate in an ‘Art Competition’ based on the Salmon/NASCO theme. 3 Schools took up the challenge.

Each participating school and the overall winner received a Nexus 7 Tablet while the three runners up Katya Lalor from St Mary’s Parish Primary School, Fírinne McIntyre from Gaelscoil an Bhradáin Feasa Primary School and Lisa Burke  from Marymount Girls National School received ipods.

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Media enquiries

Suzanne Campion,
Head of Business Development,
Inland Fisheries Ireland,
Anglesea Street, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.
Tel: 052 6180055 Fax: 052 6123971
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Website: www.fisheriesireland.ie

Inland Fisheries Ireland is a statutory body operating under the aegis of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and was established under the Fisheries Act on 1st July 2010. Its principal function is the protection and conservation of the inland fisheries resource. IFI promotes, supports, facilitates and advises the Minister on, the conservation, protection, management, development and improvement of inland fisheries, including sea angling. It also develops and advises the Minister on policy and national strategies relating to inland fisheries and sea angling.

NASCO is an international organisation established by an intergovernmental convention in 1984, and it is based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Its objectives are the conservation, restoration and rational management of wild Atlantic salmon stocks, which do not recognise national boundaries. It is the only intergovernmental organisation with this mandate which it implements through international consultation, negotiation and co-operation.

Photographs are available to accompany this release and will be supplied direct to picture desks where appropriate by Lafayette Photography. Requests further to this should be directed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.