As part of the Transition Year programme, students have been offered the opportunity to flex their artistic as well as their dramatic skills by taking part in the Street Theatre and Performance option. Students collaboratively choose an international issue of significance, often with an ecological slant. This is the basis of a large scale research project that is translated into a street performance. Under the tutelage of the Art Department and experts in the field, students learn all the skills of constructing very impressive large scale models and stunning costumes to bring awareness of their issue to the streets, often in parades.

They have tackled the worrying issue of reducing bee numbers in a fantastically theatrical display in Herbertstown St. Patrick’s Day parade in 2014.

The following year, the street performance group went further, and looked at the issue of over-fishing.  Their entry “Fish ‘n’ Ships – More Fish and Less Ships” (tackling the issue of industrial overfishing) was stunning as it ‘swam’ through the streets of the county’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day parade in Limerick City, watched by an estimated 70,000 spectators in the welcome sunshine.

It is not surprising that the group was awarded the “Martin Folan Most Creative Entry” award from the 68 floats that took part and even featured on the 6 o’clock RTE News.