Mental Health for 6th Years

The 6th Years attended an interactive talk today on the topic of mental health. Robert Carley, a motivational speaker and trainer shared his experience about the value of reaching out to someone who is feeling despondent with the simple phrase ‘You’re lovely, you’re lovable, your loved’. It was a timely talk for the 6th years as they face their final term to be reminded that looking after themselves and each other is paramount. The students were highly complimentary of Robert who encouraged them that if they can ‘dream it, they can do it!’ A survey conducted after the event revealed the hugely positive impact of the experience with 98% of those questioned saying that they would recommend the speaker to other students.

Col-exit!

2nd year students travelled to Holywood, Co. Down (just outside Belfast) to the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum today. Firstly, the students got to explore a recreation of a 19th century town complete with actors demonstrating skills such as baking on an open fire, printing and weaving. 

We then went to the transport museum where we saw vehicles including: old buses, trams, motorbikes and even aeroplanes. The exhibit housing artefacts related to The Titanic were of particular interest. For this scribe, the Belfast-built DeLorean was the star of the show however! 

Senior debating team through to last eight in the country.

St. Mary's Arklow proved tough opposition to our wonderful senior debating team of Saoirse Hyland (captain), Oisin Scanlon, Ellen Coburn and Saoirse Flattery but Colaiste Chiarain were thrilled to come away with the win. The team successfully opposed the motion 'To help achieve the SDGs, the ‘Robin Hood’ tax must be adopted globally'. Although a challenging motion for most of us to get our heads around, the team took to it with a flair and understanding that impressed the adjudicators and audience alike. Incredibly strong performances from each member of the team sees them now through to the top eight teams in the country. We wish them all the very best in the next debate and we would encourage as many students as possible to come and support the team. Details of the fixture will be available in the coming days and we will let you all know.

A way with Words!

Second year English students enjoyed a creative writing workshop in Leixlip library on Monday. The workshop was hosted by Irish author Dave Rudden who has written a series of fantasy novels aimed at teenagers. Dave shared writing tips and advice in his own hilarious and inimitable style! One of Dave's works is to be turned into a movie. Several of the second year lads have thrown their names into the hat for the lead!

Thanks as always to Leixlip Library for their fantastic support.  

U19 Basketball team take the double!

Once again our U19 girls basketball team have brought great honour to the school. Today they completed the double by winning the League to add to the Championship. The entire school assembled to greet them on their return to school with the cup. The manner in which they recorded this famous victory sets an example to all of us and we are extremely proud of this wonderful achievement of winning the double at the highest level of schools basketball. Well done to the girls and the coaching team.

Ski Trip - Feb 8-14 2018

This year 40 students and 4 teachers travelled to Italy. After landing in Bergamo, Milan, we proceeded to the beautiful city of Verona where we visited a 1st Century amphitheatre and enjoyed panoramic views from the Lamberti Tower.

Afterwards we continued to Lavarone and our hotel. The group had 5 days skiing, learning how to fall and then how not to fall and eventually how to navigate our way around all the various slopes. 

The evening activities included a quiz, karaoke, bowling and tubing. 

Unsurprisingly the hotel was full of praise for the students' behaviour and appetite for pasta!

Thanks to everyone for making this such an unforgettable trip. View some of the highlights here:

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St Brigid's Day

We have been endured a long, dark and cold winter but longer, brighter evenings are finally on the way as today - February 1 - marks the first day of spring, and is also known as Lá Fhéile Bhríde, Saint Brigid's Feast Day.

We celebrated St Brigid's Day here in Colaiste Chiarain. Ms.Ryan's 2nd year class were busy at work creating some colourful crosses. Well done to everyone involved and Ms.Ryan for organising the event.

1st Year history trip

History students in 1A2 had a great time at the National Museum this morning. The class was guided around the museum looking at artefacts related to what they've been studying in class this year. The bog bodies proved particularly popular as did getting up close and personal to relics like the Tara Brooch and Ardagh Chalice. 

ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONS!

What an amazing group of girls. Our U19 girls basketball team were today crowned National Cup A champions after a typically excellent performance against Christ King Secondary School, Cork. Joint captains Sorcha Tiernan and Niamh Masterson accepted the cup after Ciara Bracken (who scored no less than NINE three pointers!) accepted the MVP award. All the girls played excellently in a very tense game. The game ended with a scoreline of 93-62.

Huge congratulations to the team and their coaches Yvonne and Erin Bracken on their amazing achievements. All in Coláiste Chiaráin are so proud!

Well done to Colaiste Chiarain junior hurling team

The Colaiste Chiarain junior hurling team had a very successful year in reaching the Dublin Colleges junior hurling final. The year started off with a disappointing, narrow loss to neighbours Confey College. However, big wins over Coolmine Community School and Colaiste Mhuire, Cabra saw the team qualify for the quarter finals as group winners. Colaiste Chiarain faced Chanel College, Coolock in a home quarter final and made home comforts count by disposing of Chanel College in clinical fashion.

The team were now into their second successive semi-final at this level after reaching last years semi-final where they were beaten by St. Josephs CBS, Drogheda. Holy Family Community School, Rathcoole were the opposition this year and this was the schools first game to be played outside of Leixlip. However, it turned out to be the teams best performance of the year. Played in heavy underfoot and strong blustery conditions, the players played with determination and passion throughout. It was these qualities that saw them overturn a six point deficit in the second half into a four point victory to reach the final.
Awaiting the team in the final was Colaiste Choilm, Swords. In advance of the final, the players were presented with half zip tops by Principal Joe Sweeney. The final was played in perfect conditions on the astro turf at the GAA Development Centre, Abbotstown on January 18th

The first half was hugely competitive and a brilliant goal from Darragh Melville saw Colaiste Chiarain take an early lead. However, two goals just before half-time were to prove decisive to the outcome. However the players and subs continued to work tirelessly and showed great pride by playing to the end. Indeed a highlight of the whole game was a Ben Travers goal where he soloed through the whole defence before he unleashed an unstoppable shot to the roof of the net. The final scoreline read 5.13 to 2.6 in favour of the Swords school. Great credit must be given to the players for reaching the final and for the excellent attitude they displayed throughout the year. A special mention must go to the four 1st Year students who were part of the panel, Conall Henson, Sean McManus, James Foster and Paul Donnellan. Finally, a massive thank you to the support the team has gotten from St. Marys GAA Club and supporters who attended games, especially on the day of the final, it was heartening to have such a big crowd present.
Colaiste Chiarain Junior Hurling Panel: Karl Burke, James Bowden, Evan Malone, Ciaran Silke, Dara
Mooney, Conall Henson, Jake Casey, Nathan Browne, Darragh Melville, Ben Travers, Rory Noonan,
Michael Ball, Ethan Hearne, Sean McManus, James Foster, Paul Donnellan.

Health Promoting School flag

Coláiste Chairáin has been awarded the Health Promoting School flag from the HSE. To achieve the flag the Healthy Living Committee were involved in introducing different initiatives over the past two years to promote healthy eating and exercise in the school. The committee consists of students, parents and teachers. The whole school community have helped to make this possible. Following the presentation the committee members were presented with certificates by representatives from HSE.

Well done to everyone for making Coláiste Chiaráin a Health Promoting School!