Tuesday 25 June 2014 - 1.40 p.m.
Please note that hurling/camogie for 3rd/4th scheduled for this afternoon has been cancelled due bad weather.
5th class football will go ahead as scheduled.
Friday 13 June 2014
A Golden Hoard
The big news of the last two weeks concerns the exploits of our schools track and field athletes. More than 60 of them headed off to the Santry Sports Athletics competition organised by Cumann na mBunscoil to compete on behalf of our school.
On the first of the two days 20 children competed in the field events of high jump, shot putt, long jump, 600m run and hurdles. On that occasion they came home with eight medals: three gold, one silver and four bronze. Then on Friday last, 6 June,a further 45 children travelled once again to the Morton Stadium to represent St Colmcille’s. Eight children competed in the sprints and eight teams competed in the relays. All sixteen got through to their respective finals, with two of our sprinters taking a gold medal and six out of the eight relay teams also bringing home medals. This brought the total medal haul for both days to 34!
We knew they were good but we never guessed they were that good!
Friday 30 May 2014
St Colmcille’s Week
In the past, we have celebrated St Colmcille’s Day every June. This year however, there were so many events scheduled that the celebration became St Colmcille’s Week. Beginning with a well-attended pilgrimage on Monday, the week continued with a wide variety of dramatic, musical, artistic and sporting events. Great credit is due to Ms Mc Allister and her class for their depiction of the life of the saint presented to all classes over the course of the week. Their production demonstrated their creative abilities in drama, art, instrumental music and song as they told the story of the life of St Colmcille in a bilingual play. The theme for the annual Design and Make Exhibition was ‘Transport’ and the high standards of previous years were maintained by exhibits which showed great imagination and design expertise – some even being good enough to eat! Throughout the week, sporting events were held with a wonderful ‘Fun Run’ on Wednesday in which everyone participated and finished the course. Perhaps the premier event of the week was the Relay Race on Friday. On this day, representatives from the 6 Houses of the school lined up against each other and – against a backdrop of noisy support and riotous colour – competed for the much-coveted trophy. Winners on this occasion - with a stellar sprinting performance from all team members - were the Iona team. Following this was the traditional 6th Class vs. Teachers Relay. Such was the talent on the teachers’ side this year that they entered two teams. However, despite their swagger and over-obvious confidence, both teachers’ teams were eliminated on the grounds of serious infractions of the complicated rules of this hallowed annual event. After a lengthy stewards’ inquiry, the Gartan team was deemed to be the winner and they received their award from, guest of honour, Fr Éanna attending his first ever St Colmcille’s Day.
Friday 16 May 2014
A National Award
As reported recently, our school has been selected – for the second year in a row – as the National Cycling School of the Year. However, when representatives from the school went to the presentation of the award at the Radisson Blu Hotel in the city centre on Tuesday last, they were in for a pleasant surprise. Representing the St Colmcille’s SNS were Ms Mc Keown, Ms Walsh and three 6th class students – Sophie, Ciara and Rohak – and they found themselves in the company of Minister of State at the Deptartment of Transport Mr Alan Kelly TD as well as other dignitaries. Present also were representatives from 12 other prize-winning schools from throughout Ireland. However, in addition to the expected national cycling award, St Colmcille’s also received the overall Green Travel to School Award in recognition of the large numbers of people coming to school without using motor transport. This was a most welcome and very unexpected surprise and this recognition of our efforts at national level is sure to spur the school onto even greater and greener heights in the year ahead.
Freaky Feet
If you saw some unusually clad feet last Wednesday, your eyes weren’t playing tricks on you. The slippers, wellingtons and odd shoes, as well as the footwear bedecked with balloons, feathers and all the colours of the rainbow, were all part of the Freaky Foot Day during which everyone was encouraged to make an extra effort to walk to school and to draw attention to their message by sporting the most unusual shoes possible. Well done to the many people who got into the spirit of the day!
Friday 9 May 2014
Clan Cluana Theatre Company
On Wednesday of this week, Clan Cluana, the travelling theatre company, arrived, as they have done for many a year, to our school. With their own unique style of presentation, this theatre group bring dramatically to life, the stories, the heroes and the villains of our rich Irish/ Celtic mythology. On this visit they portrayed the story of Setanta form his birth in Dún Dealgan through his fateful journey to meet Conor Mac Nessa in Eamhain Macha to his eventual renaming as ‘Cúchulainn’ the hound of Ulster. Many great adventures were to befall Cúchulainn in his highly eventful life and his eventual death is portrayed very dramatically in the famous statue in the GPO where a raven is seen landing on the right shoulder of the fallen hero. Without having to leave their school, the children enjoyed and were part of this theatrical event that retold a story which has been passed down through the centuries and which reveals the richness of our Irish heritage.
‘Working to Save Lives’
The mission of the Irish Road Safety Authority is to work to save lives on Irish roads. They do not speak of ‘accidents’ on the roads but rather ‘collisions’ and it is their aim to reduce collisions on Irish roads by every means possible. One way is to educate young people about awareness when using the roads and this is what their representative was doing when she spoke to the 5th Class students on Monday last. As cyclists, pedestrians and road users they were taught how to look after themselves and how to be responsible towards other road users. It could be one of the most important lessons they learn in school this year.
Friday 2 May 2014
Cycling School of the Year 2014
As a proud holder of a Green Flag the school’s response to the potential problems of daily traffic congestion when moving to our new temporary location was to encourage as many people in the school as possible to walk or cycle to school. The cycling aspect of this promotion has grown beyond all expectations and it is truly astounding the number of people who arrive on wheels every day to school. Last year the school was awarded the national title of ‘Cycling School of the Year 2013’ and – not resting on our laurels – the school has gone on to win the title for an impressive second year in a row. On Tuesday 13May, the school’s efforts at promoting cycling will be acknowledged at an awards ceremony at the Radisson Blu Hotel where Minister Alan Kelly T.D. will award prizes to twelve schools from around the country. Well done to all the pupils who regularly cycle, scoot or roller-blade to school and to their parents for ensuring their safety and supporting this worthwhile initiative.
5th Green International Green Flag
It has just been revealed that the school is about to receive its fifth International Green Flag in recognition of its contribution to the raising of awareness of the environment and - in particular this time - the issue of Biodiversity. The Green flag will be presented to the school by An Taisce at an awards ceremony in The Helix DCU Campus on Tuesday 20 May. A special word of thanks is due to Ms O Gara and her Green Committee comprising teacher, pupil and SNA members for their unstinting efforts and boundless enthusiasm in pursuing and promoting this important project throughout the year.
Safety Plan - Notice to Motorists
If it is absolutely essential to bring your vehicle onto the school campus you are reminded that:
- If you enter the traffic system you must follow through the system. “U- turns” on the avenue create dangers for pupils, pedestrians and other motorists.
- Please park in the designated car-park area at the top of the system.
- If you are driving in to “set down” or “pick-up” a pupil, all “set down” or “pick ups” must be carried out in the car-park area at the top of the system.
- Pick-ups/set-downs are not permitted on the avenue.
- Set-down of pupils is to be carried out in the car-park area in such a manner that no pupil is required to cross through traffic.
- All motorists are required to follow the directions of the school appointed traffic stewards.
- As you exit the school campus at the main gates, a left turn only system applies. A left turn only also applies to motorists entering the system off the main road.
The Board of Management of St. Colmcille’s S.N.S. monitors the operation of the traffic system. It is the policy of the Board of Management to communicate in writing with any motorist who does not adhere to the protocols and if necessary to refer the matter to the Gardaí.
The Safety Plan has been devised and is implemented with the intention of creating the safest possible environment for the pupils and all users of the system.
** Motorists are requested not to park on double yellow lines/on corners in local estates.