Two schools, one in Co. Galway and one in Co. Laois have won the 2015 Moo Crew Competition.

The National Dairy Council (NDC), which organises the event, said Tynagh National School, Tynagh, Loughrea, Co. Galway was the national winner of the senior category and St. Paul’s National School, Irishtown, Mountmellick, Co. Laois was the national winner of the junior category.

The senior category winners are third and fourth class from the Co. Galway school and the Laois winners are from first class, both classes have each won a VIP farm experience at Causey Farm for their class.

They will travel to Causey Farm on June 10 to milk cows, make their own bread and butter, meet farm animals and enjoy a day packed with adventure, the NDC says.

Derval O’Rourke, who is ambassador for ‘Cheese up your life’ and is also supporting Moo Crew, will join the two classes in Causey Farm to share her training and healthy lifestyle tips with the pupils.

Both schools will also receive a sports equipment pack valued at €1,000, the NDC says.

Over 5,000 children from 900 primary schools participated in the 2015 Moo Crew Primary Dairy Moovement organised by the NDC.

The NDC says that some 264 schools progressed to enter the national Moo Crew poster competition.

The NDC has announced that all 26 counties feature primary school classes highly commended in both the junior category (first to second class) and senior category (third to sixth class) of the national competition, each winning an €80 sports equipment voucher for their school and a framed Moo Crew certificate.

The well-known sprint hurdler who is a World Indoor Champion, multiple European medallist and three time Olympian says that there was an astounding level of interest and participation from primary school classes all over the country for Moo Crew this year.

“I’ve always appreciated the importance of having a healthy lifestyle, eating a balanced diet and keeping fit.

Moo Crew helps children to learn this in a fun way, supported by Milly the cow who has her own exercises, her own blog and tips including recipes.

“This project is fun, but it nurtures creativity, team building, literacy and numeracy skills and also has important learnings to help kids to think about portion sizes and a balanced diet so that they can make smart choices about what they eat and drink,” O’ Rourke says.

Moo Crew is a fun and interactive way for children to learn the benefits of a healthy, balanced diet and the importance of exercise to ‘get moo-ving’, the NDC says.

The programme is designed to be linked to the primary curriculum and includes lesson plans with interactive website resources for teachers, it says.

It is supported by the NDC in light of research that showed 37% of girls and 28% of boys aged from five to 12 years in Ireland had inadequate calcium intakes in their diet.

• St Brigid’s National School (5th Class), Grange, Tullow, Co. Carlow (teacher Ms McCloskey)
• St. Felim’s National School (3rd Class), Leitir, Bailieborough, Co. Cavan (teacher Roisin McDonnell)
• Cooraclare National School (6th Class), Cooraclare, Kilrush, Co. Clare (teacher Eadaoin Lorigan)
• Barryroe National School (3rd Class), Lislevane, Bandon, Co. Cork (teacher Paddy O’Hanlon)
• Drumfad National School (3rd-6th Class), Kerrykeel, Co. Donegal (teacher Rachel Morrow-Bool)
• St. Joseph’s Special School (6th Class), Balrothery, Tallaght, Dublin 24 (teacher Caroline O’Shea)
• Tynagh National School (3rd-4th Class), Loughrea, Co. Galway (teacher Valerie Francis), who became the overall winners in this category
• Spa National School (6th Class), The Spa, Tralee, Co. Kerry (teacher Mrs Crowe)
• Kildare Town Community School/Acorn Centre (1st-3rd ), Dunmurray Rd., Kildare, Co. Kildare (teacher Ms. Brady)
• St. Brendan’s Mixed National School (5th-6th Class), Hugginstown, Co. Kilkenny (teacher Tom Duggan)
• Wolfhill National School (3rd-6th Class), Wolfhill, via Athy, Co. Laois teacher (Kathleen Boland)
• Scoil Mhuire Naofa (6th Class), Carrigallen, Co. Leitrim (teacher Mr Carty)
• S.N. Muire Banrion Na Heireann (4th Class), Caherdavin, Limerick, Co. Limerick (teacher Emma Frazer)
• Sacred Heart National School (3rd-4th Class), Granard, Co. Longford (teacher Carmel Shaughnessy)
• Scoil Naomh Muire (3rd-4th Class), Muchgrange, Grianphort Dun Dealgan, Dundalk, Co. Louth (teacher Mr. O’Donoghue)
• Carn National School (5th & 6th Class), Moygownagh, Ballina, Co. Mayo (teacher Pat Dowling)
• Ratoath Senior National School (4th Class), Ferryhouse Rd., Ratoath, Co. Meath (teacher Laura Campion)
• Annyalla National School (4th – 5th Class), Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan (teacher Miss Reynolds)
• St. Patrick’s Boys N.S. (5th Class), Patrick’s St., Portarlington, Co. Offaly (teacher Michelle Doran)
• Clooneyquinn National School (3rd-6th Class), Castlerea, Co. Roscommon (teacher Erica Feely)
• St. Colman’s National School (3rd-6th Class), Derrnabroc, Cloontia, Ballymote, Co. Sligo (teacher Mr. Dillon)
• Scoil Na Maighne (4th Class), Moyne, Thurles, Co. Tipperary (teacher Mrs. Moran)
• St. Ursula’s Primary School (3rd Class), Ursuline Convent, Ballytruckle Rd., Waterford, Co. Waterford (teacher Clodagh Quinn)
• St. Oliver’s National School (4th-6th Class), Duncannon, New Ross, Co. Wexford (teacher Martin Lyons)
• Ard na gCrath National School (2nd-4th Class), Ard na gCrath, Walderstown, Athlone, Co. Westmeath (teacher Siobhán Flynn)
• All Saints National School (3rd-6th Class), Main St., Carnew, Co. Wicklow (teacher Aoife Kenny)

• St. Laserian’s Special School (Junior 5), Old Dublin Rd., Carlow, Co. Carlow (teacher Julie Finan)
• St. Patrick’s National School (2nd Class), Killinagh, Blacklion, Co. Cavan (teacher Olivia McGrail)
• Clooney National School (1st Class), Carrahan, Tulla, Co. Clare (teacher Eibhlin Walsh)
• Scoil Abán Naofa (2nd Class), Baile Mhuirne, Co. Cork (teacher Marguerite Ní Chonchubhair)
• St. Patrick’s National School (2nd Class), Lurgybrack, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal (teacher Emer Murray)
• Loreto Junior Primary School (1st Class), Crumlin Rd., Dublin 12 (teacher Aoife Farrell)
• Coldwood National School (1st & 2nd Class), Coldwood, Craughwell, Co. Galway (teacher Denise Leonard)
• Scoil Mhuire De Lourdes (1st & 2nd Class), Lixnaw, Co. Kerry (teacher Sue Anne Windle)
• Hewetsons National School (1st & 2nd Class), Clane, Naas, Co. Kildare (teacher Ms Loney)
• Church Hill National School (1st Class), Cuffesgrange, Co. Kilkenny (teacher Nicola Garrahy)
• St. Paul’s National School (1st Class), Irishtown, Mountmellick, Co. Laois (teacher Serena Senior), who became the overall winners in this category
• Aughavas National School (1st & 2nd Class), Carrigallen, Co. Leitrim (teachers Breege Egan/ Marian Crinnigan)
• Glenbrohane National School (1st & 2nd Class), Garryspillane, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick (teacher Liz Hyland)
• St. Patrick’s National School (1st & 2nd Class), Muckerstaff, Coolarty, Co. Longford (teacher Ms. Gately)
• S.N. Aonghusa (2nd Class), Sunday’s Gate, Drogheda, Co. Louth (teacher Aonghus Ó Ruaraidh)
• Irishtown National School (2nd Class), Irishtown, Claremorris, Co. Mayo (teacher Clare Morley)
• Ashbourne Educate Together National School (1st Class), Ashbourne, Co. Meath (teacher A. Murnagh)
• Doohamlet National School (2nd Class), Doohamlet, Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan (teacher Noeleen McKenna)
• Scoil Bhride (1st & 2nd Class), Ballyboy, Kilcormac, Co. Offaly (teacher Matthew Moylan)
• Croghan National School (2nd Class), Croghan, Boyle, Co. Roscommon (teacher Cathal Fleming)
• Carbury National School (1st & 2nd Class), The Mall, Sligo (teacher Sabrina Love)
• Lissenhall National School (2nd Class), Lissenhall, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary (teacher Nikki MacLoone)
• Faithlegg National School (1st & 2nd Class), Faithlegg, Co. Waterford (teacher Sarah Warner)
• Mullingar Educate Together (1st & 2nd Class), Rathgowan, Mulllingar, Co. Westmeath (teacher Michael Gleeson)
• S.N. Mhuire (1st Class), Baile Bearna, Co. Wexford (teacher Tony Cleary)
• Carysfort National School (2nd Class), Carysfort, Arklow, Co. Wicklow (teacher Ms. Besanson)