Patrick Joseph Rafter, Kilkenny CBS 2 / Blown Away Scoil Cholmcille, Cork 2 / A Crash of Drums a Flash of Light Francis Street CBS 3 / 50 Years of Clounalour 3 / Tanzanian Trip St. Aidan’s CBS 4 / St. Joseph’s Secondary School Drogheda Athletes 5 / Bunscoil Iognaid Ris, An Daingean 6 / CBS Roscommon 7 / Immersion Experience St. Fintan’s, Doon 8 / Rice College, Ennis 10 / Faith Development Week St. Munchin’s Limerick 11 / CBS Secondary School Carrick-on-Suir 11 / St. Brendan’s College, Bray 12 / Bearing the Cross CBC Cork 13 / Caisleán Drimnagh Castle 14 / A Light for Every Generation Coláiste Éamann Ris, Callan 14 / ERST NI Schools 15 / Newly Appointed Teachers 15 / High School, Clonmel 16 / CBS Enniscorthy 18 / CBC Monkstown 19 / Abbey India Project 2010 20 / Lenten Campaign CBS Primary School Kilkenny 20 / Log on & Learn St. Kevin’s College Ballygall 21 / Scoil Mhuire North Mon, Cork 22 / St. Joseph’s Primary School, Fairview 22/ Edmund Rice Primary School, Belfast 23/ St. Joseph’s CBS, Drogheda 24/ Coláiste Eoin 24/ Scoil Mhuire, Marino 24/ CBS Sexton Street, Limerick 25/ The Baldy Man Fun Run CBS Tramore 26 / Rice College, Westport 27 / Ardscoil Rís, Limerick 28 ‘The Seed will Grow’ Blessed Edmund Rice Edmund Rice Schools Trust Newsletter / Issue 3 / Autumn 2010 Fáilte Greetings From The Edmund Rice Schools Trust Welcome back, all of you, for the new the situations I met on a daily basis. There school year. I hope your break was were so many things I had to learn to deal relaxing and enjoyable and set you up for with. I didn’t get a lot of book-learning, but the year ahead. I did have a great education.” I have been genuinely amazed at the His story reminded me of the writings of variety of articles that have come into Howard Gardner, the famous psychologist us from our schools. I’m delighted to and social scientist. He once told us that see so many of our students involved in there are at least seven different kinds of such a variety of different projects, and intelligences and that each person has a successes. I love their contributions – they unique blend of all those intelligences. keep me in touch with the work you do Howard Gardner has suggested more every day. As you read through the pages recently that there are even more of the latest Síol, I’m sure that you will categories of intelligence. If we add to that marvel, like me, at the diversity of the the personal and social qualities mentioned activities taking place in our schools. by Daniel Goleman, described as Scoil Cholmcille Primary School brass band, Blarney Street Cork in the new C.I.T. Cork emotional intelligence, we see how many School of Music building. See page 2. At a wedding recently I happened to sit opportunities for growth and development beside a man who was well over 80 years exist for all of our students in our schools. of age. As you can imagine, we spoke The part of my work I like best is when reaches his or her full potential. about many things but eventually our When I read the articles in Síol, and have I have an opportunity to visit one of the conversation came round to his school the privilege at times to visit some of the 97 schools in our network. It’s wonderful I congratulate all of our schools on the days and education. In fact, I listened with 97 schools in the Edmund Rice Schools to witness the flowering of potential. extraordinary work in which you have growing interest as this elderly and very Trust network, I am again reminded of When I see the wall charts and symbols been involved for the past year. My very respected businessman told me his story. my wedding companion’s story. You can of Edmund Rice I sense his vision in the best wishes to all our school communities imagine my sheer delight when I read crucial work all of our schools undertake. for the year ahead. “I left school at 13”, he said “and went to and hear of the exceptional academic The Edmund Rice Schools Trust Charter work for two old uncles who had a hard- achievements of our students; my itself is an inspiring document. It helps Please visit our website www.erst.ie. We ware business and a delivery van service as amazement and joy at the personal and us to give practical expression to our will continue to update you with these well. You know, my parents couldn’t afford social development opportunities offered common identity as Edmund Rice and other interesting news items from to keep me at school. I loved school but I to our students, some of which are Schools, for the benefit of our school our schools on an ongoing basis. had to go to work. But I was lucky. I learnt evidenced in Síol; my absolute admiration communities and for the benefit of so much from my uncles’ business and for the teachers who give so generously of society. Our schools share an approach Gerry Bennett, Chief Executive more especially from all the people and all their time and expertise on a daily basis. to life, having as a goal that every person The Edmund Rice Schools Trust 2 / Síol / Edmund Rice Schools Trust Newsletter Patrick Joseph Rafter… A musical prodigy. On Sunday 15th November, Kilkenny Patrick started violin lessons with Fiona C.B.S. Leaving Cert student and musical Warren in the Kilkenny School of Music. prodigy, Patrick Rafter auditioned for At the age of 12, he won a bursary to leader of the ‘National Youth Orchestra of study with Eyal Kless. Ireland under 24s. Following a masterclass in Italy, Patrick This prestigious orchestra is continued his studies at the Royal Irish internationally renowned, and considered Academy of Music in Dublin, winning an Ireland’s leading youth orchestra. entrance scholarship. Auditioning against people of a far Patrick was offered a scholarship to the With thanks to Conor Mahony Photography greater age, Patrick was selected, thus Internationally acclaimed Chethams becoming the youngest ever leader of School of Music in Manchester, which this orchestra on its 40th Anniversary, he turned down, preferring to remain in aged just 18. The orchestra itself has Ireland and develop his talent under the played with many great soloists, from tutelage of Fionnuala Hunt. Evelyn Glennie to Nicola Benedetti and has been led by famed conductors such as During the past year Patrick’s development Christoph Margean and Diego Masson. has been a meteoric success. Early in the year Patrick was selected as the National Patrick began his rise to recognition with Concert Hall Young Musician of the Year the Junior under 18s Orchestra back in 2009. Subsequently in March, Patrick 2007, becoming its leader after his first completed an unprecedented hat trick of audition. He continued to lead the Junior achievements, winning all three Senior Orchestra from 2007 to 2009, holding the Under 24 categories in the Feis Ceoil. coveted ‘Olive Smith’ chair. The summer proved to be fruitful too as Born into a musical family, Patrick’s Patrick scooped the Clandeboye Young parents introduced him to the world of Musician of the Year Award 2009. The Music. His mother Maura is a pianist and Clandeboye Masterclasses are held annually teacher of national recognition, and his in Hollywood, Co. Down and rank highly as father Paddy is an operatic tenor who has an International Classical Music event. Only studied with Carlo Bergonzi and Carlo the crème de la crème need apply here. Baija in Milan for the past five years. With Patrick on violin, sister Isabelle on cello, The Clandeboye experience is an Maura on piano and Paddy on vocals, International music workshop where they founded the Rafter Family. prodigious talents participate in masterclasses with virtuosos such as This group made their official debut Andres Diaz (Cello), Barry Douglas (Piano), in the National Concert Hall on the Anne Akiko Meyers (Violin), Michel 28th of September last year. This was a Lethiec (Clarinet),Paul Neubauer (Viola) the ‘Sarasate’. Patrick Rafter is rubbing people in hospitals which he did recently resounding success, a full house and rave and Richard Watkins (Horn) adjudicate shoulders with and indeed standing on in St. Columba’s in Thomastown as part of reviews. This was followed by a sell-out and select the winners of the various the shoulders of the giants of Classical a Transition Year event organized by the concert in Kilkenny’s Watergate Theatre categories. The Master violinist at the event Music. As his star continues to rise this school.The Staff and Students of the C.B.S. where this talented family of Musical this year was the internationally acclaimed modest C.B.S student is unassuming and are tremendously proud to have Patrick prowess received rapturous standing Hungarian Graf Mourja, himself a multiple always willing to lend his talent for any Rafter among its ranks and wish him every ovations. The Rafters have performed all winner of major international Musical school-based musical events, from school success in the future. across Ireland in recent times. competitions including the ‘Paganini’ and masses and Carol services to entertaining Blown Away! With two weekly rehearsals and ample performance opportunity, the band has gone from strength to strength. When you think of music in primary Their repertoire has progressed from schools, things like recorders, tin simple tunes in unison to quite difficult whistles and choirs come to mind. music in three parts. They play marches, However, Scoil Cholmcille in Blarney popular tunes and movie themes Street, Cork, like to do things a little such as James Bond, the Titanic and differently.