Mercy Kilbeggan Newsletter Issue 2

NEWS AND VIEWS

MERCY SECONDARY SCHOOL KILBEGGAN NEWSLETTER MAY 2019 ISSUE 2

WELCOME WEBSITE Welcome to the May issue of Mercy Kilbeggan “News Please consult our school website at and Views” which highlights some events and www.mercykilbeggan.ie for weekly event updates, activities that go on, and will go on, in our school both news in co-curricular and extracurricular activities, inside and outside of the classroom. and useful links.

SCHOOL NEWS

TRACTOR RUN

The Mercy Secondary School Kilbeggan Parents Association Tractor Run, held on April 7th, was a great success. Well over 100 tractors of all makes and sizes participated in the Run. The weather was perfect for the occasion and the 20km route was completed in under an hour. There was a great atmosphere throughout the event and a great sense of community spirit. A successful raffle and an auction were conducted afterwards while participants enjoyed some refreshments. A massive thank you to all Tractor Run participants, the lead bikers, our assisting teachers, people who prepared food, sponsors, and to anyone who contributed or assisted in any way with the facilitation of this memorable day. Almost €7000 was raised, with all proceeds going directly to our new school.

NEW SCHOOL

Full Planning Permission for our new state of the art 650 pupil school was granted on Monday April 8th 2019. The tender process for this development will now begin immediately, with construction hopefully beginning sometime in early 2020. Exciting times lie ahead.

FASHION SHOW

Mercy Kilbeggan held a Fashion Show in the Orchard Pavillion at New Forest Estate on Thursday March 28th. The show was organised by our Transition Year students and featured both students and teachers modelling clothing sourced from fashion houses and boutiques in the local towns of Tullamore and Mullingar. A fun-filled night was certainly had, and a huge thank you is extended to everyone who assisted with and/or attended the show.

SENIOR BOYS FOOTBALL

Our Senior boys football team were victorious in their Westmeath/Longford league final on April 11th against Ballymahon VS. We just shaded it in a great game of football and battled hard to win on a score line of 2-10 to 1-11. The game was played on St. Lomans 3G in Mullingar. It was a fitting end to Gaelic football at Mercy Kilbeggan for four of our Sixth Year students; Eoin Kiernan, Dean Slevin, James Hanlon and Niall Carey.

MERCY SECONDARY SCHOOL KILBEGGAN

KILBEGGAN, CO. WESTMEATH • Tel: 057 9332292 • Email: [email protected] • Web: www.mercykilbeggan.ie Principal: Garrett Farrell • Deputy Principal: Bernadette Gallen MERCY SECONDARY SCHOOL KILBEGGAN NEWSLETTER MAY 2019 ISSUE 2

SCHOOL NEWS

FIFTH YEAR BARCELONA TRIP

The 2019 edition of our Fifth Year foreign trip saw 70 of our

students, with 7 teachers, travel to the city of Barcelona during the Easter holidays. The trip was a huge success. Our students had the opportunity to visit Portaventura, the Nou Camp, Las Ramblas, Playa De La Barceloneta, La Sagrada Familia, Montjuic via Cabel Car, the Arc De Triomph, Estadi Olimpic and L’Aquarium Barcelona. Our students were also presented with the opportunity to attend a La Liga soccer game; Espanyol v Celta Vigo. Memories were made which will last our Fifth Years a lifetime.

SIXTH YEAR BREY TO GREYSTONES TRIP

On April 12th our Sixth Year students travelled to Bray on a class trip. Here they completed the spectacular 5.2 km Bray to Greystones Cliff walk. After the walk, time was spent in Dundrum Town Centre, before travelling to Jump Zone Sandyford for some Trampolining. It was a well-deserved trip for our Sixth Years. They had been working so hard preparing for practicals, orals, and completing project work. It was a nice way for them to unwind and finish for the Easter holidays on a high.

TRANSITION YEAR COLÁISTE UISCE TRIP

Transition Year students, accompanied by our school's physical educators, spent three days on the Erris peninsula in Mayo at Coláiste Uisce from April 8th to 10th. This combined Physical Education and Irish trip saw students partake in a variety of water sports and land-based activities which were delivered through Irish. Our students had the opportunity to engage with Surfing, Sailing, Kayaking, Pier Jumping, Archery, Circus, Céilí, Rock Climbing, and much more. The trip enabled our students to experience life on the Wild Atlantic Way and provided our students with experiences like no other.

SECOND YEAR DELPHI TRIP

Our Second Year students spent three days on a Physical Education trip at the Delphi Adventure Resort in Mayo from May 3rd to 5th. The trip saw students partake in a variety of water sport and land-based activities. Our students had the opportunity to engage with Kayaking, Pier Jumping, Swimming, Archery, Zip 'N' Trek', Bog Hopping, and Campcraft. The trip exposed our Second Years to life on the Wild Atlantic Way and it was their first overnight trip as a Mercy Kilbeggan student.

TRANSITION YEAR TAYTO PARK TRIP

On May 20th our Transition Year students visited the Tayto Park Theme Park in Meath on their final school trip as a Transition Year student. Our students had fun on the Cú Chulainn Coaster, The Rotator, The Shot Tower, and various other rides the Park has to offer. The trip provided our Transition Year students with the chance to finish their unforgettable year in an energetic way.

MERCY SECONDARY SCHOOL KILBEGGAN KILBEGGAN, CO. WESTMEATH • Tel: 057 9332292 • Email: [email protected] • Web: www.mercykilbeggan.ie Principal: Garrett Farrell • Deputy Principal: Bernadette Gallen MERCY SECONDARY SCHOOL KILBEGGAN NEWSLETTER MAY 2019 ISSUE 2

SCHOOL NEWS

SCI FEST

On April 12th thirteen of our Transition Year students partook in SciFest at A.I.T Athlone. The aim of the programme is to encourage an interest in, and love of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. Eabha Cassidy and Jessica Maloney got highly recommended and third place in the intermediate physical group category. Well done to both of them, to all of our entering groups, and to our Science teacher Mr. Earley.

GAISCE PROGRAMME & CROAGH PATRICK CLIMB

Our Transition Year students’ Gaisce Journey is now complete, with students completing all four sections of the programme; Community Involvement, Personal Skill, Physical Recreation and Adventure Journey. The culmination of their Gaisce Journey consisted of a Croagh Patrick Climb on May 17th where our Transition Year students summitted the reek on a glorious day in Mayo.

FIRST & SECOND YEAR BOYS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

The First and Second Year boys Basketball players from our school participated

in an in-school Basketball team tournament on March 29th. The tournament was highly competitive and there was some great skill on show. Congratulations to tournament winners 'Team Orange'. The team of David Maloney, Conall Dunne, Brian McIntyre, Niall Claffey and Thomas Conlon received a Basketball each as their prize. The tournament MVP goes to Conall Dunne, after he made 3 three- point shots in one of his team's eight-minute matches.

FIFA TOURNAMENT

Congratulations to Fifth Year student Jamie Corcoran who won the Fifa Tournament Fundraiser which was held after school on April 5th. Jamie was victorious in the four-hour competition which saw him navigate his way through from the last 32 using both the PS4 set-up and the XBox One set-up along his route. He beat Mr. Duffy in the final. Jamie received a trophy, a 2019 Premier League ball and a sports shop voucher for his efforts. Well done to everyone who entered. The tournament was played in great spirits.

TRANSITION YEAR BORDER HOPPING TRIP

The 2019 edition of our Transition Year foreign trip saw 71 of our students, with 6 teachers, head on a border hopping tour of countries Belgium, Netherlands and Germany from May 10th to May 12th. The trip was a three-day, two-night adventure which incorporated itinerary items including; Rhineland Boat Tour, UNESCO Cathedral Climb, Efteling Theme park, Concentration Camp and more. This action-packed trip provided our students with the opportunity to explore different cultures in a short time period and they had the chance to see some of the finest sights Europe has to offer. MERCY SECONDARY SCHOOL KILBEGGAN

SCHOOL NEWS

FIRST YEAR BOYS FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT

Our First Year boys partook in a Gaelic football tournament which was held on the school pitch at lunch time throughout April. There were four First Year teams, with each team being coached and mentored by two TY students. Our First Years developed their footballing skill-set while our older TY GAA players were provided with a unique opportunity to develop their skills within coaching, when working with younger people, and when organising events. Our TY students organised all aspects of the tournament, from playing schedules, to pitch work and refereeing.

Team 1 - TY Coaches: Dylan McDonnell and Ronan Foxe

Team 2 - TY Coaches: Eoin McIntyre and Alex Egan

Team 3 - TY Coaches: Darragh Seery and Mark Wrafter

Team 4 - TY Coaches: Dean Harte and Mark Kiernan

ACTION AID SPEECH COMPETITION FINAL

Congratulations to Rosemary Midonga who performed excellently at the Action Aid Speech Competition Final on March 20th. It was a fantastic achievement for

Rosemary to be chosen in the top 10 out of 150 speeches. The judges included Brian Jennings from Morning Ireland on RTÉ Radio One. A sincere thank you to Rosemary's English teacher Mr. Flynn for all his work with the journey.

MENTOR INTERVIEWS

On May 13th and 15th, 49 of our Fifth Year Students were interviewed for one of the Sixth Year Mentor positions for the academic year 2019/2020. The successful candidates will be entrusted with the responsibility of mentoring a new incoming First Year student and assisting them with the transition from Primary to Post-Primary school.

ROCK YOUR SOCKS

March 21st was World Down Syndrome Day. Mercy Kilbeggan Student Council, assisted by Student Council liaison teacher Miss. Glynn, organised a 'Rock Your Socks' event. 'Rock Your Socks' enabled our students to wear crazy-coloured and/or mis-matching socks to school, with the purpose of raising Down Syndrome awareness. On April 5th members of our Student Council presented the proceeds of Rock Your Socks Day to Aoibheann and Fodhla Nyhan. The funds are going to the Offaly Down Syndrome Association.

SENIOR BOYS FOOTBALL JERSEY SPONSORSHIP

A huge thank you must be extended to Barry Walsh and Kepak Kilbeggan for the sponsorship of a new playing kit for our Senior Boys Football Team for the 2019-2020 season. This kit is a change from the norm, a Melange Maroon main body, trimmed with Black. The boys are looking forward to wearing it. MERCY SECONDARY SCHOOL KILBEGGAN

SCHOOL NEWS

PITCH AND PUTT

Mercy Secondary School Kilbeggan Pitch and Putt Team took 2nd place in the Leinster Secondary Schools Competition in Dublin on May 10th. Resultantly they qualified to play in the All Ireland Secondary Schools Final in Kildare. Congratulations to Jack Mullins, Conor Mullins, Eanna Rabbitte and their coach James Mullins.

FIRST YEAR SPORTS DAY

Our annual First Year Sports Day was held on May 16th. Students engaged in a variety of sports and took on a series of sporting challenges, which were guided by our school’s physical educators. Transition Year students also assisted with the facilitation of the Sports Day. Each First-Year student received a wristband as a token of Sports Day participation and a Mr. Freeze at the end of the day.

HURLING PRESENTATIONS

Congratulations to Sixth Year students Alex Boland and Ben Groarke, as well as Transition Year student Conrad Minch and First Year student Tristan Seery for their excellent work assisting with school hurling teams this year. The boys received a commemorate plaque each on May 16th as an expression of gratitude from our hurling squads and management Mr. Doyle and Damien Minnock.

CLASS OF 2019 GRADUATION MASS

Our Sixth Year Graduation Mass was held in St. James’ Church Kilbeggan on May 20th. It was a special occasion which celebrated the memorable journey each student had with us in Mercy Kilbeggan and served to inspire them for their futures. Thanks to Ms. Carroll and Ms. Conmey for preparing our school choir, orchestra, musicians and singers for the occasion and to Mr. Donnelly, Ms. Kelly, Ms Clarke and Mr. Prendergast for their work in preparing and organising the mass.

IMPORTANT DATES

+ End of School Year 2018/2019 – Thursday May 28th + Junior Certificate Examinations – Wednesday June 5th to Wednesday June 19th Inclusive + Leaving Certificate Examinations – Wednesday June 5th to Tuesday June 25th Inclusive + Start of School Year 2019/2020 – Monday August 26th (Incoming First Years Only)

CLASS OF 2019 We wish each of you the best of luck with your exams and long into the future.

SCHOOL NEWS