More than 50,000 children, mainly from the Munster area, but also from Dublin, are now more aware of their environment, particularly the underwater environment, because of a partnership between the Irish pharma/chem sector and the Sherkin Island Marine Research Station off the southwest coast.
Matt Murphy, who gave up city life to raise a large family on the island - as it turned out, on his own, after the death of his wife - has been one of the most dogged environmentalists over the years. His marine station has conducted vital research despite poor resources, and has contributed in no small way to a better understanding of how the environment works. Each year people from all over the world arrive on Sherkin to conduct this research. The results are published in worldwide journals.
Matt's daughter, Audrey, who has a degree in zoology, has spent the past 15 months visiting primary schools in Cork, Clare and Dublin. Her aim, as part of the Environmental Information Bureau Project initiated by her father, was to make children more aware of the environment. There were class presentations, marine exhibitions, competitions, and children were encouraged to find out more for themselves. Teachers from all over the State have been in touch with the marine station asking for Ms Murphy to come and visit.
Having grown up on an island where marine research was part and parcel of family life, she was ideally suited to impart this kind of knowledge.