NATIONAL AWARD: Former students of Killarney Community College, Ross McCarthy, Rogan O'Shea, Danny Cronin and John Breen, pictured with teachers John Keane and Marcia Kissane, received the first ever Irish Road Victim's Association (IRVA) Global Light of Hope Award. Photo: Michelle Crean

By Michelle Crean

Road safety was their priority and a huge project undertaken by Killarney students meant they secured a national prize last week.

John Breen and Rogan O’Shea, now former students with Killarney Community College, travelled with teacher John Keane to the Irish Road Victim’s Association (IRVA) Global Light of Hope Awards in recognition of their road safety efforts and support of their charity.

The event took place in the Bloomfield Hotel Mullingar as part of the IRVA annual event to mark the UN World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims on November 17.

Garda Peter McCarthy of the Kerry Garda Traffic Corps was also honoured for promoting the AXA RSA Road Show among students in the county which takes place annually in the INEC Killarney.

With the support of coordinator Marcia Keane and teacher John Keane the students themselves took on the responsibility and put a lot of work into the organisation of events throughout the year to promote road safety among students and teachers in the school. “These activities included a car crash simulator, a Garda road safety presentation, poster competitions, a quiz, a fire brigade demonstration, a school survey on attitudes to road safety and a street collection that raised €1,400 for the IRVA to name a few,” teacher John Keane told the Killarney Advertiser.

Donna Price, Founder and Chairperson for the Irish Road Victims' Association, commended the students for their very effective promotion adding that they were an example for students the length and breadth of the country, he added.

“This is the first occasion that students have been recognised for their efforts by being awarded the Global Light of Hope Award by the IRVA. This was an unexpected surprise yet a much appreciated honour for the students and the school and a lovely acknowledgement for their great work.”