ffPupils from Francis Street CBS, Primary School receiving their “bucket filling awards”. Left to right: Pietro Belo, James McNevin, David Narkunas, Reece O’Connell, Conor Mulcahy and Jake Langley Síol Newsletter Edmund Rice Schools Trust • Spring 2017 • Issue 13 Flying the Flag for Development and Diversity On Friday May 5th – shortly after you return from your Easter Our diversity was reflected in the many entries that we break - we will celebrate Edmund Rice Day. On that day, all the received for our flag competition. The colour, individuality, schools in our ever-growing and developing network will unfurl creativity, imagination and strong social justice messages the new Edmund Rice Flag. that were conveyed on the flag designs submitted are a This new Edmund Rice Schools’ Flag results from the fitting testament to the dynamism that exists everyday across ‘Design our Flag’ competition, which attracted hundreds of our schools. entries from our schools all over the country. Congratulations I want you to celebrate your special role and your school’s to all the entrants and winners in each age group. The overall role as part of our diverse network, upholding and contributing winner and designer of our flag is Elizabeth Butler. Elizabeth to our unique living history since Blessed Edmund Rice opened attends Edmund Rice College Carrigaline, Co. Cork – one of his first school in Waterford 215 years ago. our newest network schools which welcomed its first class only last September. Well done Elizabeth! Mental Health On Edmund Rice Day, I ask you to reflect on and celebrate Another theme that came across strongly in the flags submitted the diversity of our vibrant network. Our 37,000 pupils come was that of wellbeing and happiness. Our happiness, how we from a huge variety of backgrounds, cultures and religions. In view our world, the work we have to do, our self-confidence one of our primary schools, our students come from no less than and our ability to be our best is intrinsically linked to our 44 different nationalities. mental health. Diversity is wonderful. It fuels dynamism and creativity. It In Edmund Rice schools, we care about our mental health fosters tolerance and understanding. Its very existence means as much as our physical health and wellbeing. We don’t that we can learn about, and importantly learn to respect, the separate them. So many articles and reports in this edition of different traditions, ideals, viewpoints and beliefs that make up Síol showcase the fantastic work that is being done across our the world – starting right here in our own school yards. schools on promoting positive mental health. ffContinued overleaf ffContinued from cover page CBS The Green, Tralee CBS All Weather Pitch Fundraiser As our Charter says, under Reaches Fruition Excelling in Teaching and Learning, The Green has a renowned sporting “The school nurtures the full potential tradition which dates back to our early of students, so that they may be years. Throughout our history we have healthy both in mind and body.” championed sports participation and That’s why the theme of many of our physical education and we are proud activities both this year and next year that sport continues to form a significant is supporting and fostering the mental part of The Green experience for a great health and well-being of everyone in many students. The Green has always our school community. strived to achieve the highest level in sport and has produced some of the finest Hoist the Flag! sports people to represent their county, So, this Edmund Rice Day, hoist that province and country over the years. Past flag. Celebrate the unique heritage students have represented their county at and diversity within our network. And all levels in Gaelic Football and Hurling. remember that diversity exists because The school has educated and is home each one of us is unique, is different. to many All Ireland medal holders and Take time to look around and celebrate is proud of this tradition. Past students your unique friends and colleagues have represented their country in rugby and commit to looking out for one at underage level and many have secured another, particularly if you think that places on provincial squads. Students also somebody may be feeling unhappy, boast national and international medals stressed or anxious. in Athletics. Most of all, give yourselves a big Beginning in November 2014 we round of applause for the role you play embarked on a fundraising initiative every day in contributing positively in order to develop an all-weather to your school, your community and pitch on the grounds of our school so our network. that we can maintain this tradition in extremely excited to use the facility and The vision of Edmund Rice – a sporting excellence and continue to are hugely impressed with the quality vision that was founded on love, develop our physical education and of the pitch. The facility will be used for charity, well-being and respect - is sports programmes. Physical Education classes and for team truly shining bright still. Last year we held a fundraising event training in Athletics, Football, Soccer, called The Kube which received fantastic Hurling and Rugby. Blessings to you all for our special day support and which provided us with A project of this scale would not on May 5th. the opportunity to begin developing the have been possible without the huge project in September 2016. contribution from Businesses in Every good wish, The pitch was constructed by PST Tralee, the support of parents and the Sports to the highest quality. It has a general public. Gerry Bennett 3G Stem Grass 60mm artificial carpet. The Board of Management, Staff and Chief Executive The pitch was opened to the students in Students of CBS The Green are grateful to February of this year. All students were and wish to thank all concerned. Woodbrook College, Bray Christmas Hamper Appeal for St. Vincent de Paul As part of our caring approach to the community, the school students and their parents contribute items of non-perishable food which were formed into Christmas food hampers and donated to our local branch of the St. Vincent de Paul. A team of students and teachers organised the project and arranged for the hampers to be decorated brightly and filled with all the necessary and luxury food items for Christmas. The hampers were distributed to needy families in the Bray and Shankill area. Síol Page 2 Edmund Rice College, Carrigaline Links with Fellow ERST Schools Students of Edmund Rice College, had raised to a representative from the Carrigaline, Co. Cork joined students local Simon Community in Cork. from fellow ERST schools CBS Minister Coveney listened to the Midleton and Ardscoil na Mara, students and was impressed with their Tramore on 9th January, to welcome work, stating that he personally found it the High Hopes Choir to Carrigaline. unacceptable that people were homeless, The choir members either have, or are, but that he and the government were experiencing homelessness and they working on the issue and that real and came to Carrigaline to lend their voice to meaningful progress would be made on a campaign involving the students from the issue. Addressing the members of the the three schools. High Hopes Choir (whom he then joined The students are part of the for singing one of their songs) Minister One Campaign for Change (www. Coveney invited them back to Carrigaline onecampaignforchange.weebly. next year to meet with him again and to com) which aims to tackle the issue review the progress that he says will be of homelessness in Ireland and they made in the meantime. He also invited presented a petition containing more the students involved from the three than 10,000 signatures to Minister schools to meet him again next January for Housing, Planning and Local so that they too might see what difference Government, Simon Coveney TD. The their actions on behalf of the homeless petition calls on the government to tackle will have had on the issue. in their new school building, to report the issue of homelessness, which the Ms Adele Flynn, principal of ERC on progress. She praised the students for young people find unacceptable. Students Carrigaline, said she would be delighted their initiative and their caring and said it from Edmund Rice College, Carrigaline to have all the students, the choir and was very much in keeping with the ethos also presented the proceeds of funds they Minister Coveney visit again next January of the new school. Christmas Spirit in Carrigaline The run-up to Christmas was busy for lots of people and the same was true for the students of Edmund Rice College, Carrigaline, Co. Cork. In keeping with our ethos of care and forging links with the community, our first-year students undertook several initiatives to highlight the need to reach out to others at Christmas. They undertook a non-uniform day which raised €200 for the services provided by Pieta House in Cork and were delighted to have Mr Pat Duffy from the service visit the school and raise awareness about the work that Pieta House is involved in. The school has a very active Leo Club (a Leo Club is an off-shoot of a local Lions Club and Leo stands for leadership, experience, opportunity) and its members brought in a number The first ever term of Edmund to welcome some of the service-users of food items to make hampers which Rice College ended with a prayer and of the local Enable Ireland group to they presented to the local Lions Club carol service in which students had a the school to hear the students sing President, Roy Jolly and Honorary chance to reflect on the real meaning their carols and it really made the Secretary Kieran McNamee, for of Christmas.