World water day was marked at four venues in Kerry this year.
These events were a collaboration between local communities and the Local Authority Waters Program (LAWPRO).
The first ceremony was in Crag caves, where a series of talks were given, including by Mary Walsh from Castleisland Tidy Towns, by Kerry Community Water Officer Colum Walsh, and by hydrologist Donal Daly, before a tour of the caves.
Sneem Tidy towns and St Michael's National School teamed up on Friday morning for a River Bank Clean Up of the Sneem river.
Comharcumann Dun Chaoin organised a talk in the Blasket Centre including Bláithín Ní Anín, Community Climate Action Officer Richard Curtin and Kerry Community Water Officer Colum Walsh.
The keynote speaker was Vice-Admiral Mark Mellett DSM PhD and Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces (Retired) who spoke on the problems and potential solutions for climate change.
Finally, on Saturday morning, Minister for Education Norma Foley launched Tralee Rowing Club's Biodiversity Awareness Implementation Project in conjunction with Tralee Tidy Towns, before Tralee Rowing Club Ecologist, Dr Noel Mulligan gave a guided walk of the Tralee Ship Canal.
The Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) works on behalf of Ireland’s 31 local authorities to protect and restore good water quality to our rivers, lakes, estuaries, ground and coastal water through catchment science and local community engagement.
LAWPRO was established to fulfill requirements under the European Union Water Framework Directive and is funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
LAWPRO coordinates the efforts of local authorities and other public bodies in the implementation of the River Basin Management Plan.
