WOW Transatlantic Reading Challenge 2008/2009

Clare County Library’s ‘WOW’ Transatlantic Reading Challenge began in November 2008 for the third consecutive year. 29 schools from County Clare took part in the reading partnership involving schoolchildren, their teachers, librarians and An Garda Siochána, which ended in April 2009.

Children in Ballycar, Ballyea ,Ballyvaughan ,Bansha, Cahermurphy, Clouna, Coolmeen, Coore, Cratloe, Crusheen, Doonaha, Furglan, Holy Family Junior School, Ennis, Inagh, Inch, Kilbaha, Kilfenora, Killaloe, Kilnamona, Kilshanny, Lahinch, Lisdoonvarna, Moveen, Mullagh, Quin, Rockmount, St. Aidan’s National School, Shannon, St. Conaire’s National School, Shannon and Tubber read thousands of books over a six month period in an effort to be named the best readers in the world.

Three schools from Canada, the home of the Adopt-a-Library Literacy Project came first, second and third in the overall competition with two Clare schools, Lahinch and Furglan coming 4th and 5th respectively. These two schools had performed exceptionally well in last year’s competition, reading the most in Clare as they did again this year. They also achieved 2nd and 3rd place in the worldwide competition last year, which so far has been taken up by schools in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. Bansha National School came in at a very strong 10th position in this year’s overall competition and in third place in County Clare.

Clare County Library would like to congratulate these and all the schools who joined the Reading Challenge this year and also to extend its thanks to Sergeant John Staunton, Ennis Garda Headquarters who has provided continued support for the project over the last three years. Library staff and members of the Clare Garda Division visited participating schools during the six-month project to promote the benefits of reading. The Reading Challenge was established ten years ago by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as part of the Adopt-a-Library Literacy Program. The program was developed to combat youth illiteracy in the hope of reducing crime levels in later years. With this aim in mind, all involved worked together to endorse the virtues of reading and to promote the benefits of library usage in County Clare.

Individual children and all schools in the County can avail of free library membership and we would like to invite all schools who have not taken up the offer to join, to do so in the coming months. Local libraries are an invaluable resource making available an excellent collection of books that can be exchanged throughout the school year thus providing a new selection for children and teenagers to choose from, on a continuous basis. This facility is of particular importance in the light of Department of Education and Science’s abolition of the Books for Primary Schools Scheme earlier this year.

The thirty schools who participated in the ‘WOW’ Transatlantic Reading Challenge 2008/09 were Kilmihil , Ruan, Cooraclare, Clouna, Bansha, St. Senan’s National School, Kilrush, Inch, Furglan, Tulla, Ennistymon, Rineen, Feakle, Cratloe, St. Senan’s National School, Shannon, Moyasta, Doora, Coore, Doonaha, Newmarket on Fergus, Flagmount, Ballyvaughan, Corofin, Burrane, Moveen, Quin, St. Conaire’s National School Shannon, Connolly, Dromindoora, Tubber and Lahinch.