Summer Edition | 2016 THE BELVEDERE NEWS AMDG IN THIS ISSUE A WORD FROM THE HEADMASTER BELVEDERE BEAT (1-11) FEATURES (12-15) DEVELOPMENT (16) Dear Reader, challenges and I hope all our students return refreshed and ready to engage fully in their As the Back to School ads appear, I hope you education. find time to browse through the Newsletter. UNION (17-19) It will bring fond memories to many who Naturally, this is an anxious time for students participated and supported so many activities awaiting their State exam results, particularly in the College, some of which are Rhetoric 2016. We are confident that they will highlighted here. Others will no doubt excel and achieve outstanding academic develop a better understanding of the range results. More importantly, they showed of opportunities there are for students to themselves to be an outstanding group of develop their talents and discover what it is young men who achieved so much during that gives them energy and inspiration. their time in the College. We wish them every Hopefully it will encourage all our students success in the next stage of their life. to leave their comfort zone and continue to PARENTS ASSOCIATION (20) grow and develop. Finally I want to thank the editorial team for the Newsletter; Joanne Ryan, Trevor Dunne 2016 was a memorable year in the College and Paula McDermott. Thanks also to all who for so many reasons and I want to thank all contributed to the activities and programmes who give so generously of their time, and who took the time to submit articles. I energy and talents to ensure that the hope you enjoy reading this production. students are provided with growth and development opportunities. The year ahead brings many of these opportunities and also Mr Gerry Foley, Headmaster BELVEDERE BEAT 2 BORD GAIS ENERGY NATIONAL STUDENT THEATRE AWARDS STUDENT THEATRE AWARDS BELVEDERE COLLEGE DRAMA SOCIETY WINNER BEST CHOREOGRAPHY 2016 Back in August, the dramatic society Clodagh. Huge thanks must go to Clodagh As the cast took their seats in the theatre, announced that the 2015 Senior Musical for the original 45 minute rehearsal and the the winner of best choreography was (open to students from Grammar to Rhetoric) three hour workshop which followed in the announced – and lo and behold, it was would be Leonard Bernstein’s classic ‘West O’Reilly Theatre two weeks later – she Belvo! The three male leads - Donncha Side Story’. And so began three months of helped us massively in bringing West Side Tynan (Riff), Nicky Delamer (Bernardo) and intense rehearsals as dance moves were Story from the O’Reilly to the Bord Gáis! Ralph Moran (Tony) – took to the stage with perfected, song lyrics memorised, scenes Mr Stephen Carey on behalf of the cast to were run far too many times to count and Finally, the day had arrived – May 5 was accept the award and a raucous chant of noses were broken (sorry about that Nicky here and we were all ecstatic and buzzing “BELVO! BELVO!” followed from the seats! Delamer). with excitement to perform in one of Ireland’s national theatres. Unfortunately, we were not victorious in the Eventually, the show premiered at the end of “Best overall school musical” category – but November to a roaring reception – every- When we arrived, we were sent to our we were still delighted with our triumph! one involved loved being a part of the show changing rooms by Michaela, Belvedere’s After our arrival back to Belvedere, one final and it seemed the audience loved it as well personal assistant for the day, where we rousing rendition of the cast’s favourite – right from the dance-heavy ‘Prologue’ all were given our makeup and went through number – “Gee, Officer Krupke!” – followed the way through to the tragic finale. The some mango vocal warmups with Mr Dan in the foyer and, sadly, that was that for the show was over – or so we thought… Dunne. One last stage check followed with rollercoaster that was West Side Story 2015. Clodagh and then we were sent back up to In March, the nominations for the Bord Gáis our changing rooms for an anxious wait for Huge thanks must go to Mr Carey, Mr Dunne Energy Theatre’s Student Theatre Awards the show to begin! We were eventually Ms O’Donohoe, Ms Corcoran, and Ms Byrne were announced and our production was a called down as the third act was going for their help and support. A massive thanks nominee for best overall Secondary School onstage and set up behind the curtain. to our choreographer, Nicole – the “Best musical in Ireland and best musical choreography Finally, after eight long months of dedication Choreography” award would not have been in Ireland! Rehearsal arrangements were to West Side Story, the curtain lifted in the possible without her! hastily made, the “Senior Musical West Side Bord Gáis and we began our tightly-knitted Story” Facebook page was rebooted (as medley of dances and numbers from the Finally, thanks to all of the cast, stage crew, was Mr Carey’s legendary Whatsapp show – beginning with the “Tonight Quintet”, orchestra, lights crew, sound crew and group!) and the show was back on track! we moved swiftly into the “Rumble” before props crew for making West Side Story the Anita and Maria’s emotional “A Boy Like amazing show it was – all the nominations The first three days back after the Easter That” duet and the crushing “Finale” and and awards were for all of the teachers and holidays were spent rehearsing, with the “Somewhere”. The audience lapped it up students involved! third day back being a 45 minute session and the performance went spectacularly with one of the theatre staff from the Bord Gáis, well – but the best was yet to come! Charlie Mac Niece and Eoin Harrington. BELVEDERE BEAT BELVEDERE COLLEGE DRAMATIC SOCIETY 3 CHILDREN OF THE RISING Then Kevin Barry, Belvedere legend. FROM PAGE TO STAGE The bullet in the cabinet outside the O’Reilly Theatre, collected on a street Most stories start with a blank page and somewhere around Dublin 1. Boom. a frustrated mind. This one was a little different. After being asked by Lesley Then the auditions. “Read this and Byrne to write a piece based in 1916 for pretend you’re Kevin Barry.” The talent, the first year play, initially to be set in the confidence and the skill of the multiple locations around Belvedere, a actors. The genius direction of Lesley moving story if you will, Joe Duffy’s Byrne. The creative craziness of Ciara book was mentioned to me by several people as a must read and a starting Crosbie. The musical magic by Daniel point for anything to do with the Easter Rising. Bisset and his team. Seamus and the set surgeons. Dennis, Conrad, Tadgh and Then the blank pages and the time Joseph on lights and sound. The pride, pressure. Tick. Tick. Tick. Four weeks to the joy, the forty dead children of 1916. create a story good enough for the The moving story. hallowed Belvedere stage. Tick. Tick. Three weeks, slightly less blank pages. Two weeks. Thick for taking this Project on. Fiachra Sheridan FEIS MAITIÚ Belvedere College ‘s drama students were • 1stPlace ‘Group Improvisation U 14’ in wonderful dramatic form at this year’s • 1st Place & Highly Recommended Storytelling Feis Maitiú competition in the Mill Theatre, • 1st Place ‘Brendan Kennelly Cup’ Dundrum, on the 2nd of May. Massive • 1st Place ‘Duologue under 14’ Congratulations must go to: Liam, Daniel, Boris , Mark, Ms Laura Freyne Liam O’Keeffe (RuX), Daniel Bisset (RuK), and Mr Gerry Foley are pictured in Belvedere Boris Yu (RuL), and Mark O’Neill (RuK) House with trophies aloft after their win. garnered a First Place in the Under 14 Congratulations to all involved. Group Improvisation as well as the following very impressive results: The Drama Club SENIOR DRAMA - LORD OF THE FLIES BELVEDERE BEAT 4 BELVEDERE COLLEGE DEBATING SOCIETIES ELEMENTS DEBATING This year has been an immensely successful year for our first year debaters. Every debate has been a unique and interesting experience for everybody involved. At the start of the year students from each class got the chance to debate, Kenney, arguably the most successful of the six, but Scully not far behind. Back in April the debaters participated in the Loreto College Mace Competition. A mace debate is when the debaters only find out the topic, side and position 20 minutes before the debate itself begins. Although none of the first years qualified for the final, they still got overwhelmingly positive feedback from the judges on Back Row L-R: Chris Mahady, Fergus McCormack, Ralph, Moran . the day. We learnt a lot from the Front Row L-R: Mr Simon Murphy, Ms Aisling Corcoran, Ethan Campbell Foley, experience and we all felt we would Oisin Peppard, Ms Louise Curtin. come back better for it. FRENCH DEBATING In May, four of our first year debaters, Niall Moclair (EK), Lorcan O’Brien (ES), A super-talented team of speakers won National Library, Kildare Street on March Edward McEntee (EL) and Stuart Murphy the All Ireland French Debating Trophy the 15th. The opposing team, St Cree (EX), took part in the annual First 2016. The team were Ethan Campbell Columba’s, were a very strong and equal Foley (RS), Christopher Mahady (RS), opponent. The motion was “Ireland is too versus Second Year debate and for the Ralph Moran (RL), Fergus McCormack (RF) attached to the past” and our Belvedere first time ever the first years were and Oisin Peppard (RS).