TY student from Blacklion, Co Cavan announced as both West region and overall National winner of Bus

Student wins trip to Tayto Park for her entire class

The West of Ireland’s regional winner of the Bus Éireann ‘Go Places’ competition has been announced. Alannah Doherty, a Transition Year student who attends St. Clare Comprehensive school Manorhamilton, won the hearts and minds of the judges with her creative photo diary. Transition year student Alannah Doherty from Blacklion, Co Cavan has been named national winner of the inaugural Bus Éireann ‘Go Places’ Competition. The competition invited TY students from around the country to submit projects – in words, photographs, or videos – about their journey to school. In an humorous photo essay, Alannah detailed her journey to school from her home in Blacklion, starting outside Neven Maguire’s famous restaurant MacNean House & Restaurant and travelling along the picturesque Lough MacNean, to St Clare's Comprehensive School in Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim. Alannah won an iPad and a trip to Tayto Park for her class. There were three regional winners, Alannah in West, Ruairi Meehan in the East, and Jane Tiernan in the South. Pictured with Alannah in Bus Éireann headquarters in Broadstone is Nicola Cooke, Bus Éireann Media & PR Manager. The competition will run again in 2019. For more information visit www.goplaceswithbe.ie

Alannah submitted 20 insightful photographs with humorous captions and hashtags of her journey to school using the Bus Éireann School Transport Scheme. The photos captured her journey from where it starts - across the road from Neven Maguire’s famous restaurant MacNean House and Bistro - past the picturesque Lough MacNean and on to Manorhamilton in North Leitrim.

“Ophelia and Emma prevented us from going to school for four days (God bless their souls) but every other day Bus Éireann and their team, rain or hail, get us there safe and sound #respect!” – she said. Transition year student Alannah Doherty from Blacklion, Co Cavan has been named national winner of the inaugural Bus Éireann ‘Go Places’ Competition. The competition invited TY students from around the country to submit projects – in words, photographs, or videos – about their journey to school. In an humorous photo essay, Alannah detailed her journey to school from her home in Blacklion, starting outside Neven Maguire’s famous restaurant MacNean House & Restaurant and travelling along the picturesque Lough MacNean, to St Clare's Comprehensive School in Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim. Alannah won an iPad and a trip to Tayto Park for her class. There were three regional winners, Alannah in West, Ruairi Meehan in the East, and Jane Tiernan in the South. Pictured with Alannah in Bus Éireann headquarters in Broadstone is Nicola Cooke, Bus Éireann Media & PR Manager, and Ray Hernan, Bus Éireann CEO. The competition will run again in 2019. For more information visit www.goplaceswithbe.ie

The competition invited Transition Year students to submit projects – in words, photographs, or videos – about their journey to school. The three lucky regional winners won an iPad and crystal trophy each,   with the overall winner receiving a day trip to Tayto park for the entire class on a Bus Éireann coach.

Alannah was announced as both the West regional winner as well as the national overall winner, and therefore her entire class at Manorhamilton will get to enjoy a day away from the classroom at the amusement park. Alannah travelled to Bus Éireann HQ to receive her prize from the company’s CEO.Transition year student Alannah Doherty from Blacklion, Co Cavan has been named national winner of the inaugural Bus Éireann ‘Go Places’ Competition. The competition invited TY students from around the country to submit projects – in words, photographs, or videos – about their journey to school. In an humorous photo essay, Alannah detailed her journey to school from her home in Blacklion, starting outside Neven Maguire’s famous restaurant MacNean House & Restaurant and travelling along the picturesque Lough MacNean, to St Clare's Comprehensive School in Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim. Alannah won an iPad and a trip to Tayto Park for her class. There were three regional winners, Alannah in West, Ruairi Meehan in the East, and Jane Tiernan in the South. Pictured with Alannah in Bus Éireann headquarters in Broadstone is Nicola Cooke, Bus Éireann Media & PR Manager, and Ray Hernan, Bus Éireann CEO. The competition will run again in 2019. For more information visit www.goplaceswithbe.ie

Ray Hernan, CEO of Bus Éireann said, “Bus Éireann is proud to be transporting pupils to school in the West via the School Transport Scheme for the past 50 years. Alannah’s submission was not only a creative tale of her journey to school, but it was also very humorous. Alannah documented some beautiful scenery on her route and incorporated some interesting information about the people she sees on her route to school. These included her friends, her bus driver and some farm animals! We were very impressed with her submission and hope she has a great day at Tayto park with her class.”

Bus Éireann is proud to have operated the School Transport Scheme on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills for 50 years. Every day in Leitrim alone, it transports 2,093 pupils to and from school on 63 buses under the scheme. This is on 114 school runs. Every day in Cavan alone, it transports 3,719 pupils to and from school on 141 buses under the scheme. This is on 197 school runs.

Ruairi Meehan from Dunshaughlin Community School, Co. Meath scooped the prize for the East with his lively video of his journey to school. The winner from the South was Jane Tiernan from Christ the King Secondary School, Douglas, Co. Cork, with her energetic school journey ‘documentary’ video.

The competition will run again in 2019. For more information visit www.goplaceswithbe.ie

Tuesday, 1st May, 2018