Welcome to the Autumn 2023 edition of eSíol. 

I hope you can find the time to read at least some of the articles and get a flavour of the many activities that are happening in our schools. 

This year, we are promoting the elements of our Charter by assigning one of the key elements as the theme for the eSíol. We are starting with element 2: Promoting Partnership in the School Community. 

This was also the theme for our Principals' Conference in September and it will feature in our work with students and teachers throughout the year.

I would like to welcome all of you, especially the students, teachers and families that are new to our network. We wish all of you the very best for the year ahead.

Have an enjoyable mid-term break.

Gerry Bennett

Chief Executive

Edmund Rice Schools Trust

Eight students achieve over 625 points in the Leaving Certificate

Huge congratulations to eight of our students who received over 625 points in the Leaving Certificate. Four students achieved seven H1s: Andrew Cowley, Matthew Davis, Eoin Gallagher and Fionn McCarthy. Four other students received 625 points: Austin Brennan, Samuel Dixon, Hugh Doyle and David Smyth.

This is a remarkable achievement! We are very proud of these young men and all our students who received excellent results across the board.

This is a great example of students, teachers and parents working together in partnership.

Congrats Adam O'Loughlin

Huge Congratulations to Adam O’Loughlin, one of our 6th Year students.

Adam was a member of the Boys Leinster Team who won The Boys Interprovincial Championship in Golf in late August.

Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) Week

All our 1st Year Modern Foreign Language students had great fun this week when our school marked European Languages Day. They were given the opportunity to sample some French and German treats (i.e. fresh Croissants, Kinderschokolade (German chocolate) and an Apfelschorle (a German apple drink)). Students were able to share what they have learned in their respective languages so far. Today, we also invited all our students to wear a European jersey of their choice to celebrate different cultures and languages.

Retirement Celebrations

Huge Congratulations to Ms Canty and Ms Costello on the occasion of their retirement.

We would like to wish them both happiness and good health to enjoy their well deserved retirement. Ms Canty joined the staff in 1992 and Ms Costello commenced her teaching career with us here in 1994. Both ladies have shown dedication and commitment to the boys and families in Naas CBS.

We will miss them both dearly.

Wellbeing Week

From Monday 2nd October - 5th October Naas CBS celebrated their annual well-being week. During the week all students got the opportunity to engage in a number of activities to raise awareness and highlight the importance of well-being and of minding ourselves every week. Students learned about ways to look after and promote their well-being. They also went on well-being walks around Naas and enjoyed the fresh air and good weather! 

Junior Cycle SPHE classes engaged in a number of activities throughout the week. Desk Yoga was a big hit and students learned about the benefits of yoga and relaxation techniques.

Our school choir also sang at assemblies throughout the week. As always, they were fantastic!

Our fantastic meitheal leaders organised a quiz for first year students to bring our Well-being week to an end. It was a huge success and the first years thoroughly enjoyed their afternoon! Well done to our Meitheal leaders once again for organising such a successful event and promoting partnership within our school.

A huge well done to all involved.

ERST Principals' Conference 2023

Well done to all our singers, musicians and readers who performed at the Edmund Rice Schools’ Trust Principals’ Conference in Johnstown House Estate in Enfield last week. The theme of the conference was partnership. The students put together a mix of reflective and uplifting readings and songs to symbolise the values of ERST and to show the meaning of partnership in our communities.

It was great to hear our students coming together to showcase the values of the Edmund Rice Schools' Trust (ERST) through music and readings on the theme of promoting partnership. These kinds of gatherings can be a powerful way to inspire and remind everyone of the importance of working together and fostering a sense of community. It's also a testament to the talents and dedication of the singers, musicians, and readers who participated in the conference. Celebrating and promoting such values can have a lasting impact on the school community and beyond.

We extend our gratitude to ERST for their excellent care during the event, and we sincerely hope they enjoyed our performance.

Ms.O’Donovan, Ms. McCabe & Ms. Prendiville

Bronze Gaisce Awards

Congratulations to 66 of our 5th Year students who received the Bronze Gaisce Award in recognition of their commitment to The President’s Award during T.Y.

To achieve the award, the boys completed the required number of weeks for their selected physical activity, personal skill and community involvement. They also participated in the adventure trip to Carlingford. Well done to all!

We would encourage the current T.Y. students to use their time productively and work towards achieving the Bronze Gaisce Award this year.

Pictured above are students from Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh, past pupils of our school,  who were welcomed back to Gaelscoil Sáirséal to complete work experience. 

This partnership promotes a lovely link between the students from both schools. 

The Transition Year students come every Thursday and the Junior and Senior infants, in particular, love to see them coming into their classes to help out.

Start of Year Mass

We gathered as a Christian community in partnership with our local parish to celebrate our Opening of year School Mass. It allowed us to come together to pause, reflect and pray before the business of the school term gets underway. Our musicians, singers, readers and gift bearers all contributed to making this liturgy a prayerful experience. 

Solas School for Life

Ardscoil na Mara was delighted to be chosen as the " School for Life 2023" in conjunction with BEAT 102 103FM, UMPC Whitfield Waterford and The Solas Centre.

Our 6th Year students, with their Year Head, Ms Barry, organised the whole fundraising day on October 6th. The entire school was encouraged to "Go Orange for SOLAS", and the excitement on the day was at epic levels!

BEAT FM arrived to the school at 8.00am with the BEAT DJ and BEAT Fleet, and there was lots of fun, games and of course dance offs!!

Our 6th Year Prefects showed incredible leadership and through their hard work and organisation managed to raise €3,000 for the SOLAS Cancer Centre in Waterford. Various staff members and students are going to participate in the official Solas Centre 10k Run/Walk for Life on October 15th, and we wish them the very best of luck!

Focus Ireland Shine a Light Sleepout

The annual Focus Ireland Sleep Out took place in the grounds of our school on Friday 13 of October. Our Peace and Justice group joined countless more for a night out under the stars to raise awareness and much needed funds for the homeless. We had a guest speaker join us on the night to talk about the different services that Focus provides. After a movie and treats it was out under the elements for our brave students and teachers. Well done to all involved who made this night a great success. See link below for more pictures of the nights events.

New Student Leadership 2023-‘24

Our Senior Student Leadership Team was announced to the school. Pictured below with Padraig Cawley; Principal and Aoife Denton ; Deputy Principal are Tom Fitzgearld and Roisin Mc Grath our head Boy and Girl. Our Deputy Head Boy and Girl are Diarmuid Wall and Charlotte Balfe. We congratulate them and wish them well as they take up their new roles working in partnership with the Senior Management Team, staff and students.

Great European Bake-Off

Our 2nd Great European Bake Off was one of the school activities which took place on September 26th to celebrate the European Day of Languages. European Day of Languages is a celebration of the amazing number and variety of languages spoken across Europe. Students were encouraged to bake a cake or pastry or cupcakes to represent Europe or a specific European country. Lots of winners from both Senior and Junior students and imaginative entries from all. Well done to everyone who entered.

Tráth na Gceist

Tráth na gCeist na Gaeilge 2023: Great display of Eolas Ginearálta on display today from Ardscoil na Mara's Irish Quiz Team who narrowly missed out on progressing onto the Nationals in Tráth na gCeist na Gaeilge 2023.

Munster Junior Golf championships

Munster Junior Golf Championship: Brilliant golf played by our Junior Golf team who participated in the Munster Championships in Cahir. Despite tough conditions, there were some great shots all round and we were unlucky not to progress onto the next round of the competition.

Gaeilge Abu!

We are working with TG4 Foghlaim on Instagram creating short video resources for Junior Cycle Students in Irish based on language and poetry.

TG4 Foghlaim

Táimid ag cruthú acmhainní oideachais do scoláirí atá ag déanamh Gaeilge na Sraithe Sóisearaí. Tugann na físeán tacaíocht do mhúinteoirí agus scoláirí araon, le hábhair mealltach atá ag teacht go hiomlán le Sonraíocht Gaeilge na Sraithe Sóisearaí.

We are creating educational resources for students doing Junior Cycle Irish.

The videos support both teachers and students with entertaining material that is in line with the Junior Cycle Irish course.

Visit from Sports Against Racism Ireland

Delighted to have the team from Sports Against Racism Ireland (SARI) in to host a workshop for our first-year classes again this year. SARI have been visiting the school for a number of years and each visit allows the students to learn valuable lessons about racism through sport- as one of SARI’s primary roles is to inform and educate on the values of an inclusive society where all forms of discrimination are unacceptable.

Visit from Pratyek- Presence and Right-Relations for Advocacy and Training of the young for the Earth-Rights and Kids’ Rights

First-year students enjoyed a brilliant workshop from PRATyek and Brother Pat Madigan, learning about injustice and PRATyek’s work to improve the lives of millions of people. It was an insightful experience and a chance to inspire our first years to recognise the work of PRATyek and to support and help those who are suffering injustice.

NEW YEAR, NEW SCHOOL JOURNAL

The new school year brings a new homework journal and this year’s journal once again contains some fabulous artwork by students of the Preparatory School. Pictured below are the boys who won the artwork competition for our journal. Many thanks to the Parents’ Council for donating prizes.

We value our partnership with parents.

Irish Rail Visit

We were lucky enough to be visited by a representative of Irish Rail in October. We were treated to two talks (one to Junior Infants – 2nd Class and another to 3rd Class – 6th Class).

The focus on the talks was safety with boys learning how to cross from one platform to another safely as well as what to do if they drop something on the tracks.

It was a fantastic presentation which the boys and teachers really enjoyed.

Debating in 5th Class

5th class have been working very hard on their persuasive writing and language skills over the past few weeks so they were put to the test in a whole class debate. The boys did a fantastic job and no doubt we have some future barristers in our midst.

First Year Day of Welcome

Our new First Year students began their CBC journey on 29th  August with a special Day of Welcome, beginning with a Mass celebrated by Most Rev Fintan Gavin, Bishop of Cork and Ross. Members of College management and staff welcomed the boys who were accompanied by their parents. Our new students were reminded of the bonds of friendship and common purpose that would unite them and help them as they settled into their new school community.

Lord Mayor’s Day

On 3rd October we welcomed Cllr Kieran McCarthy to CBC for the annual visit of the Lord Mayor. A Guard of Honour of all First Years lined the avenue to welcome the Lord Mayor on arrival. Photographs were taken with the student leadership team and representatives of each group from Junior Infants to Sixth Year. A special full assembly of the Preparatory and Secondary school was addressed by the Lord Mayor who spoke of his pride in representing the people of Cork city. The event was MC’d by Fourth Year students Tobey Reynolds and Jack Healy and the Lord Mayor was welcomed by School Captain Joe Cronin and Principal Mr Lordon.

Leaving Cert 2023

The College was immensely proud to learn of the fantastic success of our Class of 2023 who received their Leaving Cert results on 25 August. We extend our very best wishes to all our students in their future studies.

Naughton Scholarship

Andrew O’ Sullivan from the Class of 2023 was presented with a Naughton Scholarship in Trinity College Dublin on 14 October. The scholarship is awarded to students on the basis of their Leaving Cert results and who have opted to study a STEM undergraduate programme at university. Andrew is studying Engineering in UCC.

Student Council

Serving as the voice of the student body, the dedicated individuals of our Student Council continue to work tirelessly to foster a positive environment, initiate meaningful change, and create unforgettable memories for our entire school community.

The Council consists of a student from each year group and we have three co-opted members – our School Captain, our School Vice-Captain and finally our representative on The National Student Council. The group meet every two weeks with the Student Council co-ordinators – Mr. Darragh O Callaghan and Ms. Catherine Whelan.

Uniting Voices and Fostering Community: One of the primary roles of the Student Council has been to ensure that every student's voice is heard and valued. From the moment they took office, our council members have actively sought input from their peers through surveys, suggestion boxes, and open forums. They have skilfully synthesised these diverse perspectives, identifying common concerns and desires. Through their efforts, they have created an inclusive environment where everyone feels heard, fostering a stronger sense of community within our school.

Driving Positive Change: The Student Council has proved itself to be a driving force behind positive change within our school. They have diligently addressed issues ranging from school safety to promoting initiatives that prioritise the well-being of our student body and the wider community. On many occasions our council members have proven their dedication to improving the school experience for everyone.

Their dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to making a difference, continue to shape our school community in countless ways. They have inspired us to find our own voices, to stand up for what we believe in, and to contribute to the betterment of our school.

Misneach

In the heart of our secondary school, there exists a group that embodies the spirit of leadership, resilience, and unity. This group is Misneach. Misneach is a student leadership group, consisting of fourteen Transition Year students. But what is the purpose of Misneach?

1. Cultivating Leadership Skills:

The purpose of Misneach is about nurturing leaders. Through various projects, events, and responsibilities, Misneach members develop invaluable leadership skills. These skills, which include communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and decision-making, not only benefit the individuals involved but also prepare them to be leaders in their future endeavours. The group are front of house for many of our events and learn by engagement.

2. Fostering School Spirit and Unity:

The Misneach group plays a crucial role in fostering a sense of belonging and school spirit. They organise the Christmas Crib and the Tree of Intentions, infusing our school with enthusiasm and pride. This sense of unity not only enhances the overall school experience but also creates lasting memories that students carry with them long after graduating from Transition Year.

3. Nurturing a Culture of Resilience:

In life, challenges are inevitable. Misneach serves as a reminder that adversity can be overcome through determination and resilience. Whether it's facing setbacks during event planning or tackling larger issues within the school, Misneach members exemplify perseverance, inspiring others to do the same.

Meitheal Team

Each Year the S.C.A.L.A. Redemptorist Meitheal Programme interviews and selects 10 Fourth Year students to become student leaders within C.B.C. These pupils undergo four intensive training days in The Redemptorist House, Blackrock, where they develop skills in peer leadership, mentoring, organization and teamwork.

The Meitheal Team commences its work when the boys begin Fifth Year. It plays a major role in the Christian life of the C.B.C. community through its presence and example. The team identifies one particular need in the school each month. Then it consults with the Meitheal Support Teacher Mr. Kelliher and the school management to address that need. It’s major role is helping first year students to settle into the school. The team act as big brothers for the first years, visiting them regularly. They organise quizzes, a soccer marathon, Secret Santa, games etc. to help the students socialise. The Meitheal Team also provides a Guard of Honour at school funerals.

It further assists with charitable endeavours in the school, such as Non-Uniform Days and Cake Sales. The proceeds raised are donated to Cork SHARE, Cork St. Vincent de Paul, and The CBC Zambia Immersion Programme amongst other well deserving causes.

Exploring Cork's Rich Heritage: CBC's Local Heritage Programme

As part of the CBC curriculum, our first-year students participate in a six-week local heritage programme. The course takes advantage of the college’s location in the heart of Cork city, bringing students on weekly heritage walks to a variety of landmarks across the city.

This term, the program included a walking tour of Shandon, providing students with the opportunity to visit the North Cathedral and St. Anne's Church, home to the iconic Shandon Bells. This journey also took students through Cork's historic butter market and to the birthplace of Jack Lynch.

Our students were guided through Cork's murals by art teacher Mr. Peter Martin. This tour included murals commemorating both Thomás MacCurtain and the burning of Cork. Throughout the term, students visited other significant landmarks, such as the Crawford Art Gallery and St. Fin Barre's Cathedral.

Our most recent outing brought us to Cork’s seventeenth-century Elizabethan fort on the south side of the city. Here, students learned about the significant events connected to the site, from the Siege of Cork to its later transformation into a prison and barracks during the nineteenth century.

This programme offers our students a valuable insight into the rich history and culture of Cork city. The college would like to extend its sincere gratitude to the heritage sites across Cork that have hosted our visits during this term.

Zambia Immersion Programme

CBC is delighted to see the Zambia Immersion Project back up and running again this year. A group of fourteen students, accompanied by three teachers, Mr. Stephen Lynch, Ms. Ciara McCormack and Ms. Catherine Whelan, will travel to Mazabuka in Zambia in June, 2024.

CBC has a strong connection with Zambia. The CBC Zambia Immersion Programme began in 2002. The College visited Mufulira, in northern Zambia biannually from 2003. While CBC has traditionally worked with the Christian Brothers in Zambia, we now work in partnership with the Redemptorist organisation, SERVE, as most of the Irish Christian Brothers are no longer based in Zambia). SERVE is a development and volunteering organisation that is committed to providing equal opportunities for communities living in Southern Africa.

In 2019, the CBC Immersion Project, along with 2 members of SERVE, travelled to Mazabuka in Zambia for almost 3 weeks. During this time, the team renovated old, dull classrooms. Both students and teachers worked on a local farm for three days where they also camped and immersed themselves in the local community. They visited Flamboyant Special Needs School and had the opportunity to experience the wonderful work being carried out there. A significant portion of the money raised by the team was invested into this school and supported the various projects that SERVE had put together for the school. The team also attended local mass on Sunday and supported local tailors.

Due to the collaboration of teachers, students, parents, SERVE and the local Cork community, we have no doubt that the 2024 Project will be just as successful. We look forward to many fundraising and team building events which will take place throughout the year.

Zambia Team

Bunscoil na mBráithre Official School Opening

Friday 5th May 2023, the Feast of Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice, was the day chosen to officially open and bless the newly built CBS Primary School in Ennis. 

This day was many years in the making and would not have come to fruition had it not been for the wonderful partnership between school and community.

On arrival, guests were greeted by members of Ennis Brass Band to a musical interlude. Mr Dara Glynn, Príomhoide, welcomed everyone and thanked all who made it possible. 

Both the school Band and school Choir entertained all present with wonderful traditional music. Fr David, School Chaplain, and some pupils from 5th Class, led a beautiful prayer service and Blessing before all were invited on a conducted tour of the school, where pupils and teachers welcomed guests into their classroom. 

Hospitality was provided by the children under the watchful guidance and partnership with School Chef, Séamus Fitzgerald.

The official opening was undertaken by three Christian Brothers who teach, two of whom were former Principals of the school, Bro Ben Cusack from Cork, Bro Liam de Roiste from Limerick, and Bro Donal Healy.

Br Ben Cusack, Br Liam de Róiste and Br Dónal Healy cut the ribbon at the official opening of CBS Ennis on May 5^th 2023.

Lá Charelle 2023

On October 4^th, CBS students in third class were kindly invited to ‘Lá Charelle’ by our good friends in Gaelscoil Mhichíl Chíosóg. Lá Charelle is held annually in celebration of the life of former Gaelscoil student Charelle Howard.

The children were presented with medals for their efforts. The partnership brings together four local Primary Schools to practise and promote hurling and camogie skills while fostering a wonderful sense of Community for the children.

Tugtar deis iontach dóibh a chuid Ghaeilge a chur in úsáid go cumarsáide. Lá iontach spraoiúil a bhí ann agus mile buíochas do chách as ucht an lá iontach seo a eagrú don chomhphobal.

Celebrating 162 years of Christian Brothers in Nenagh

On the 27^th of September school community of St Joseph's CBS Nenagh attended our beginning of year mass, in which we celebrated the Christian Brothers community's departure from the Monastery and school grounds.

The Christian Brothers have a long-standing relationship with Nenagh, establishing the first school here, in 1862. In that time, they have contributed significantly to the community through pastoral, educational, and sporting activities.

The current staff of both primary and secondary schools understand the importance of building on that legacy while honouring the ethos of Edmund Rice and meeting the needs of our community.

As a school community, we were very privileged to have had such an active and positive relationship with the Christian Brothers' community and our students were always very lucky to have had the presence of the brothers on the campus. In recent years the Brothers, despite their retirement, have graciously allowed us to use rooms in the Monastery for interviews, meetings, and our 6th year oral exams.

We were delighted that Br. Seamus Whelan, the Community Leader, on the monastery's closure, Br. Killian Whelan and former secondary school Principal Br. Pat Madigan were able to join us in thanks for the wonderful education given to many generations of families from the community. We were also joined by Billy Lynch from ERST, Don O'Brien Chairperson of the Board of Management, Brendan Sheppard, Chairperson of the Parents' Association, William Greene, Principal of the primary school, a representative group of students from the primary school and many retired staff members.

Chess Mentoring

This week marked the start of an initiative run by Coláiste Éamann Rís, Cork’s chess club to promote the beautiful game of Chess. Students from the CÉR Cork’s chess club went to Greenmount NS, a local primary school to help them re-establish their chess club. 

Greenmount NS had a long tradition of chess in the school and unfortunately during the Covid pandemic the club was put on hold. Mr Hurley the school Principal, asked our club if we could help out setting up the club and we were delighted to have this opportunity. One of our own students had fond memories of playing chess with the club when he was in primary school and still has his trophies from one of the competitions run in Greenmount. 

Our chess club arrived at Greenmount to see over 30 primary school pupils ready to engage with reestablishing chess in their school. The interest was fantastic. Some of the pupils were new to the game so spent the time learning the rules and the movements of the pieces while others engaged in intense matches. Our Students will continue to volunteer over the next few weeks to support with the running of their chess club.

Ballyhass Bound: TYs Enjoy an Unforgettable Trip

September 8th marked the day Transition Year students spent in Ballyhass to complete a series of team building exercises. On this scorching hot afternoon it reached up to 27 degrees Celsius! The six class groups were split into three big groups and they all participated in different activities including archery, the inflatable aqua park and a climbing obstacle course. During the aqua park, our peers were pushing and throwing others into the water. The rambunctious atmosphere and lovely weather created a great day for the Transition year students and the teachers that went.

Picture This!

On Monday 18th and Tuesday 19th September, our Transition Year students took part in a photography workshop for a competition for Tactic Sample Studios. Students started off by learning what production at the photography studio involves before spending some time around the school grounds practising taking photographs with the information they had learned. Afterwards, they finished off the workshop by learning how to edit their photos - some of the final edited photos entered a Tactic Sample Studios competition.

TY student Olivea Madigan described what she had learned from the workshops when she outlined that ‘in photography I was shown a lot of pictures taken from different angles and where they were taken. A lot of angles included birds eye view and worm eye view.’

At the end of the workshops a total of 10 photos were entered into the competition. The photos pictured are examples of student work that showcase the amazing new skills they have acquired.

CHARLEVILLE C.B.S. WELCOMES FIRST YEAR STUDENTS 2023-24

C.B.S. Charleville rolled out the red carpet for their new first year students on Tuesday 29th August. The new students had an opportunity to meet their Year Head, Tutors, Subject Teachers, and the Pastoral Care Team.

The students participated in a number of activities throughout the day as part of a school induction workshop. 

They finished off the day by adding their handprints to the CBS family tree mural in the social area. We hope this was the start of many happy days for them in CBS Charleville.

OPEN NIGHT

CBS Charleville was delighted to welcome prospective students and parents from local primary schools to our open night. On the night, we showcased the vast array of curricular and extra-curricular subjects available to students in our school. The evening culminated with the principal's address where Ms. Murphy and Mr. Roberts had the opportunity to talk about the opportunities afforded to students who attend our school along with the achievements of past pupils.

Our 5th year tour guides did an outstanding job bringing groups of parents and students around the school while many other students and teachers ran a variety of activities in each classroom.

Thanks to Principals of local Primary Schools who allowed us the opportunity to visit their campus and meet 5th and 6th class groups. Ms. Murphy, Mr. Roberts, and members of C.B.S. middle management team gave a brief presentation of all that is on offer at C.B.S Charleville and invited the 5^th & 6^th class students to attend our Open Night.

FIRST YEAR CALLAN TRIP

On the 03^rd and the 9^th of October our first-year students travelled to Callan in Co Kilkenny to visit the birthplace of Edmund Rice. They were accompanied by their year head Mr. K Butler and Religion teacher Mr. Hogan and Fr. Luke and Fr. René from the Home of the mother in Mallow. The students learned all about Edmund Rice’s upbringing and the formation of the Christian Brothers. They were given a tour of Blessed Edmund’s home. A beautiful, thatched cottage built over 250 years ago. On route home the students stopped off at St Patrick’s Well in Clonmel where the boys enjoyed their lunch and a stroll in this wonderful place of worship and peace.

‘Shine a Light’ – Iarracht Maoinithe bliain a 4 ar son Focus Ireland.

Mar chuid don feachtas náisiúnta ‘‘Shine A Light’’, d’eagraigh daltaí na hidirbhliana iarracht maoinithe ar son an Carthanacht Focus Ireland. Le haghaidh oíche amháin, ar an 13ú lá de Mí Dheireadh Fomhair, rinne scoláirí ghalántacht an leaba a mhalairt ar son mála codlata leasmuigh. D’éirigh le na scoláirí suim de airgid a bháiliú ar son Focus Ireland, agus ag an t-am cheanna d’fhoglaim siad faoi roinnt de na dhushlán a bhíonn ar daoine gan dídean aghaidh a thabhairt ar ó lá go lae. Tá siad le moladh. Buíochas go Iníon Ní Ghallachóir ar cabhraigh le na scoláirí an iarracht maoinithe a éagrú.

Comhghairdeas mór le Rían Ó Braonáin.

Go n-éirí an bóthar le Rían Ó Braonáin, dalta bliain a sé a bhfuil tar éis áit a bhaint amach i Scoil Náisiúnta an Bailié thall i Londain. I Mí Meán Fomhair 2023, bhí Rían rathúil ina thriail leis an scoil cháiliúil seo, agus tá sé tar éis glacadh le áit ann ar feadh trí bliana. Tá Rían ag damhsa ó aois óg, agus deir sé gurb é a phaisean sa saol. Guíonn daltaí bliain a sé agus an pobal scoile uilig gach rath air sa todhchaí. Tá leathanach GoFundMe cruthaithe chun cabhrú le Rían agus a chlann an costas don turas nua seo a chlúdú.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/hel...

Rian ag damhsa.

Daltaí na séú bliana ag baint taitnimh as teas na gréine

Bhí téarma gnóthach, tairbheach agus siamsúil ag Coláiste Íosagáin, Baile Átha Cliath, le tús a chur leis an mbliain acadúil. Is cinnte go raibh go leor caidreamh agus ceangal forbartha ag an scoil agus comhpháirtíocht mar chroílár na n-imeachtaí a thit amach ó dheireadh Lúnasa.

Cúrsaí Spioradálta

Le tús spraíúil, suaimhneach a chuir leis an mbliain, d’fhreastail daltaí bhliain a sé agus a chúig ar chúrsaí spioradálta i nGleann Dá Loch. Is ord De la Salle ó Bhaile Feirméid a eagraíonn an cúrsa álainn seo ina ndéanann na daltaí guí, machnamh agus siúlóid faoin spéir. Bhí aimsir álainn ann do bhliain a sé agus d’éirigh leo barr na gcnoc a bhaint amach agus iad ar siúlóid sa ghleann.

An Pobal Scoile i mbun Tiomsaithe Airgid

Bhí daltaí bliain a trí iontach gnóthach agus iad ag tiomsú airgid ar son cúiseanna éagsúla ó thús na bliana. Ar dtús, rinne grúpaí cailíní ó ranganna Bóinn, Íde agus Cróine díolacháin cístí éagsúla a eagrú le hairgead a bhailiú ar son Cumann na Croise Deirge, mar chuid dá bhfreagairt éigeandála tar éis na creatha talúin i Maracó. D’éirigh thar barr le na díolacháin seo agus thiomsaigh siad €550 don Chros Dhearg.

Mar chuid de Sheachtain na Meabharshláinte ag tús mhí Dheireadh Fómhair (tuilleadh eolais, thíos), bhí lón blasta agus thar a bheith milis ag foireann Íosagáin agus iad ag tiomsú airgid ar mhaithe le Scoil Speisialta Mhóinéar Bhaile Eoghain (Ballyowen Meadows Special School). Tá ceangailt phearsanta ag ball foirne leis an scoil seo agus mar sin, bhí gach duine an-sásta cloisteáil go bhfuair siad €360 mar thoradh ar an sos blasta seo. Go raibh maith ag Iníon Ní Raghallaigh agus Iníon Ní Chonghaile a d’eagraigh.

Turas go dtí an Ghaeltacht

Bhí am ar dóigh ag bliain a dó agus iad ag fanacht i nGaeltacht Chonamara le tús spraíúil a chur lena ndara bliain i gColáiste Íosagáin. Chuaigh an bhliain ar fad go dtí Ros a’ Mhíl le freastail ar Choláiste Chamuis agus ghlac siad páirt i réimse leathan imeachtaí. Rinne siad rince ar an sean-nós, ghlac siad páirt i gcéilí istoíche, rinne siad ceardlann amhránaíochta agus chuaigh siad go dtí páirceanna eachtraíochta, Wildlands agus Elemental. Bhí fíor-eipéireas Gaeltachta acu agus iad ag fanacht le mná tí timpeall an cheantair. Le deireadh a chur ar an gceithre lá, thug siad cuairt ar Theach an Phiarsaigh, Ros Muc, le foghlaim mar gheall ar cheannródaí na scolaíochta Gaeilge, an Piarsach é féin.

Iarrscoláirí Rathúla, an CLG agus Cuairt na gCorn

Bhí sceitimíní an domhain ar phobail Íosagáin agus Eoin i mí Meán Fómhair nuair a tháinig Corn Bhreandáin Uí Mháirtín agus Corn Sam Mhic Uidhir le cuairt a thabhairt orainn. Thóg iarrscoláirí Íosagáin agus Eoin, Aoife Ní Chatháin, Con Ó Ceallacháin agus Peadar Ó Cofaigh Beirne na coirn isteach agus labhair siad leis an bpobal scoile uile. An-ócáid ar fad a bhí ann agus tá an dá scoil iontach bródúil as ár n-imreoirí rathúla.

Cuairteoirí ón nGearmáin

Mar chuid den togra Erasmus+, tá malartú á dhéanamh ag grúpa cailíní idirbhliana Íosagáin le grúpa scoláirí ón nGearmáin. Tháinig na cuairteoirí Gearmánacha go hÉirinn ar dtús agus cuireadh fáilte mhór rompu i mí Meán Fómhair. Tháinig siad ó scoil darb ainm Mädchengymnasium Jülich (MGJ), meánscoil cailíní i Jülich in Iarthar na Gearmáine. 

Rinne siad ceardlanna éagsúla in éineacht le cailíní Íosagáin agus cuid mhaith de na ranganna bunaithe ar fholáinne agus ar fhoghlaim faoin gcultúr Éireannach. Rinne siad Íoga, ceardlann ar fhéinchúraim, agus chuaigh siad ar siúlóid timpeall na cathrach, ag foghlaim mar gheall ar stair Átha Cliath agus Éirí Amach na Cásca. 

Chuir daltaí ceolmhara seisiún tradisiúnta ar siúl dóibh freisin agus d’fhoghlaim siad cúpla steip le linn ceardlainne ar an rince Ghaelach. Beidh naonúr ag dul trasna go dtí an Ghearmáin mar chuid den mhalartú agus tabharfaidh siad faoi cheardlann ETIM (eolaíocht, teicneolaíocht, innealtóireacht agus matamaitic) agus iad ann.

Níos déanaí an tseachtain sin, thug na daltaí cuairt ar an scoil imeasctha Shimna i gCo. an Dúin. Is scoil chomhpháirtíoch í sin, ag glacadh páirte i PASCH le Coláiste Íosagáin. Is tionscnamh de chuid an Goethe-Institut agus rialtas na Gearmáine é PASCH.

Cuairt na Toscaireachta ó Sacsan-Anhalt

Ní amháin go raibh cuairteoirí óga na Gearmáine linn le déanaí, ach bhí polaiteoirí ann freisin. Tháinig toscaireacht ón nGearmáin ar cuairt le foghlaim mar gheall ar an idirbhliain. Toscaireacht ón gcúige Sacsan-Anhalt a bhí ann agus labhair Iníon Ní Raghallaigh, Máistir Delap agus Máistir Ó Murchú leo mar gheall ar a gcuid taithí leis an idirbhliain. In éineacht leis an ngrúpa, bhí attaché na hambasáide Ghearmánaí linn ar an lá.

Higher Options

D’fhreastail lucht na séú bliana ar Higher Options agus labhair siad le Ola Majekodunmi (iarscoláire Íosagáin) maidir lena gairm le Gaeilge. Bíonn Ola ag obair sna meáin na laethanta seo agus cuireann sí an Ghaeilge chun cinn go mór iontu. Bhí Ola ann mar chuid de ghné nua ag Higher Options, “An Cheathrú Gaeltachta”. Bhí an-chuid eolais ann maidir le gairmeacha le Gaeilge. Go raibh maith ag Iníon Ní Raghallaigh as iad a thabhairt ann. Lá iontach fiúntach a bhí ann.

Imeachtaí na hIdirbhliana

Bhí comhpháirtíocht le feiceáil in an-chuid imeachtaí na hidirbhliana ó thús na bliana. Dar ndóigh, is bliain iontach suimiúil í seo agus bíonn go leor ar siúl ag na daltaí ó sheachtain go seachtain. Cúpla imeacht a sheasann amach ná turas go dtí Teach Chill an Ridire agus cúrsaí rothaíochta i bPáirc an Fhionnuisce. Teach stairiúil is ea é Cill an Ridire agus tá páirc eachtraíochta acu ar an láthair freisin. Chuir an bhliain an-aithne ar a chéile agus iad ag eachtraíocht faoin spéir. Imeacht amháin eile a chuir le haitmaisféar agus le haclaíocht na bliana ná cúrsa rothaíochta i bPáirc an Fhionnuisce. Bhí laethanta spleodracha ag na ranganna ar fad thar chúpla seachtain agus iad i mbun rothaíochta sa pháirc. Dar ndóigh, tá go leor le teacht agus táimid ar fad ag súil leis!

Dundalk was honoured to be featured as a destination on the itinerary of President Joseph Biden on his recent visit to Ireland in April this year. The Cooley peninsula is his ancestral home and he received a warm welcome from the crowds lining the streets of Dundalk. Not even the wet weather could dampen the locals’ enthusiasm. This momentous occasion was broadcast on live television and staff and students of Coláiste Rís watched closely at home as the 46th President of the United States made his first stop in Dundalk, into a local restaurant and delicatessen, ‘The Food House’. As we followed the broadcast intently on live television, you can only imagine our surprise as President Biden met the employees and the very first person he met was none other than Einrí McMahon, one of our Sixth year Leaving Certificate Applied students. Einrí was very excited to meet the president and he felt very proud to meet him. He wasn’t nervous at all. Einrí described the president as ‘a lovely man’, even though it took him five attempts to get the selfie right with Einrí! The president blessed himself when he finally got the selfie!

Jerome McAteer, proprietor of ‘The Food House’, described Einrí as ‘the star of the show’ during the presidential visit. He has seen how Einrí has grown in confidence during his work placement and how much he enjoys interacting with the public. ‘The Food House’ is an inclusive workplace and Jerome emphasised how much they have enjoyed training Einrí and how much he has brought to them. In fact, Einrí is such a hard worker that Jerome has offered him a summer job!

Although meeting the president was undoubtedly the highlight of his work experience, Einrí has really enjoyed the entire placement, especially meeting new people, both staff and customers. Einrí has noted that the LCA programme in Coláiste Rís has offered him a lot of new opportunities and that he has learned many new skills. He has become more independent in life and he has enjoyed developing his interview skills and finding out about life after school.

As a fitting postscript to the visit, Jerome and the staff of ‘The Food House’ received a letter of thanks from the president and he noted how much he enjoyed meeting Conor and Enrí. (pictured with Joe Biden).

Sensory Climbing Wall and New Yard Games

In partnership with the Parents Council, Principal Ms Mc Donagh and the Oatlands Student Council, the school yard has recently been transformed into a colorful and interactive play area. 

The sensory and interactive element of the climbing wall ensures that everyone gets to enjoy more exercise, and to have more fun on the playground. Ms Mc. Donagh met with the Student Council, to brainstorm on colour schemes and lay out, as well as to get feedback on some ideas that the student body might have. 

The result of this collaboration is now being enjoyed by all!

Cake Sale

The recent cake sale, in September, was a great success. In partnership with the Parents Council, the event was better than ever! As usual, older and more mature 'buddies' from 6th class accompanied the younger children to the hall, assisting them in buying their cakes. They did a great job in helping the junior corridor to fully enjoy the experience, and of course to get the best deals on cakes and buns. 

Of special note at the cake sale was the stall of the jewellry business entitled ‘Pink Smiley Jewelery’ set up by Katya Trzeciak and Abigail Barnett, of sixth class. The company came about due to a love for colour and for fashion, and the girls are creating beautiful bracelets which are available online on Instagram at @pinksmiliesjewellery. 

85 bracelets sold at the cake sale, much of which went to a charity collecting for the earthquake in Morocco. 

Well done to the girls for their hard work, and for raising much needed funds for those in such difficult circumstances.

On the left, Abigail and Katya, in Ms Faulner’s 6th Class - young entrepreneurs with the Oatlands ethos of kindness!

On the right, Pink Smiley Bracelets - Created by Katya and Abigail of 6th Class.

The Greatest Oaks have been Little Acorns

Welcome to the new cohort of Junior Infants, who are beginning school this year. The children have been learning about Autumn, and have some beautiful poems and art displayed. 

They have also been doing buddy art in the assembly hall, in partnership with older classes. Collaborating, sharing and learning to be part of a group are all central to the settling in of the new infants. 

The infants are off to a flying start!

Failte Friday

Failte Friday welcomes parents and guardians to come into class on a monthly basis, to see the children, and to see the classroom where all the hard work is taking place. 

Children show their parents a piece of work that they have been focusing on. Children really enjoy showing their parents or guardians something that they have done that has made them feel very proud of themselves. 

Partnership with parents and school is proving to be a very fruitful initiative. Class displays and art works have also been displayed in the corridors, for students to show their families.

Kilmacud Crokes

We cheered on the Ladies Kilmacud team here recently at Oatlands, and we all wore purple and gold to celebrate their match. It is always great to cheer on our local team. We look forward to a visit from Kilmacud Crokes in the near future as well as Mt. Merrion Youths team.

EREBB School Link

We are delighted to be linked up with Runnymede Primary School in Liverpool, as a partner school. We greatly look forward to seeing everyone soon online. Having had our initial meeting we are now all set for Student Councils to meet up soon! 

Thanks to Ann Nichols for facilitating this for us.

Art Works in Autumn

This is some of the art work which our pupils have been doing to celebrate Autumn.

Welcome all and Congratulations Sixth Years of 2022/23

It’s been a great start to the year with visits from our past pupils celebrating their successes and sharing good news about their plans for further education now that the college places have been offered and accepted. Well done to all, it was a very challenging time for the 22/23 group who had no experience of a state exam before and to the teachers who got them there. Go néirí libh! We’d like to extend a warm welcome to Ms. O’ Keeffe, our new Home Ec and Religion teacher and all our new staff who will join us throughout this year. We say a fond farewell to Ms. Fitzgerald whom Ms. O’ Keeffe replaces.

First Year Mass

Our incoming First Years have now almost two months’ worth of secondary schooling under their belt. This year they will have the support of Ms. Kenneally, Year Head and their class tutors. On Friday 6^th October, they celebrated the start of Year Mass in St. John’s Church, our Parish church. Thanks to Fr. Tom Rogers, our school chaplain for helping us with the arrangements. who will be with us for the morning. Thanks to Ms. Siobhán Cahill, Music teacher, who had her musicians working on pieces for the Mass.

Transition Year Tidings

Our Transition Year students have taken the plunge into Fourth Year and are now well immersed in their TY modules. Mr. Dunne’s Seminar Series kicked off with an invaluable talk from Dr. Margaret Tynan, SETU lecturer whose field of expertise is currently in entrepreneurship and management. This talk was delivered to all the classes via Zoom, and more are planned, enhancing the knowledge that students can gain about the world of work.

TY Students secure Wellbeing Resources

Last year, a group of Third Year students decided that they needed activities during rainy days in school and decided to survey students about much needed boardgames. The survey was very inclusive, gathering the opinions of students from First to Sixth Year. Having collated the results, the twelve most popular games were bought and are now being used by the classes. Well done to Alessia Cislaghi, Emily Russell, Caidhla McGrath and Lily Mai McGillen.

Birr Outdoor Education Centre

As we know, TY is a year that tries to maintain that fine balance between the academic and the physical. The group has already visited the Dunmore East Outdoor Adventure Centre and has just returned from a three-day Team Building trip to Birr Outdoor Adventure Centre. 

This was a super trip with students enjoying a very full itinerary which included Gorge Walking, canoeing up the Shannon, mountain biking in the picturesque Slieve Bloom mountains and much more. 

Offaly’s hidden beauty, the Silver River, was in impressive form following heavy rainfall recently. The groups were kitted out in double wetsuits to withstand the elements. We were certainly at one and connected with nature as Dr. Mark Rowe had advised us during past Wellbeing talks where he highlighted the benefits of Forest Bathing. 

There was plenty of Green Exercise as the teams had to ford the river using ropes and human chain. The Shannon was our next port of call and students canoed from Galway back to Offaly in double canoes. The weather conditions contributed to the swell in the river and the crews often had to bale water, navigate the waves and work as a team to ensure the safety of all. The craic at the pier under the bridge was well deserved and the Mexican Wave jumps won’t be forgotten for a long time to come!

The team in Birr also provides mountain biking activities on trails in the Slieve Blooms. The students were given expert instruction as to how to cycle into the berms on runs like “The Banana Split”, The Easy Peeler” and “The Mint Crisp”. Trips like this are all about reducing risks by using the necessary skills to be successful. Safety first is the mantra. We cannot recommend more highly a trip to Birr for schools who are looking for a team building and bonding experience away in the wild. Hungry adventurers, on returning in the evenings, were well fed and even volunteered to do clean ups. To round the day off we had a quiz and a visit to the local swimming pool and much needed trips to Tesco across the road!

Thanks to our instructors Ryan, Johnny, Hugh, Peggy, Mary, and Colin for making our trip so enjoyable and to all at the center Mary, Yanni and John for the coordination work of our trip. The We couldn’t have done it without our TY Coordinator Mr. Quillinan, Mr. O’ Brien, Ms. Fanning, Ms. Corcoran, and Mr. Deegan. The pictures tell a thousand words!

Alpha Programme

Sr. Kathryn and her team have brought the Alpha programme to our school once again this year. TY students get a space to explore the meaning of Life, Faith, God. Alpha allows students to seek answers to questions like “Is there more to life than this?” Anyone interested in the Adult Alpha programs in pursuing these meaningful questions can contact the Parish of St. Benildus for details on upcoming courses.

Concern Debaters

It’s great to have a team included in the Concern national debating competition which has been online for a few years now. The TY team has just hosted their first debate where we proposed the motion “Africa will regret its reliance on China”. Thomas Sheils captained the team and was supported by Aoife Brennan and Sarah O’Grady. Thanks goes to our support team Seán Conroy, Róisin O’ Shea, Aoife Fitzgerald and Henry Avery. The topic, while heavy, was enlightening. We want to thank Sacred Heart Convent, Clonakilty for providing very robust debate.

Gaisce News

Ms. Murphy and her students have been busy enrolling TY’s for the 23/24 Gaisce programme. It’s the Presidents Award which is the most prestigious award to encourage young people to dream big and realize their potential. There are three levels of Gaisce – Bronze, Silver and Gold. As they say: The more time and energy you give, the greater the reward.

Waterpark Students Celebrate International Sporting Excellence

Adam O'Neill represented Ireland at the European Sea Angling competition in Greece. He performed brilliantly and achieved second place in Europe.

Saoirse Mullaney represented Ireland and came 2^nd at the European Kickboxing Championships in Holland. 

In Portugal , Olivia Phelan came 3^rd at the European Youth Gymnastics. 

Volleyball is one of our latest sports on our extensive menu of extra-curricular activities for students and Stephen Abraham made the squad for the forthcoming European U.22 Volleyball Championships.

Meanwhile in Dundee, Scotland ,Emmett Cusack won gold at the World Kickboxing Championships  You are an inspiration to us all. Well done!

Open Evening

On the 28^th of September, Woodbrook College opened for parents and prospective students from 4pm to 6 pm. Visitors took a tour of the school, guided by the Student Council and the Student Leadership Team.

They navigated their way around the building and explored the different interactive activities on offer. Activities included keyring making in the woodwork room, show stopping experiments in the science labs, VR headsets in the humanities department, games in the language rooms, an art display in the art department, cupcakes, brownies and more in the home economics room, a tour of the gym and even experienced magic by Mr. Mestanza to name a few!

Parents and prospective students were raving about our school, “I really liked the school and it’s the best one I’ve visited so far”. The Woodbrook College Annual Open Evening was a great success thanks to the efforts of the teachers and students who helped make it so!

TY Involvement with a Disability Service

The Transition Years in Oatlands College have a long-standing relationship with St. John of God Carmona which is a disability services and support organisation in Dublin. 

Each week the students welcome Carmona clients to the school for an hour of football and other sporting activities. This initiative involves a buddy system where students are paired with one of our guests. 

Students take their buddy through a programme of football and fitness skills which is designed by the students themselves to suit the needs of their partner. Every session always ends in a highly competitive football game which is enjoyed by all. 

The students gain leadership skills, social awareness and develop empathy and strong friendships with their buddy.

Environmental studies with global connections

Our second years are conducting an Air Quality Study with Globe Ireland, the EPA and An Taisce. The data gathered by the class is used by these agencies as well as international bodies such as NASA. The project involves placing test tubes around the school which will be analysed by the EPA, the class also must conduct bi-weekly traffic counts, tree counts and cloud observations. Last year the same group conducted a study of the heat island effect in our school and collaborated with schools in Malta and Israel over zoom calls.

Not only did this study generate awareness in the class regarding environmental matters, but the element of global connection has brought them closer with their peers in other countries. While we are all shocked at the horrors we see in Gaza and Israel recently, our second-year students have a greater empathy for all involved having gotten the opportunity to talk to students their own age from the region. It has made them realise how the conflict is impacting people their own age on both sides and has helped them to understand the human impact conflict has regardless of politics.

Gaisce Award and Community Involvement

This Year's Fifth Years received their Bronze Gaisce medals when they returned to school this September. Oatlands College has a long history of our students taking part in Gaisce and we always have a big group of students taking part each year, as you can see in the photo above. 

Community Involvement is such an important part of the Transition Year experience that we timetable it into the school week. Each student spends a part of every week of the school year getting involved in a voluntary community activity going beyond the requirements of the Gaisce award.

Two of our current TY students wrote a short paragraph describing some of their community involvement activities they are part of this year.

Lawerence volunteers with Park Run:

My chosen volunteer organisation is the Park Run in Marlay Park every weekend. My role is to manage and organise the start and finish of the 5k course. I chose to volunteer for the park run because I come from an athletic and running background -I have run for Ireland in Birmingham and currently am part of the Under 17 Irish team. I feel like I can apply my experience to those who need it in the park run and I love seeing the community getting out and running and keeping healthy and active. It is fantastic to see the large number of people that come out and run with their families, friends, pets and with other park runners. I love the opportunity to give back to the community but I also gain on my social skills, confidence, physical health and have made some new friends.

Ahmed Volunteers with Special Olympics Ireland:

My involvement in the Special Olympics is a deeply rewarding and transformative experience. Working with these remarkable athletes, who show boundless determination and spirit, has allowed me to witness the power of inclusion and the ability of sports to break down barriers. Whether I'm coaching, volunteering at events, or simply cheering on the athletes, the sense of unity and empowerment that the Special Olympics brings to our community is truly inspiring. It's a reminder that every individual has unique strengths and capabilities, and I'm grateful to be part of a community that celebrates diversity and provides a platform for these extraordinary individuals to shine. Together, we are fostering a more inclusive and accepting society for everyone.

2^nd Years complete CPR 4 Schools

Miss Quirke's 2nd Year Science class learned the lifesaving skill of CPR as part of the "CPR 4 Schools" programme by the Irish Heart Foundation. The students spent the last week learning how to perform compressions, recognise the symptoms of a stroke, the difference between a heart attack and a cardiac arrest, how to perform CPR on a child as well as how to use an AED.

HSCL and our Partnership With Parents

In Mount Sion, are very proud of our partnership with our parents! Ours is a school that has long welcomed and championed parental involvement in our school and we try to support them in their roles as prime educators of their children.

Central to our ability to involve parents in the life of the school is the role of our Home School Community Liaison Coordinator. Since the introduction of the role to our school many years ago, the role has been pivotal in building relationships between the home and school.

The opportunities for parents to engage with the school are wide-ranging and varied.

Last year we had English Classes for Beginners which were held in our secondary school and were well-attended! We had parents from many countries including, to name but a few, Brazil, Ukraine, Afghanistan and Croatia!

A group of our parents attended a “Walk and Talk” Programme where they were given the opportunities to explore the region’s attractions accompanied by our HSCL Coordinator, Mr Fanning. Parents visited local areas that may have been unknown or unfamiliar to them and this was a fantastic way for our parents to meet and it was also hugely helpful in assisting some of our newer parents to integrate into the community and school.

We ran Cookery Classes in conjunction with our friends in Waterford Area Partnership where parents could meet to cook, bake and chat in the most fantastic of atmospheres under the amazing instruction of our chef Siobhán! Parents learned some tried and tested Irish recipes and all were encouraged to introduce the class to the delicacies and tastes of their own homelands! It was a wonderful experience for all!

A unique class took place, again with the support of Waterford Area Partnership, whereby our parents were able to learn how to upcycle and revitalise old furniture! This course proved hugely popular and wonderful furniture and friendships were formed!!

Our Maths For Fun programmes were again an amazing success! Parents would come weekly and participate in a station maths activity with their child’s class! Simply the best fun was had by all and the parents had just as much fun as the children. The programme was a wonderful example of partnership in action!

One of the most powerful and impactful partnerships to emerge was a Creative Writing Class of a small group of parents which came to be titled, “Just Cake!” The cryptic title of the self-named group would take too long to explain here but safe to say, it sprung from the amazing creativity of our parents, brought forth by the amazing tutelage of Frank Farrelly, a former teacher and HSCL from our secondary school and now, published and esteemed poet! The small group of ladies involved became the very best of friends throughout the programme and the course culminated in the production and presentation of the most amazing anthology of poems by the parents! It was a powerful journey for all involved and the impact was lasting and wholly inspiring for all lucky enough to be involved.

This is just a taster of the many, many ways our parents engaged with the school over the past year and we are continuing to connect and involve our parents in the most impactful ways in the life of our school and the education of their children. The ethos of Rice continues to be evident in all our actions in Mount Sion-and our partnership with parents epitomises the very essence of that ethos!

Maths for Fun Senior Infants partner up with Fifth Class

In Mount Sion Primary School we as a school engage in Maths Games every Friday. It is a whole school initiative. 

Look at Michael Frisby’s Senior Infant class along with support teacher Nicole Mackey making Maths fun. 

Olivia Power’s 5th class boys partner up with the Senior Infant boys (Sai, Jack, Peter, Sean, Daniel, Conor, Liam, Kevin and Cael) for Maths Games each Friday. 

Look at Jamie Hoban Smith from 5th Class playing Snakes and Ladders with pupils from Senior Infants. Owen O’Toole, Rafael dos Santos and Richard Kisluk gave great guidance to the Senior Infant boys in playing Connect 4.

World Book Day

Room 5 Senior Infants celebrated World Book Day with their 5th Class Buddies by reading some of their favourite books to each other. 

The big buddies helped the senior infant buddies to draw pictures and write about their favourite books.

Teddy Bear Picnic

Senior Infants had a fantastic time with their 5th Class Buddies on their Teddy Bear Picnic! The big boys helped Senior walk safely to the Mount Sion Playground. Everyone had a great day!

Coláiste Mhichíl trio celebrate sporting success

Three Coláiste Mhichíl students celebrated significant success in their chosen sports in September. Third year student, Peter Purcell recently won a gold medal for his Ballysimon club, at the European Tang Soo Do championships in Belfast. Tang Soo Do is a Korean Martial art based on Karate. Peter has competed all around the world through the sport.

In another form of martial arts, Transition Year student Cillian Honan battled hard to win two European kickboxing silver medals in Scotland last month, representing Ireland. The final Coláiste Mhichíl student who has enjoyed significant sporting success recently was Transition Year student Luke Carey. Luke, who is a highly promising golfer, was part of the Limerick Golf Club team who won the Junior Cup All-Ireland against Greystones GC, off the back of winning the first ever Captain’s Cup in the Junior section at Limerick Golf Club.

Basketball brilliance!

Well done to the under 16s basketball team who won their recent match against Killorglin. The under 16s played a super game with some strong team performances. Commiserations to the Killorglin team. Thank you Coláiste Mhichíl basketball coaches Ms Kavanagh and Mr Naughton for all their support and dedication to the team.

Soccer Success!

Our U17s team had a good win in Ennis today. A great team performance from the lads. On to the next round! Thank you to their coaches Mr Woulfe and Mr Healy for all their hard work and dedication.

Hiking Moylussa and the 12 O’Clock Hills

The Transition Year students and Leaving Cert Applied students enjoyed two hikes last month. The Moylussa hike, which is the highest peak in county Clare, at a height of 531.6m proved to be a challenging but rewarding experience for all students. The TYs and the LCAs braved another hike, the 8.5km strenuous looped walk up and over the 12 O'Clock Hills at 309m elevation. Thank you to Programmes Coordinator Ms O’ Sullivan for organising the hikes.

Open Night 2023

This year's Open Night took place on Thursday 28th of October. There was a great buzz around the school as management, teachers and students welcomed prospective students and their parents to Coláiste Mhichíl. 

A sample of activities from various subjects and extracurricular activities were on display. On the night the school displayed sporting and non-sporting activities including basketball, cricket, soccer, chess, dungeons and dragons, and art club.

Past pupils and J.P. McManus Scholarship Award recipients spoke to parents and prospective students. Every year since 1997, each of the top eight Leaving Certificate students receive a scholarship to the value of €27,000 from the McManus family.

Thanks to all staff and student volunteers for facilitating an informative and engaging Open Night.

This is a great example of our partnerships in action.

Coláiste Mhichíl’s Annual Careers Fair

Coláiste Mhichíl’s annual Careers Fair took place on Thursday 12th October, organised by Career Guidance Counselor Ms Nash. 

The fair exhibited a multitude of Limerick's leading companies and postgraduate providers with lots of jobs, internships, and courses available to apply for on the day. 

Students had the opportunity to network and interact with top employers and postgraduate providers at over twenty stands. Students were able to get the answers and information they need to take their next step in their study and career paths. Thank you to everyone who attended.

Student Council bake sale fundraiser for Milford Hospice

The Student Council held a bake sale to raise funds for Milford Hospice. The bake sale was very successful with students and teachers donating and buying baked goods! Congratulations to the Student Council who raised €445 for Milford Hospice! Thank you to Ms Hennessy and Mr Biasini for their support in this initiative.

Limerick City Gallery of Art

The fifth-year art students had a fantastic time exploring the Limerick City Gallery of Art last month. All students had the opportunity to explore the LCGA Permanent Art Collection which features works by Jack B Yeats and artworks from internationally based artists in the EVA International Exhibition.

Colásite Mhichíl’s School Art Gallery

Coláiste Mhichíl’s school corridors are getting a splash of colour with student’s artwork being displayed throughout the corridors. This month the art department exhibited artworks from Leaving cert projects to transition year collaborative pieces. Artworks include watercolour painting, acrylic painting, mixed media, collage and photography. The art department is looking forward to continuing to add new artworks every month.

Extracurricular

Everyone is excited to see the extracurricular activities back. Sport and extracurricular activities are an essential aspect of education in Coláiste Mhichíl. We offer a wide variety of sporting and non-sporting activities including soccer, basketball, cricket, Gaelic games, coding, chess, choir, D&D, art club and many more.

Award Winning Students

Andreas Chiotis was awarded TY student of the month in September, keep up the great work Andreas and enjoy your subway voucher. The positive behaviour winners for Math this month were Oisin Clancy and Ibrahim Islam who won €10 vouchers for Easons! Well done Oisin and Ibrahim, keep up the great work. The positive behaviour subject winners for EAL/X Irish were Belal Minawal & Mark Keane. The Irish Subject Winners were Bernard Ndlovu and Bushara Angarib.

The following students won the Positive Behaviour Award for the month of September:

• 1st Year: Sofienne Slonis
• 2nd Year: Nikita Yakovlev
• 3rd Year:Ryan McNamara
• TY: Rayan Tuana
• 5th Year: Jake Gallagher
• 6th Year: TJ Hartigan

Thank you to the Positive Behaviour team, Ms O’ Connor, Mr Waters, Ms Kavanagh and Mr Biasini for this fantastic initiative.

The First Co-Educational Class

September 2023 saw the arrival of our first Co-Educational Class! 18 girls came through the doors as part of the inaugural group and in this first term, the whole first year group has made itself at home. 

Helped by Year Head, Miss Barry, Deputy Principal, Miss Alexandra Duane, Acting Deputy Principal, Miss McDonnell and Principal, Mr Stack, our community has banded together at the beginning of this new era. 

Pictured above are 1st Years Carly Nolan and Amber O’Flaherty in their positions as representatives on the Student Council. 6th Year Prefect and longest serving Student Council member Kyle Gleeson has been showing the girls the ropes as the Council works to organise its first big event of the year.

Class of 1968 Scholarships presented to the Class of 2023

St Joseph’s is incredibly lucky to have an active and dedicated Past Pupils Union who, through many different initiatives, support the current students of their school. 

One such way the Alumni assists the development of present students is through the 1968 Scholarships. A number of members of the graduating class of 1968 provide 3 students from each year with a staggering €1,000 sum for every year of their Undergraduate Degree. The group began this tradition in 2021 and the subsequent recipients are all still in third level education.

This, among many other reasons, is one of the ways we see the ethos and values of St Joseph’s come alive. We recognise how incredibly rare it is to have a voluntary contribution such as this.

The partnership between past and present continues to strengthen our community. Our students and their families are overwhelmingly grateful to the Class of 1968 for this assistance. The students from the 2023 Graduating Class selected this year are:

Eoghan Boland for Top Academic Achievement

Ugnius Salvaitis for Commitment to Improvement

Daniel Courtney for Spirit of Joeys

These students are going on to study in Trinity College Dublin and TU Dublin. All three young men have gone through six years in our care and we couldn’t be more proud to continue supporting them as they embark on this new phase of their education.

Japanese Ambassador to Ireland Visits CBS Roscommon

We had a very special guest come to visit us in CBS on Monday 9^th of October from the Japanese Embassy. Mr. Maruyama, Japanese Ambassador to Ireland, and his assistant Ms. Keiko Nakata were greeted by Head Boy Brian O' Connor and Deputy Head Boy Jamie Betts on behalf of the whole student body. 

Mr. Scollan emphasised the strong links that exist between Roscommon and Japan, in particular with the teaching of Japanese language and culture to Transition Year students by Ms. Chie Weir. Mr. Maruyama attended one of her classes where students had learned Japanese origami and presented him with one of their pieces. He then listened to some traditional Irish music featuring our talented music classes, prepared by Ms. Quinn. 

Mr. Maruyama spoke to the students about the importance of connections and the opportunities that exist between Ireland and Japan like the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme while also highlighting the influence of Japanese culture in Ireland, particularly among teenagers, such as anime and manga. He also visited our Edmund Rice Centre and spoke with the students. Mr. Scollan presented Mr. Maruyama with a Rita Oates 'Layers of Understanding' frame as a token of appreciation for his visit.

We would like to thank Mr. Maruyama and Ms. Keiko Nakata for taking the time to visit the CBS, it was an absolute honour to welcome you both to the school. Thank you also to Dermot Hughes Cars, JF Hanley Groundcare and McSharry Bros for helping to showcase the strong connections between Ireland and Japan with their Japanese products on the day.

TUS – A new partnership for CBS Roscommon

Computer Science has been introduced as a new subject in Senior Cycle this year in CBS Roscommon. As we are located close to the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) in Athlone, Ms. Coyle decided to contact Dr. Enda Fallon, who had visited the CBS in order to begin a partnership with TUS. Our 5th year Computer science class participated in a fantastic Code4Fun workshop with Dr. Karol Fitzgerald. 

They programmed micro:bit's to transmit and receive messages and control micro:bit race cars. He gave the students a wonderful insight into college life at TUS and innovative ways that technology can be used in our everyday lives. They also graciously donated equipment to the school to aid the implementation of Computer Science. 

We are so grateful for the opportunity to avail of this wonderful resource on our doorstep.

Transition Year – 1^st Year Mentoring Programme

Our Transition Year students have been busy this term meeting their 1^st year mentees and getting to know them. The programme is designed to help first year students settle in at the CBS by pairing them with a TY mentor who will show them around, answer questions and guide them as they adapt to their new environment. It also helps TY students to develop their leadership and interpersonal skills. Well done to all involved in this wonderful initiative.

The first term at Bunscoil McAuley Rice was a big success, and we were especially pleased with the integration of our 49 new junior infant pupils. In addition, we are happy to announce this year's School of Sanctuary committee. All seven members of our team are from 6th class. Throughout this new school year, each member of our team will work hard to make every student feel welcomed, safe, and supported, especially our new infant classes and refugee students. As a champion School of Sanctuary, we ensure that all children feel welcome and included, and it always brings us great joy to see our students happy.

During the first term, the School of Sanctuary Committee brainstormed ways to benefit our students. Some of the suggestions put forward this year include: 1. Lunch Time Reading club where committee members read to our refugee students. 2. Hosting an International Day of Celebration during Refugee Week. 3. Committee members welcome students to school every day, greeting them in their native language and helping them to transition into their classrooms. 4. Participate in the Active Schools Week Run for Refugees. 5. Organise a donation day for The Good Shepherd Centre and Crumlin Children's Hospital. Our long-term plans also include researching solar panels so that Bunscoil McAUley Rice can further reduce its energy bills and reduce its carbon footprint. Additionally, we would like to see a new prayer room set up in our school. These exciting projects are something we are looking forward to at Bunscoil McAuley Rice.

On October 10th, we celebrated World Homeless Day. All children participated in a day of action at our school to raise awareness about the importance of our homes and homelessness issues. Along with raising awareness for World Homeless Day, our School of Sanctuary Committee collected toiletries to donate to The Good Shepherd Centre in Kilkenny. It is the Good Shepherd Centre Kilkenny (GSCK) that provides services to women, men, and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The response from our students was overwhelming, and an abundance of toiletries and warm clothing was donated.

Our lunch time reading club meets on Fridays, and it was great to welcome our newest members from Syria and Ukraine. It is our goal to help students improve their reading and oral language skills this year.

We are looking forward to sharing further project work with the whole school community in the new year. Bunscoil McAuley Rice would like to wish you and your families a safe and happy midterm.

Whole School Mass

On the 22^nd of September, we celebrated our whole school mass to mark the start of the new school year. It was a wonderful expression of the Catholic ethos that we celebrate in our school which was enhanced by the beautiful hymns, readings, prayers and symbols. Well done to all involved. A special word of thanks to Fr. Patrick Cahill for delivering a beautiful mass and to Mr. Noel Casey for his ongoing help and support to the Edmund Rice Secondary School.

Transition Year

Lt. Owen McNamara visited ERSS on Thursday 28th of September to speak to our Transition Year Students. Owen told his own story, sharing his background and giving an insight into a career as part of the Irish Defence Forces. 

It was an engaging experience that students spoke highly of in subsequent conversations. Tina Mulhearne came into our school to give TY students information on the student enterprise program (mini company). At this stage both classes have created their groups and are preparing for the market day on Friday the 1st of December and hopefully some groups will progress to county and national finals. our Transition Years travelled to the ploughing championships in Ratheniska. Despite the poor weather an enjoyable day was had by all. 

Their first trip of the year was one to remember. TYs took part in the Adventure element of the Gaisce Award. The group hiked through the woods and by the riverside near Graignamanagh Thursday morning. Kayaking on the River Barrow was a highlight despite the poor weather. At night, the boys spent their downtime playing soccer in the AstroTurf. 

They fully immersed themselves into the spirit of the adventure and camped overnight. Friday morning the group rose early to start their ascent of Brandon Hill and returned safely within 5 hours. Well done to everyone who participated in the event.

Leaving Certificate Results 2023

In September, we welcomed back our Leaving Certificate Students of 2023 for lunch and refreshments with staff, to congratulate them on their Leaving Certificate Results. It was an extremely enjoyable afternoon. They have reaped the benefits of their hard work and diligent focus over the past two years. The boys will commence College courses, Apprenticeships, enrol in the army and enter the working world. 

Student Council

Pictured are the newly elected members of the Student Council after receiving their ties of investiture from Principal Tom Clarke and our Chaplain Fr Murphy.

The council will work in partnership with the parents and teachers, on behalf of students.

Leaving Cert Award Winners

Pictured on the left are LC 2023 students Jack O'Neill and Enda McCabe on their receipt of All-Ireland Scholarships at the University of Limerick recently. Their successes are the result of students, teachers and parents working in partnership.

Transition Year

Pictured on the right are Transition Year students with the Mayor of Kilkenny, Joe Malone, as they team up to promote World Car Free Day.

Graduation News

Our latest cohort of 6^th yr students graduated in St. Mary’s Church and the school on Thursday 25^th May. The students first attended a mass in St. Mary’s Church said by Fr. Ubaldo with the Gospel Choir adding beautiful music and soul to the occasion, before returning to the school where the Sports Hall filled up with close to 350 people as parents, guardians, family, friends and staff gathered together one final time to bid farewell and wish good luck to the class of 2023.

As usual at these bittersweet occasions, there were mixed emotions for the students as they celebrated the end of their secondary education in the school. There was a sense of joy and celebration of their time in Coláiste Phádraig, tinged with a little sadness that is common to graduation ceremonies, as the realisation dawned on the students that they would soon be leaving behind a lot of friendships and happy memories as they prepared to complete their exams and move onto the next stage of their lives.

Deputy principal Mr. Geraghty opened the 1^st ceremony by welcoming everyone in attendance. He then invited 6^th yr student Matthew Duffy to the stage to make his address to his audience. Matthew gave a heartfelt and personal address that got to the heart of what it means to be a student at Coláiste Phádraig. He spoke with eloquence, humour, emotion, maturity and sincerity about his time at the school, listing some of the daunting challenges posed by the Covid restrictions in particular.

Rachel Crehan, long-standing member of the Parents Association, then congratulated the students (including her own son Adam) on their graduation and then took the opportunity to praise the dedication, commitment and encouragement of outgoing principal Mr. Brady and wish him a happy retirement. Rachel then made a presentation to Mr. Brady on behalf of the Parents Association. Ms. O’ Leary, the Year Head of 6^th yrs, and Principal Mr. Brady also addressed the congregation before the students were then called onto the stage in groups of four where they received their graduation certs, 6^th yr group photo as well as a set of cufflinks as mementoes of their time in Coláiste Phádraig.

Open Night and Opening of New Building

A big attraction on our Open Night was of the new school modular building, which was officially opened in a lovely ceremony held at 6pm in the new school library. It was attended by lots of special guests, including past-pupils and former teachers, management and admin staff of the school, parents, current students, members of ERST (Edmund Rice Schools Trust) as well as our recently retired principal Mr. Brady.