Welcome

This last term in the ERST office was very busy, which included preparing for our international EREBB Congress in DCU. The Congress took place from 11th to 19th May. Nine host schools and the Westcourt Centre in Belfast accommodated over 100 delegates from around the world for the first three days, providing them with incredibly innovative programmes of activities that will remain long in the memories of delegates. I would like to start by thanking these schools/centre:

• Coláiste Rís Dundalk
• CBS Ennistymon
• Ardscoil Rís, Limerick
• Midleton CBS
• Blarney Street CBS
• The Abbey, Tipperary
• Kilkenny CBS
• Ardscoil Rís, Dublin
• The Green, Tralee
• The Westcourt Centre in Belfast

I would also like to thank our schools and Christian Brothers in Waterford and Callan for their roles in organising the pilgrimage:

• Brs Christy Carroll, Denis Vaughan and Ned Hayden in Callan Monastery
• Brs Peadar Gleeson, John Hearne and Raymond Vercruysse in Mt Sion Monastery
• Edward Kennedy and Colette Kearney in Mt Sion
• Padraig Cawley and Aoife Denton in Ardscoil na Mara
• Joe Hagan in Waterpark
• John Moloney in Bunscoil McAuley Rice Primary School
• Anthony Leahy in Coláiste Abhainn Rí

Victoria McQuaid (Synge St Primary) and Br Damien Price (Australia) did a great job of facilitating discussion in DCU.

We are very grateful to our schools that supported us through participation in ceremonies and music as well as those who attended and facilitated attendance by personnel from their schools. In particular, we thank:

• Sean Delap and students from Coláiste Íosagáin
• Proinsias De Paor and students - past and present - from Coláiste Eoin
• John McHugh and students from Ardscoil Rís in Dublin
• Noilín Ní Dhualaing (Coláiste Rís Dundalk), Lucy Ryan (CBS Kilkenny), Helen Hayes (Tralee CBS), Nicola Cunningham (Ardscoil Rís Limerick) and Lisa Howard (Blarney Street Cork)
• Paul Walsh and students from St Vincent's Secondary School in Glasnevin
• Students from Ardscoil Rís Dublin, Arklow CBS and CBS Monkstown, along with their teachers accompanying them

The role played by students at Wednesday's session was remarkable and we thank the following schools for sending students:

• Ardscoil na Mara, Tramore
• Mount Sion CBS Secondary
• Coláiste Éamann Rís Cork
• Gaelcholáiste Mhuire, Cork
• CBS Ennistymon
• Roscommon CBS
• Coláiste Abhainn Rí, Callan
• St Mary's CBS Portlaoise
• Coláiste Eanna, Ballyroan
• Synge St CBS
• St. Paul's CBS Secondary
• St Vincent's CBS Secondary
• Scoil Mhuire Marino
• Oatlands CBS Primary
• Coláiste Mhichíl Sexton St Limerick
• St Joseph's Secondary School, Drogheda
• Blarney St CBS, Cork

We are very grateful to principal Liam Reilly and the students in St Aidan's CBS for their roles in helping with the Dublin tours in various parts of the city.

Our Summer E-Síol is later than usual, because of our Congress, but I hope it can be forwarded to teachers, students and parents.

Thanks to everyone involved in Edmund Rice education.  I wish you a very enjoyable break.

Gerry Bennett

This is the last contribution to E-Síol from Ennistymon CBS as the school is amalgamating with two other schools to become Ennistymon Community School, under the trusteeship of ERST, CEIST and the ETB. 

We thank Mary Lyons, previous principals and the staff for the work they have done in promoting our Charter in Ennistymon CBS. In particular, we applaud the work that was done this year in exploring the history of the school and making sure that the Edmund Rice story is carried forward to the new Community School. 

Kieran Meehan, current Deputy Principal in the CBS, is one of the deputies in the new school. 

Best wishes to all of you. 

Staff Trip to Mt Sion in Waterford

In a touching tribute to the history and legacy of the CBS Ennistymon Secondary School, the teachers embarked on a memorable trip to Waterford to mark the school's closure in 2023.

The group visited the Mount Sion CBS in Waterford, which is where Edmund Rice founded his first school in 1802. The teachers were given a tour of the school by Br. Peadar Gleeson and were able to see first-hand the impressive facilities that have been developed over the years. It was a poignant moment for the teachers as they reflected on the impact that Edmund Rice had on the education system in Ireland and the role that the CBS Ennistymon Secondary School has played in the lives of so many students.

In conclusion, the trip of the CBS Ennistymon Secondary School teachers to Waterford was a fitting tribute to the legacy of the school and its founder, Edmund Rice. It was a chance for the staff to reflect on the impact that the school has had on the community while also enjoying the sights and sounds of Waterford. The teachers returned to Ennistymon with a renewed sense of purpose and camaraderie, and the memories of the trip will stay with them for years to come.

Green Walk for water

The Green Schools Committee of CBS Ennistymon had a very successful year as they succeeded in being awarded the Green Flag for Water. They also maintained their two flags relating to Litter and Waste, and Energy. Our Green Schools Officers have worked tirelessly for the past two years to reduce waste and conserve energy and water in our school, and the wider community.

In March, our committee organised the ‘Green Walk for Water’ as our Action Day. The pupils of CBS Ennistymon completed the Walk for Water campaign in solidarity with the people of countries who suffer from water deprivation. The Walk for Water was a 5 kilometer walk in which students walked 5 kilometers with a 5 litre bottle of water. By taking part in this campaign the students gained a greater understanding of Water Poverty, this in turn encouraged students to use their water wisely, reduce water usage and reuse water.

There was a second very important reason that this Whole-school event took place in our school community. The students raised funds for Milford Hospice, and they did this in memory of Selina O Sullivan, our SNA who passed last January. Selina was a joyful member of the staff and always got involved in school events.

Oral History Documentary

To mark the closing of the school, a team of teachers and students have undertaken an oral history documentary project to capture the memories and spirit of the CBS Ennistymon. It chronicles the strong sporting tradition, musical talent and educational success of pupils past and present with an overarching sense of pride felt throughout the community.

EREBB Delegation from Australia and South Africa

The staff and students of the CBS were delighted to welcome EREBB delegates from Australia and South Africa to the school on May 10^th for a three-day visit. 

Staff planned a series of events and experiences for the group. On Wednesday our History teacher Mr Galvin accompanied the group on a tour of North Clare visiting the Cliffs of Moher, Ailwee Cave, Poulnabrone Stone Tomb, Caherconnell Fort and Lemenagh Castle.

That evening they were treated to a feast of Irish Music from some staff and students in Friel’s Bar, Miltown Malbay. On Thursday they visited Scattery Island Monastic Settlement and were back at school for the main event of our Sports day, the Tug of War.

On Friday the 2^nd years welcomed the guests to the school. They had a short Prayer Service, some music followed by a demonstration of hurling from the boys. 

On Friday evening our visitors moved to Ennis and were given a walking tour of the town by their favourite tour guide, Mr John Galvin.

There were rich conversations about education, the similarities and the differences between the schools in Australia, S Africa and Ireland but the dedication to the students and the Edmund Rice spirit was evident in all schools.

Artist Mary Leen, centre with current principal, Brendan Smith on her left and former principals, Denis Coleman and Brother O'Connell on her right. Also in photo, Maggie Smith, vice principal, Brother Fred, former teacher, Noel Burke, BoM chairperson and members of staff and students.

Stained Glass Installation

Artist, Mary Leen, was given the following brief in designing a stained glass installation at our school:

1. To keep the memory of Edmund Rice alive

2. To create a suitable work of art that will stand the test of time in a school setting.

3. To brighten up the school with rich splashes of colour.

4. To link the old and the new side of the building with one coherent theme that is cognisant of the school architecture.

5. To teach students about the core values of the CBS/ Edmund Rice.

6. To involve the students in the artistic process and to create artworks that the students can have a sense of ownership over.

The first part of the proposal is a large stained glass installation located on the wall of the central hallway. It features Edmund Rice standing at a pulpit reading a book to children while multi colour bejewelled oval seeds float over a colourful idyllic scene of children playing in nature. This is to represent Edmund Rice spreading the seeds of knowledge, kindness, wisdom and all the other core values and virtues that he bestowed on the communities that had CBS schools. The pulpit is rendered with the old CBS crest and new school logo.

Along with this and linking in with the concept of Edmund Rice spreading the seeds of virtues, I installed a series of six grain/ oval shaped stained glass panels strategically scattered though out the building. Each panel depicts one of six core values of the school. These panels are for the enjoyment of the children and the motifs were created by the students of first to sixth class. Each class had an in-depth class discussion about the meaning of one particular core value and were asked to interpret the value visually by drawing something on the template. I traced these drawings onto the glass and put them into lightboxes.

Cuairteoirí 

Bhí áthas orainn fáilte a chur roimh toscairí EREBB nuair a thug siad cuairt ar ár scoil.

Leo, sa phictiúir, tá an tAthair Micheál de Bhál,, Ríona Uí Cheallaigh agus Edel Nic Éanaigh.

6th Class Graduation

Principal Denis Barry with teachers and 6th Class pupils. We wish these pupils the very best as they continue on their journey through secondary education.

Go n-éirí libh.

School of Sanctuary

We have become the 14th school in the Republic of Ireland to achieve this recognition. Following a visit by a monitoring team from School’s of Sanctuary Ireland, the team commended our schools commitment and initiatives in promoting a welcoming and inclusive environment. A more detailed report will follow in the Autumn edition Síol.

Edmund Rice Education Beyond Borders (EREBB)

International Congress 2023

The International EREBB Congress took place in Dublin from 13th to 19th of May. The Congress welcomed delegates and leaders of Edmund Rice schools from all over the world to follow in the footsteps of Blessed Edmund. The Theme of the congress was “Educating with Hope in our Hearts and Hands”

This theme was worked on by the delegates collaboratively during the workshops, listening to the Key note speakers and social interaction. Participants also worked on sharing ideas about Irish Culture, spirituality, leadership and educational practice. This will all contribute to long term global partnerships that will enhance the education of our young people.

Walking Tours of the City of Dublin helped immerse the delegates in Irish culture and tradition.

A Gala Dinner took place in Croke Park at which the Minister of Education, Norma Foley was in attendance.

Some members of the RE Department at Ardscoil na Mara, the Senior Management Team and our students took part over the days of the Congress. Many happy memories will have been made and connections forged into the future.

Mass at the Tomb of Blessed Edmund Rice

As part of the 2023 EREBB Congress, Ardscoil na Mara was delighted to take part along with Mount Sion Secondary School & Waterpark College Waterford, in a Mass, Following in the Footsteps of Blessed Edmund Rice. The Mass, celebrated by the Bishop of Waterford & Lismore, Alphonsus Cullinan, Fr Tom Rogers & Fr Michael Mullins, was a celebration of the life and legacy of Blessed Edmund Rice.

The delegates to the congress had earlier attended a walking tour of Waterford, led by teacher, Mrs Una Lonergan & students from Ardscoil who also took part in the Mass, to places associated with Edmund Rice.

Please use the link above for a collection of photographs from the celebration.

EREBB Visitors

We were thrilled to meet 50 EREBB delegates for lunch in our school as they were finishing their pilgrimage, which included visiting Glendalough, Callan and Waterford. 

Pictured with Padraig Cawley (principal) and Aoife Denton (Deputy Principal) are Br. Constantine (Tino) D’Abreu, a member of the Christian Brothers in India and Br. Brian Bond, the head of Edmund Rice International . 

Br Brian is based in Geneva and is well known to schools that have been involved in Advocacy training and the Ambassador programme.

Music was provided by a traditional music group from the school, led by David Hayes and Muireann Ní Luasa- see video on the link below.

Soccer

Well done to the senior girls soccer team who won the league final recently, 1-0, against St.Declans. It was a well fought game with Ardscoil scoring in the last 5 minutes of the match. 

Well done to all girls involved. Thanks also to Ms. Nugent.

Athletics

Congratulations to all who took part in the boys East Munster Track & Field at the RSC recently. Pictured above are TJay Flanagan who won the 800m Gold, Juniors: Ciaran O’Connor Gold 800m, Billy O’Donohoe Bronze Triple Jump & Michael Barry Bronze 100m & Silver 800m

Our outgoing Head Girl, Freya Bolster & Head Boy, Colm Corbett have contributed the following article on their respective roles in Ardscoil na Mara this year.

Freya Bolster - Ardscoil na Mara Head Girl 2023

The position of Head Girl at Ardscoil na Mara was one I had always hoped to obtain. 

Through many years of being on the Student Council at Ardscoil na Mara, I had always found myself looking up to the previous Head Girls who displayed enthusiasm, determination, and open-mindedness towards others in school. 

I can only hope that this year I have done the same. The position allowed me to engage in the school community in a different way than I have before, connect with students, and work closely with management who, like myself and Colm, hope to see the school becoming a better place for all every day.

Colm Corbett - Ardscoil na Mara Head Boy 2023

Having the opportunity to act as Head Boy in Ardscoil na Mara for the 2022/23 school year not only presented me with the unique way in which I could engage in the school community, but overall improved my time in Sixth Year. 

When our academic work and the stress of exams got too much, I consider myself lucky to have had the position of Head Boy to remind myself that school is a positive place, where I was lucky enough to work closely with management and the students to make the experience better for all. 

Through our meetings with Student Council and involvement in Open Days, Parents' Evenings, fundraisers, and much more, I can only hope Freya and I have encouraged the younger years to avail of opportunities to be involved in the school community.

Transition Year

Our transition year students have been busy with many different activities over the past few weeks.

Below are pictures from the TY camping group. They enjoyed a night of wild camping in the Galtee mountains where they learned some basic survival skills and of course enjoyed the all important marshmallows around the campfire.

Barista Training

Some of our TY students completed a fantastic day of barista training with Dublin Barista.

Le Cheile Day 5

Every year Ardscoil Ris have a ‘Le Cheile Day’. A day where the whole school sign up to a different timetable for this day of togetherness including tug-of-war; dizzy penalties; karaoke; yoga; rounders; meditation; baking; art to name a few. We were lucky enough to have fabulous weather and even had a ice cream van! Students were the winners of the day beating the teachers in the annual soccer and tug-a- war events.

5^th Year Retreat Lough Derg

Some of our 5^th Year students went to Lough Derg for an overnight retreat. 

This was a great opportunity to stop and reflect on life, shutting out the unimportant and concentrating on the meaningful.

1^st Year Retreat

Our First Year students immersed themselves in the Edmund Rice spirit of Ardscoil Ris with a great day trip to Waterford, including some time at Waterford Museum as well as the Edmund Rice Centre at Mt Sion.

1st Year Edmund Rice Trip

On Wednesday 19th of April, all First-Year students went on a highly informative tour to learn more about our founder, Edmund Rice. 

The group travelled to Callan, Co. Kilkenny to visit the home place of Edmund Rice. 

Brother Christy provided an informative talk on the Edmund Rice Icon to our students. They were introduced, through the various stories depicted on the icon, to Edmund Rice’s life story. 

Brother Denis entertained the students with a hands-on experience of life in Ireland in the 1700’s in Edmund Rice’s home place, Callan, Co. Kilkenny.

The two groups also visited Mt. Sion where they had the opportunity to visit the beautiful chapel and the Edmund Rice Centre which is a prime heritage centre for the Christian Brothers' story.

Beauty and the Beast

For three nights, Transition Year students took the stage in the George Bernard Shaw Theatre for their TY production of  'Beauty and the Beast' alongside the Transition Year students from St. Leo's College. 

The work on stage and behind the scenes was exceptional. Many people put in a huge effort to make the show happen and it is great that the community really supported it, with three sold-out nights. 

All the hard work and dedication over the past weeks paid off, and the show was an enormous success. Well done to everyone involved.

First Year Trip to Edmund Rice Heritage Centre, Waterford.

CBC First Years made their annual trip to Waterford recently. They were accompanied by four teachers on each journey by coach to Waterford City. On arrival, they visited the Edmund Rice Heritage Centre in Mount Sion, and the House of Waterford Crystal. At The ERHC the boys were introduced to Brother Peadar Gleeson, Brother John Hearne and Brother Raymond Vercreusse. The Brothers led the students on an educational tour of Mount Sion, which is a prime heritage centre for the Christian and Presentation Brothers.

It is a place of historical significance and pilgrimage, where Edmund Rice began his great mission for helping the poor and uneducated. He built a monastery and school on this site, and he lived and worked here for many years. It is also where he died and his remains now lie.

In recent years, the Christian and Presentation Brothers have re-developed this site and invited an international community of Brothers to live and work here. In keeping alive the spirit of Edmund Rice, it continues to be a place of learning and reflection. Young people still come here for training and education, and those on the margins of today’s society find new life and hope here.

On departure a blessing was conferred on the boys in the Oratory. A donation on behalf of the First Years was presented by CBC Chaplain Mr. Simon Kelliher to Brother Peadar Gleeson .

The boys also visited the House of Waterford Crystal during the day. They enjoyed a guided tour and learned further about Waterford’s craftsmanship, history

Minister for Finance visits CBC

The College was delighted to welcome Minister for Finance Michael McGrath TD to CBC on Monday 24 April. Minister McGrath met with a focus group of student leaders from the Student Council, Meitheal team, Debating Society Committee, Finance Society Committee and Green Schools Committee and discussed a range of issues ranging from challenges facing young people today to social justice issues.

Following this meeting, Minister McGrath addressed a whole-school assembly, sharing his experience of politics and offering advice to the student body on the impact they can make on the lives of others, at home, in school and in the community. 

Our School Captain presented the Minister with a copy of the CBC Yearbook and thanked him for taking the time to visit the College.

Visit to CBC by Prof Laura Lundy

CBC Cork recently welcomed Professor Laura Lundy to deliver a presentation on the importance of student voice in education. As an expert in children's rights and participation, Professor Lundy's insights shed light on the ways in which student voice can be incorporated into educational practice to empower students and improve learning outcomes.

Student voice refers to the meaningful participation of students in decision-making processes that affect their education. It recognizes the value of students' perspectives, opinions, and experiences in shaping the teaching and learning environment. In her presentation, Professor Lundy emphasized that student voice is not just a buzzword but a fundamental right that needs to be upheld and integrated into educational policy and practice.

One of the key takeaways from Professor Lundy's presentation was the need to shift from a traditional hierarchical approach to education to one that is more collaborative and inclusive. She highlighted the importance of creating a safe and supportive environment that encourages students to express themselves and actively participate in decision-making processes. This approach not only benefits students but also helps to create a more democratic and equitable school community.

Another important aspect of student voice is its potential to improve the quality of education. Professor Lundy pointed out that students often have unique insights into their learning experiences, which can help teachers to identify areas for improvement and refine teaching methods. By listening to and acting on student feedback, teachers can tailor their lessons to meet the needs and preferences of their students, leading to more engaged and motivated learners.

Professor Lundy also discussed the challenges that can arise when implementing student voice initiatives, such as time constraints, resistance from stakeholders, and a lack of understanding of the concept. However, she stressed that these challenges should not deter educators from incorporating student voice into their practice, as the benefits far outweigh the costs.

During the presentation, several CBC teachers shared examples of how they have already implemented student voice initiatives in their classrooms, such as student-led conferences and peer-to-peer mentoring programs. These initiatives not only promote student agency but also foster a sense of ownership and responsibility among students for their own learning.

Professor Lundy's presentation was a valuable and insightful experience for staff. It provided practical insights and strategies for incorporating student voice into educational practice, empowering students and improving learning outcomes.

CBC Cork Erasmus+ trip to Lithuania April 2023.

During the first week of the Easter holidays, members of the Learning and Teaching Committee in CBC travelled to Kaunas, Lithuania to garner firsthand experience in a range of educational settings. Lithuania is a country with a rich history and since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1990 it has been developing closer links with neighbouring countries in the West. Visits from schools across Europe are an example of how this state of 2.8 million people is developing closer ties with the rest of the European Union.

The opportunity to travel was obtained through the Erasmus+ programme which allows teachers to travel to schools in other EU countries, share experiences, develop opportunities to network and view different educational settings.

The CBC team consisted of Erasmus+ coordinator Edmond Hussey, Vincent Murray, Jane O Connell, Brian Trought, Catherine Costello and Tanya Clifford. The theme of the visit was “The Learner Voice -The Impact of Effective Questioning and Student Voice to the Overall Academic Progress and Wellbeing of the Student.” The project was carried out in conjunction with Kaunas Centre For Education Innovation which has close links with the Cork Education Centre.

We visited Kaunas Simonas Daukantas progymnasium, a school for students aged 7 to 14. We observed lessons in PE, Science and Home Economics. We also observed Ukrainian students engaging in online classes with teachers in their war-torn country. The emphasis was on interactive learning and the use of technology in the classroom, with a great emphasis on students’ emotional, cognitive and social development. We also attended a reception at the Kaunas City Municipality. Here, we were given a presentation on the history of the city, particularly in the context of its membership of the former USSR. At the Kaunas Centre for Education Innovation, we were briefed on their comprehensive education programme. We learned about their activities in supporting teachers with CPD and a very interesting initiative on identifying the reasons for the drop in Maths results; and the innovations taken to improve same.

Our second day began with a visit to Kaunas Vileisiu, a school which has won a European Digital School Award. Since 2012 the school has participated in the Microsoft School Program. There is a major emphasis on STEAM education in the school. Student wellbeing and inclusivity were also evident. The second school visited was the Kaunas “ Saules” gymnasium, an upper secondary school comprising students aged 14 to 18, with a great emphasis on examination success. In these senior secondary schools students choose four subjects in their final year pre-University exams. This is essentially the equivalent of the Irish Leaving Certificate. Interestingly, three subjects are compulsory: English, Lithuanian and a third language. Traditionally Lithuanian students studied Russian but nowadays there is a move towards MFL subjects such as French, German and Spanish.

Our final day saw us visit the Maironio University Gymnasium. This school had wide corridors with sofas and large student social areas. Absolute cleanliness was evident here and indeed across all sections of Lithuanian society. Pride in their school was very evident. We observed demonstrations in Science projects and Enterprise initiatives. Group work, active learning projects and group discussions were very evident. The relationship between staff and students was one of mutual respect, friendship and understanding.

A key learning from this visit was that each school had a clear vision, permeated throughout the school and articulated by students, staff and management. The opportunity to look into various educational settings in a sister EU country was quite the unique and rewarding experience.

First Holy Communion and Confirmation

Our 6th Class boys celebrated their Confirmation on Tuesday 14th March.

Our 2^nd Class boys celebrated their First Holy Communion on Sunday 7^th May. 

Both were very special occasions for the boys, their families and their teachers.

Congratulations to our Sciath na Scol Hurling team who have reached the final of this year’s competition. We look forward to supporting the team and wish them the best of luck!

First Penance and First Holy Communion

Well done to our seven 2^nd class pupils who recently received their First Penance from Fr. Jimmy Donnelly. 

The pupils, prepared by Mrs Breen, received their First Holy Communion in May.

Blessed Edmund Rice Feast Day 5th May

We celebrated Edmund Rice Feast Day 2023 with a ceremony in Doon church. Thanks to Fr. Donnelly for accommodating us and thanks to the parents’ council for the lovely ice cream treat later that day to mark the event.

Care for the Earth

Thanks to Mr. O’ Connell for teaching the pupils the importance of planting. We planted potatoes and carrots. We are hopeful these will be ready by mid-June to make some delicious potato wedges and spicy carrots.

All-Ireland Volleyball Champions 2023

Well done to our volleyball team who became All Ireland champions earlier this year. A fabulous achievement!!

Primary Game 2023

Congratulations to Eoin Murphy 6^th class student who was picked to play on the Limerick primary game team vs Waterford. Eoin represented his school with great pride and distinction.

6^th Class pupils at Doon C.B.S. before they graduate after their years in Primary School.

Back Row: Joanne O’Connell, (School Principal), Eoin Murphy, Nathan O’Connor, Tony Arthurs, Junior Owolabi, Thomas O’Dwyer, and Elizabeth Doherty, (Deputy Principal).

Front Row: Ronan Hanrahan, Colm Quinlan, Cian Murphy, Aaron Morris and Michael Dillon.

Class of 2022- 2023.

Brother James Dormer, Board of Management, Doon C.B.S. Primary School makes a presentation to sixth class school pupil, Eoin Murphy, to mark his excellent attendance on not being absent for one during his time as a student at Doon C.B.S. Primary School, Co. Limerick.

Also present are members of his family;

Caoimhe (sister), Marion (mother). Tom (father) and Cormac (brother).

Ms. Elizabeth Doherty, Deputy Principal Doon C.B.S. Primary School, makes a presentation to school pupil Cormac Murphy for having a full attendance of school days during the past school year, 2022 – 2023.

Our Journey to Becoming a School of Sanctuary

This year our Student Council has been working hard to help our school become a School of Sanctuary and we would like to share with you our journey so far.

It began with our getting in contact with the organisation School of Sanctuary. The first step of the process was planning a launch event.

Our contact from the School of Sanctuary came to our school and we talked to her and went through the steps that we will take in becoming a School of Sanctuary. We then organised an information day for the Ukrainian students' parents that explained the Irish education system to them.

After this we started planning for the First Year Dodgeball charity event. In this event we raised money that would go towards aid for the people affected by the earthquake that happened in Syria and Turkey. Next we planned culture week in which we had events spanning over multiple days.

On the first day we celebrated colours day and we had several events over this day. In the morning we had a tie dye for our ASD unit and a colours run in the evening. In the middle of the day we had a quiz based around culture for the First Years. On the second day we had a dodgeball tournament in celebration of culture with guest speakers to give a talk to the students about diversity. As you can see we have made great progress in our journey to becoming a School of Sanctuary and we plan on doing more over the next year.

Mind Your Mental Health Wellbeing Week in CÉR Cork

Here in Coláiste Éamann Rís we have participated in the Amber Flag initiative for the first time and have successfully secured our very first Amber Flag – we are hugely proud that our endeavours have been beneficial and positive for our school community and that our application returned a favourable result of securing our first ever Amber Flag.

Furthermore, as part of our Amber Flag initiative, in the lead up to the Easter Holidays Coláiste Éamann Rís was a hive of activity with ‘Mind your Mental Health WellBeing Week’ taking place. Across the school there were many events, activities and workshops that took place. The week was a great success with the entire school community experiencing a range of activities to raise awareness of the importance of looking after their mental health all while having fun in the process.

There were some great events happening throughout the fun filled week, such as….

• Our 60 second movement break at the start of the morning to encourage physical activity through movement breaks all set to some great music.
• Our quote of the day read out over the intercom by Student Council and Amber Flag Committee members.
• TY and Senior cycle talks from Bodywhys, Marie Keating Foundation and Paula Walsh Nutrition.
• A ‘Mind Your Mental Health’ themed poster competition.

Excursions to North Gate Cinema followed by workshops in St. Peters as part of Mental Health Workshops in conjunction with UCC.

The school community participated in writing a Gratitude note each morning to reflect on something they are grateful for and, these notes are now on display on a Gratitude Tree on the Student Council noticeboard. Student Council and Amber Flag Committee members ran a raffle for Easter Egg hampers as a fundraiser in aid of Pieta House.

Overall, it was a great week with an array of activities taking place to highlight and promote the importance of Minding your Mental Health.

CER CORK BOOK SIGNING EVENT

Ms. Nolan’s English and RE class held a book signing event for their book of poetry that was published by the very well know C.J. Fallon. The book entitled ‘Our Big Book of Little Poems’ was written by our wonderfully talented students in NF1 with contributions made from staff. The Collection of poems is heavily inspired by studied poets from the poetry course this year. Parents & guardians were invited into CER for some refreshments. The students gave a poetry reading and signed each other's book. Proud parents enjoyed the day immensely.

EDMUND RICE FEAST DAY CELEBRATIONS AT CER CORK

Our feast day kicked off with 2 separate prayer services, a junior school and senior school service to honour our founder, Edmund Rice . Our students, under the guidance of Mr. Corbett, wrote and composed a song,‘The Edmund Rice Song’, which was sung by our wonderful choir during both services. The song is inspired by the life of Edmund Rice and the Edmund Rice Prayer. The services were followed by an award event and fun and games had by all.

TY Photography Exhibition

The second TY Photography Exhibition was formally opened in Coláiste Éamann Rís on Wednesday May 10th 2023.

130 photographs were on display on the walls of the downstairs corridor and attracted huge attention from all who witnessed the spectacular images.

Photographic subjects included many beautiful sunsets, some bright and breath-taking flowers and many beach scenes. Other pictures were of local buildings such as City Hall and the Elysian. Many images were colourful, artistic and imaginative. Students also displayed images of their pets, their travels and other countries.

The exhibition was attended by Cllr Derry Canty who deputised for the Lord Mayor and Joe Kelly, President of the Cork Council of Trade Unions.

The very impressive photographs were on display for all students and staff to see following the launch.

EREBB Congress - ‘Young People's Voices’

We were delighted to play a role in the Walk in My Shoes event, held as part of the EREBB Congress in DCU. We were also delighted to be part of our very active EREBB community and listen to the voices from around the world, as well as participate in the very rich discussions that took place.

The Congress involved representatives of all ERST communities around the world, from South Africa to Australia.

One of highlights of the event was certainly the conversation with Jose Marie who was accompanied by Alberto Olivero and Patricia Tancred from Argentina. Jose talked about the importance of promoting the flourishing of culture of engagement in education, re-telling personal experiences of finding an impressive chain of schools, along present day Pope Francis, in an attempt to give young people a fresh sense of meaning: He saw purpose as the strongest antidote to young people turning towards crime when growing up in an environment surrounded by negative influences and corruption.

Young participants questioned Jose Marie who then explained how education is the pillar of our society and how it must be treated as a priority. He reassured them that the climate crisis can only become resolvable once the children are striated to become listened to and benefit from good education that will not only prepare them for a world of work but will help them to grow spiritually and intellectually, preparing them to face the global problems at hand.

One of the facilitators, Cáit Ní Cheallacháin introduced the section “Walk in My Shoes” and mentioned the importance of the Student Councils at promoting the student voice. She then introduced the moving stories of Mahmud and Muhammed who explained the difficulty of moving from their their countries of origin and arriving in Ireland from Sudan and Somalia. 

They also told us about  how important it was for them to enrol in schools with an inclusive ethos as this made a hugely positive impact on their abilities to integrate into their new surroundings.

IKristian Vukorepa the second facilitator, delivered a speech on the importance of solidarity in facing the challenges of our globalised society.

The session ended with inspiring presentations of secondary and primary school students who outlined their projects in reforestation, nature education and a holistic re-envisionment of homework assignments.

The EREBB Congress was a thrilling experience and a powerful reminder of education’s ability to bind the world together into a single room. It is exciting to think what can be achieved when people share their talents and insights through honesty, teaching and true learning.

Shakespeare's Macbeth Gets a 21st Century Makeover

On the 30th of March 6th year students visited the Everyman Theatre to see a modern day production of 'Macbeth' by Cyclone Productions. The play was interactive and provided a thrilling immersive experience into the world of Shakespeare. The actors transported the audience into the twenty-first century through its setting in the world of business where Macbeth, a power-hungry business mogul seeks economic growth, to his own demise. This unexpected twist was engaging from start to finish and both the students and their teachers were hugely impressed!

Drama Fest

CÉR Drama Fest was a culmination of hard work by students from across the year groups and was spearheaded by Ms. Fanning and Ms. Walsh. According to Ms Fanning, 'it was a fantastic event with great creative efforts made by the students involved - from the plot, character development, costumes and stage directions - they did it all!' Students sang, danced and acted their hearts out and were greeted with thunderous applause from our packed school hall.

Quaker Meeting House Visit

On 3rd May, Second Year students from Coláiste Éamann Rís visited the Quaker Meeting House on Capwell Road, Cork. Denise Gabuzda of the Quaker community was very welcoming, filling in the students about the rich history of the Quakers in Cork. She explained how the Quakers or Religious Society of Friends provided aid and assistance to the poor of Cork during the famine. This is something they are rightly proud of and, it is remembered with gratitude by the people of the city. Denise also gave an insight into the beliefs and practices of the Quakers, which the students found particularly interesting. Their emphasis on silence at meetings struck a chord with the students, living in this noisy and distracted world. After questions, they had an opportunity to visit the Quaker burial ground, a simple but dignified green space in the heart of the city. The class and school were very grateful to the Quakers for their time and are looking forward to visiting again in the near future.

Basketball

Coláiste Phádraig’s 2^nd yr Basketball Team enjoyed a hugely successful season, winning all 11 of their matches, culminating in an historic victory in the All-Ireland Junior Boys “B” Final in early May.

The team won the East Boys Region “B” Final on Tuesday 21^st March in the most dramatic style possible with the winning basket coming right on the final buzzer!  Le Chéile, Tyrrelstown were our opponents in the Final.

Lucan captain Lewis Adjinakou accepted the beautiful trophy and immediately lifted it above his head as he was engulfed by his ecstatic team-mates as they celebrated an historic achievement in front of their proud family, friends, coaches, teachers and supporters. 

The victory rounded off a memorable unbeaten campaign for this phenomenal group of players who rose to every challenge throughout the season. They have been such fantastic ambassadors for the school throughout the year and we are all very proud of each and every one of them.

Green Schools 

Coláiste Phádraig’s Green Schools Committee held their Day of Action on Thursday 16^th March as part of their aim of renewing the school’s green flag, this time for energy. 

Students were encouraged to wear green for the day and this raised 300euro for the Committee, to be spent on further green initiatives in the near future.

The Committee planted a Sorbus Tree in the new orchard area out by the Sports Hall on Thursday. They will water it regularly, especially in the next year or two, to help the tree become established.

A lively and interesting debate for 1^st yrs was held in the Classroom of the Future entitled “We should produce our own nuclear energy in Ireland”.

Transition Year students held Kahoot quizzes with 1^st and 2^nd yr students. The 1^st yr winning team of Conor Gilmore, Shane Brennan, Hasan Al Mini, Shaun Thomas and Elliot Hsiqo each won a 5e voucher for the school canteen. In 2^nd yr, Hazem Ahmed.

There were joint winners of the Green Schools poster competition. 1^st yrs Nate Crawford and Conor Linnane both won 30e All for One vouchers for their colourful and topical posters.

Clare McDonald, senior co-ordinator of Green Schools, visited the school as a follow-up to the Action Day. She met with the Green Schools Committee and Mr. Keane and enquired about the activities that were organised.

The Committee then had to fill out a detailed renewal application form for the Green Flag for Energy.

They were then informed in April that their application for the Green Flag award for energy was successful. Three of the members, accompanied by Mr. Keane, are to travel to The Helix in DCU on May 23^rd for the National Green Flag awards ceremony. The Committee have done fantastic work throughout the year and they thoroughly earned the Green Flag that An Taisce will present them with on the day.

English

As part of the English Department’s literacy programme, a Drop Everything And Read (DEAR) week was held in the school in April. All Junior Cycle students took part and the principal announced the 20 minute periods every day where the students stopped working in their classroom and took the time to read quietly a book that they had brought in. 

The main focus of the week was to remind students of the importance of reading simply for pleasure. If reading is to become a life-long habit, then young people need to see themselves as participants in a school community that views reading as a significant and enjoyable activity. 

Fundraising

A GAA skills and fun day was held in the school in April as part of a Transition Year fundraising initiative to raise funds for Pieta House and Dogs Trust. 2^nd Year  students got the opportunity to use the playing pitches for the 1^st time since the construction work began last November. They got to learn some GAA skills, play 5-a-side football, take part in a penalty shoot-out as well as play tag-rugby and rounders. The TY students also washed teachers’ cars in the yard while students got the chance to throw wet-sponges at their teachers! 

All for a good cause of course!

Business

The Money Smarts All-Ireland Final took place on Friday 12^th May in Trinity College. Four of our Transition Students, Eoin McGarty, Cillian Lawlor, Ben Gilson and Mario Nunis, were representing the school having qualified for the event as a team at the Regional Final held at the RDS in April. There were 16 teams of 4 at the Grand Final (out of a total of 240 teams) so qualifying was already a great achievement by all teams.  

Our team performed extremely well on the day but just missed out on the top prizes.

Athletics

It has been a great year for athletics in Coláiste Phádraig. Conor Abbott, 1^st yr student, and 3^rd yr Alex Leonard both won gold medals at the West Leinster Track and Field Athletics Championships held in Tullamore in April. Conor won the 1.1km race in great style while Alex stormed to victory in the 200m Final in a very quick time. 

Alex also won u17 All-Ireland 200m Final at the National Track and Field Championships in Athlone in March in a time of 22.70 so it’s great to have a National Champion in our school. 

The two athletes competed in the Leinster Track and Field Championship Finals, held in Santry in late May.

Building work 

The new additional modular school building has been completed on time after 6 months of intensive on-site and off-site labour. The two-storey building looks fantastic, with its wide windows overlooking the pitches in every room. It will be a wonderful addition to the school, beginning in September, and the students are really looking forward to using the extremely modern and state-of-the-art facilities inside every room. 

There are 10 spacious rooms in total with a library, resource room and a sensory room and two classrooms along with offices downstairs and there are 5 classrooms upstairs.

The first students to use the building will actually be from St. Joseph’s College, Lucan! Our Board of Management approved a request from the school to allow their 3^rd yr students to sit their Junior Cycle exams there in June (as there is significant building work currently taking place as well in their school). This will have no impact on our students who will be sitting their exams in the main building as usual.

Rather than losing space due to the new building, the students will actually be gaining a new outdoor yard space at the top of the Gaelic Football pitch. A new wide footpath has also been put in from the entrance of the main gate right up to the new building which will very welcome due to the number of staff cars and buses that arrive into the school every day while trying to reverse park or pick up students etc. The path ensures that the students have a safe route in and out of the school at all times.

Ardnacrusha Dam

By Gavin Dorney, 3rd Year

On Wednesday, the 28th of March, the 3rd years went on a Geography trip to the Ardnacrusha Hydroelectric Plant in Co. Clare. It was the first time a year from this school visited this plant, but it certainly won’t be the last. The experience was very enjoyable and we learned a lot from it.

It was an incredible marvel of human engineering. Construction began in 1925, just three years after Ireland won its independence from Britain. 

It cost 20% of the country’s annual revenue. To put that amount into perspective, 20% of Ireland’s national revenue today is €16.4 billion. The German company Siemens was contracted to build the plant by the Irish government. 

At its peak, 5,200 people were employed during its construction, with most of them being Irish. Because of the unbelievable feats of engineering being performed, 250,000 people had come to see the plant being built by the end of the decade. 

At the time of its completion, it was the largest hydroelectric power plant in the world, supplying 80% of Ireland’s electricity. The Ardnacrusha Power Station, situated in the backroads of southern Co. Clare, served as inspiration for the construction of the famous Hoover Dam in the United States, a 220m hydroelectric dam which holds back the mighty Colorado River.

First Years Promote Biodiversity

Our First Years are doing fantastic work in their promotion of biodiversity. Care for our planet is part of our Charter and our students are doing their bit, through engaging with the issues and taking practical steps such as building bug hotels and planting seeds.

Well done lads.

AG. Science Trip

Our TYs, LCAs 5th and 6th year Ag Science students visited Pallaskenry Agriculture College for a farm tour. 

The students had a very informative and hands-on tour of the farm.

Students participated in soil sampling and grass plate measuring along with a tour of the dairy sheep and beef facilities. 

Thanks to Rachel McNamara for the tour.

First Aid Training for Transition Years

This term, the TYs completed their first aid training including CPR.

This is one of the most important modules in TY and is a life-long, invaluable skill for the students to learn.

National Tree Week 2023

6th year LCAs, Junior Cycle students and students from Holy Family School participated in national tree week by planting native trees in our schools woodland.

Fundraiser for Holy Family School

On Friday 21st March, some 1st, 2nd and 3rd years attended a fundraiser in AIB Charleville in aid of the multi-sensory room in Holy Family School. There was an excellent spread of treats from the AIB for the students and all the students took turns at cycling the stationary bikes. Well done to all the boys who took part in raising money for this excellent cause.

Second Year Wellbeing Workshops

To finish up wellbeing week, 2nd year students undertook two workshops – yoga and music. Yoga has been shown to lower stress hormones in our bodies while simultaneously increasing beneficial brain chemicals such as endorphins. 

These feel-good chemicals help decrease anxiety and improve mood. Many studies have shown that listening to music can lower your blood pressure and your heart rate (both spike when you're stressed), and even lower stress hormones in your body. 

The boys had the opportunity to learn the ukelele which was a first for them all.

CBS Charleville Hurling Academy

The CBS Charleville Hurling Academy Open Day took place recently. Six past pupils – Tim O’Mahony, Darragh Fitzgibbon and Cormac O’Brien from the Cork Senior Hurling team and Paddy O’Loughlin, Míchéal Houlihan and Fergal O’Connor from the Limerick Senior Hurling team returned to the school for the day.

The day began with a very informative presentation for parents and players from Principal, Ms. Murphy and Deputy Principal Mr. Roberts about how CBS supports the development of students both academically but also on a holistic level including sport as they progress through school. This was then followed by Aidan O’Connell, Head of High Performance of Cork GAA explaining the pathway players can take to playing at a high level of hurling and what qualities selectors and coaches look for in players.

The young players then took part in two different sessions. One session was hosted in Thrive Fitness gym where Cathal O’Brien, strength and conditioning coach for the Cork U20s hurling team and Aidan O’Connell showed the players a variety exercises to improve their strength so they can increase their power and durability on the pitch.

The second session was a series of mini workshops held by the inter-county players where the young players had the opportunity to learn about their paths to the senior inter-county teams and take part in a number of challenges.

The day finished off with an excellent Question and Answer session with all of the players where the young players got to learn about their experiences in school and get advice from them on matters such as how to balance sport and study.

A huge thank you to everyone who was involved in the organisation of the day but particularly to the players, Aidan O’Connell and Cathal O’Brien who selflessly gave up their time.

EREBB visit

The school hosted delegates from Edmund Rice schools in Uruguay and Argentina as part of an EREBB Pre Congress visit in May. 

Students from Class 3Q accompanied the Uruguayan delegates from Stella Maris College, Montevideo to St. Patrick's Centre in Downpatrick and they also visited St. Patrick's Grave and Saul Church, the site of the first Church ever built in lreland.

Well done to all the students in 3Q for representing the school so well and helping to make our visitors feel welcome.

Greenway walk with EREBB Delegates

As our EREBB (Edmund Rice Education Beyond Borders) week continues, today all our first year students walked the Greenway from Omeath to Carlingford with the delegates from Stella Maris, Uruguay and Newman College, Argentina. Well done to all our First Year students who represented our school so well today.

 Gaeltacht Trip to Rann na Feirste

Photos and Videos: https://twitter.com/i/status/1...

Also here:https://twitter.com/i/status/1...

Trip to Dublin Zoo

3rd Year students enjoyed a fabulous time in the sun at Dublin Zoo, on a visit as part of their Ecology section of Junior Cycle Science.

They took notes on conservation and endangered species as well as adaptions of animals in their natural habitats.

Éinrí meets President Joe Biden

Coláiste Rís LCA2 student Éinrí McMahon was one of the very lucky few to meet President Joe Biden on his walkabout of Dundalk.

National Tree Week / Green Day

To celebrate National tree week the Student Council along with the Advocacy Committee planted ten saplings in the Fairgreen. For every tree planted, another 10 will be planted in Africa in our School's name. We also had a green day to raise much needed funds for Selfhelp Africa. Thank you to the whole school community who helped raise €310.

Gaisce

A number of students from Dungarvan CBS recently completed the various requirements to achieve their respective Gasice Award. The Gaisce Award is a nationally recognised award presented to young people, it is divided into three distinctive categories : namely the bronze, silver and gold awards. In all award categories participants complete activities in a personal skill (such as baking, learning a language, learning a musical instrument, knitting, art, creative writing), in community involvement (volunteering with tidy towns, being part of the 1st yr mentoring programme, helping with homework club) in physical activity (GAA, swimming, hiking, kickboxing, athletics etc) and finally participants are required to complete an adventure journey.

In CBS Dungarvan this year we had 15 students completing their Bronze Gaisce award and 2 students completing their silver Gaisce award.

For the Silver adventure journey students climbed Knockmealdown (794m). One student made chocolate flapjacks for the hike and after a grocery shop in Dunnes the group travelled to Rathgormack hostel for their overnight stay. Another student cooked a delicious chicken al forne and we played monopoly and cards in the perfect surroundings of the area. The following morning another student cooked breakfast and the group visited the famous Amish shop before moving onto Clonea Power Church to see the spectacular Harry Clarke stained glass windows.

The silver awardees then joined the bronze awardees for a cycle from Dungarvan to Kilmacthomas where the group enjoyed a late breakfast/early lunch. Following our lunch the group continued their cycle before turning back for our return journey, the group briefly stopped at Clonea Beach before returning to CBS Dungarvan and onto Ballymacarbry. While overnighting in Ballymacarbry Hostel the group enjoyed another student cooked meal, this time spaghetti bolognese was had for the evening meal. Following dinner students finished out the evening by played indoor soccer, hide and seek and badminton.

Dungarvan Easter GAA Camp

Over the 2023 Easter Break Dungarvan CBS ran our first ever GAA Camp, and the event certainly proved to be a great experience for the whole school community. The Camp focused on providing an opportunity for all sections of our school community to come together. 

The camp was exclusive to current and incoming CBS students which ensured that past, present and future students experienced everything that is great about our school community. The camp was certainly a special event as we embraced the opportunity to welcome back former students to act as our camp coaches. Dungarvan CBS are extremely fortunate to have a fantastic group of past students who are always willing to support the school, and the camp certainly highlighted this support.

We were delighted to welcome past students Patrick Curran, Colin Dunford, Seamus & Padraig Fitzgerald, Darragh Lyons, Michael Kiely, Alan Harty, Joe Booth and Rian Walsh back to the CBS playing fields to coach our young players. Our young players were certainly grateful to have such high-class coaches taking the sessions over the two days.

Overall, the camp was a major success in that it truly highlighted that Dungarvan CBS community is certainly alive and well.

Dungarvan CBS “Flashback in Time” Series

The “Flashback in Time” is a new school initiative that has arisen in the last number of weeks and has been a fantastic success to date. All credit for the fantastic collection of pictures being used each week must go to our retired colleague Mr. Pat Collins. Mr Collins handed over a treasure trove of material a little while back, which we have been trawling through in recent months. Over the past weeks the school have posted numerous pictures on our social media pages and the reaction to the various pictures posted online has been tremendous. The response from the school community, both past and present has been unbelievable. The images have allowed Dungarvan CBS to reconnect with our past pupils, families and staff members. Due to the success of the “Flashback in Time” series the school decided to continue posting images under a new regular social media feature called “Flashback Friday”. Each Friday the school’s social media team dive into Mr. Collins treasure trove of images and post an image on online.

Roof Repairs

Extensive work is being carried out on the roof of our building. We look forward to its completion.

The shot below was taken by local photographer, Pat Donnelly.

A New Boss at the Helm

Since the passing of our late Principal John Ryan, CBS Enniscorthy has been led by Mr. Brendan O’Sullivan. On May 15^th, however, he was officially appointed by the Board of Management as the principal of our school. 

Mr. O’Sullivan joined the school in 1994, serving as a classroom teacher for the next two decades. It was in 2014 that he took the position of deputy principal, going on to temporarily hold the role of acting principal in 2022 and 2023.

We wish Mr. O’Sullivan the very best for the future, as well as Deputy Principals Mr. Ger Coleman and Ms. Anne-Marie Breen. We have no doubt that the school will continue to flourish under their leadership.

Celebrating the Feast Day of Blessed Edmund Rice

CBS Enniscorthy celebrated the feast day of Christian Brothers founder Edmund Rice once again this year. Students and staff made their way to St. Aidan’s Cathedral for a mass that commemorated his life and works. The service also served as a memorial for John Ryan, our sorely missed Principal who passed away in March of this year.

Upon return to the school, students participated in various class activities, such as quizzes, wordsearches, creating posters, etc., that taught them more about the life and mission of Edmund Rice. They also took time out of class to enjoy ice creams, which had everybody in high spirits.

Everyone in the school thoroughly enjoyed the day and has an appreciation for the contributions that Blessed Edmund Rice made.

Under 17 Soccer Team

To say it was a good year for our under-17 soccer team is an understatement. CBS Enniscorthy rode an incredible 11 match win-streak, leading them to an all-Ireland final against Rice College Westport. Unfortunately, the team suffered a 3-2 loss in an ultra-competitive game, but showed themselves to be a force to be reckoned with.

Everyone in the school community is immensely proud of the success that the team found, as well as the tremendous coaching efforts of Ms. Burke and Mr. Murphy. We have no doubt that the boys will continue to reach these heights in the coming years.

Awards Night

The annual CBS Enniscorthy Awards night came around on May 10^th. Hosted in the Riverside Park Hotel, students and teachers gathered to celebrate academic excellence, sporting achievements and much more. We were honoured to be joined by guest speaker Pat Fenlon, a CBS Enniscorthy alumnus who has gone on to hold multiple executive posts in ESB and Electric Ireland.

Though we have pride in every student that received an award on the night, we would like to shine a special light on Jack Byrne and Ryan Donohoe, the winners of the John Ryan Student of the Year Award and the Sportstar of the Year Award, respectively. Both students have excelled far beyond expectations and are fully deserving of their awards.

Student Council

As one term of office ends, another one begins. Our current Head Boy, Aidan Wells, congratulating our New Head Boy for 2023/2024 Darragh Cooney. A huge well done to Aidan, and all the Student Council for their tremendous work throughout the year and best wishes to Darragh and the new Student Council for the coming year.

EPAS Programme

15 of the TY Junior Ambassadors of the EPAS programme travelled to the foot of the Rock of Cashel to attend the EPAS Awards Ceremomy in the Brian Ború Heritage Centre.

Students were addressed by MEPs Billy Kelleher, Seán Kelly and Grace O’Sullivan before taking part in a lovely Q&A. Cormac, Cormac and Conor made a presentation on their experience of the EPAS programme. All 9 schools then gathered for the cutting of the Europe Day Cake and a group photo.

Our Junior Ambassadors were presented with a certificate and our school awarded a plaque to mark the successful completion of the EPAS Programme.

Scifest

Our TYs travelled to TUS in Thurles to take part in Scifest with many innovative and create projects. Congratulations to Conor Hearne who was awarded the Scifest Life Science Award for his project "The brain body connection, does exercise help our brains work better ".

EREBB Delegates

We were delighted to welcome a party of Edmund Rice Education Beyond Borders (EREBB) delegates from some our partner Edmund Rice schools around the world to CBS Kilkenny on the 11^th and 12^th of May.

Over the course of two days, the delegates from as far afield as Australia and South Africa were treated to an action packed itinerary, which gave them a real flavour of life in CBS Kilkenny and in the city. Greeted at their city centre hotel by members of our Student Council, the delegates met with our community partners, Ossory Youth and Teach Tom before being escorted to the Chapter House of St Mary’s Cathedral, where they met with our Principal, Tom Clarke, Deputy Principals Derarca Maguire and Lucy Ryan, our chaplain Fr Jim Murphy and Bishop of Ossory and Kilkenny, Niall Coll.

They were treated to a short concert by our Senior Choir, fresh from their recent triumph in the Wesley Interschools Music Festival, and our Trad Band, who performed some traditional pieces for them and took time to discuss the evolution of the genre and some of the instruments with them.

After coffee in CBS Kilkenny, the delegates partook in a walking tour of Kilkenny, visiting the historic sites which surround our school, such as the medieval city walls, The Black Abbey & St Canice’s Cathedral, before heading to the home of Kilkenny hurling, Nowlan Park, to take in an exhibition game involving members of our various junior hurling teams.

Friday began with a visit to our neighbour, CBS Primary school, where the delegates met with Principal Niall Bergin and the teaching staff before returning to CBS Kilkenny, where they received presentations from our Student Council, Global Schools and Green School Committees, as well as from our advocacy organisations, such as Concern, Ossory Lourdes Pilgrimage and Journey to Taize and engaged the students in discussion.

After lunch, the delegates availed of the opportunity to visit classrooms, taking in lessons in Irish, History and CSPE before rounding off their visit with a guided tour of Kilkenny Castle.
We trust that they enjoyed their visit as much as we did and look forward to the increased interaction and exchange between our school networks in the years ahead arising from the relationships forged during their visit.

Computing Centre of Excellence Award

We were also tremendously proud this term to receive a Centre of Excellence Award, which are presented to the top Certiport Authorised Test Centres across the UK & Ireland, from Billy Breen of Prodigy Learning.

Our Microsoft World Champion, Rohan Vargas, spoke at this year's MOS Irish Finals in DreamSpace Dublin, where he shared his experience and where this year's CBS Kilkenny Irish finalist, Eoghan O' Callaghan competed. Well done to Rohan and Eoghan and to the Computer Science Department within the school on their ongoing success.

Cuairteoirí EREBB

Maidin den scoth caite againn anseo san AG. Bhí cuairteoirí againn ó ERST & EREBB. Bhí daltaí agus múinteoirí ó scoileanna ERST timpeall na Chaithreach; ionadaithe ó ERST agus cuairteoirí idirnáisiúnta ón Astráil agus an Aifric Theas linn.

What a wonderful morning we had in the AG when we had a lovely group of visitors to the school. As well as representatives from some of the ERST schools around the city, we were honoured to receive some of the EREBB Congress delegates from Australia and South Africa.

We gave them an introduction to some wonderful Irish music, as well as a short presentation on the significant impact of Edmund Rice’s vision on Ireland in 2023. A short tour of the school took in the Cemetery of the Brothers, as well as a brief history of the impact of our school on the history of Cork, and indeed of the country as a whole.