Coláiste Chill Mhantáin
1ST/2ND YEAR PUBLIC SPEAKING
On Wednesday March 26th our annual First and Second Year Public Speaking competition took place. Students spoke on a variety of issues from shark finning to sports cars. It was a most engaging competition which impressed both the audience and the judges. The invited adjudicator was Councillor Irene Winters, Mr. Diamond (English teacher at Coláiste Chill Mhantáin and Emmet Burke, one of our Transition Year students.
The invited speakers for the sample debate are past pupils Colm Fitzpatrick, Adam Duffy and Philip Carthy. Their performance generated a lot of interest and emotion amongst the audience.
Congratulations to Evan Doyle who came first and his topic was Shark Finning, Adelaide Kane who won second prize for her topic Marine Life and Ronan Murray who raised the issue of Ireland as a Smoking Nation. Judges were extremely impressed by their oratory skills and the level of research carried out on their topic.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our invited judges and speakers for taking the time to attend this event and for their continued support of public speaking in Coláiste Chill Mhantáin. PRACTICAL/ORAL EXAMINATIONS
Over the past week Leaving and Junior Certificate practical and oral examinations have taken place in the school in various subject areas such as Irish, Music and Home Economics. Students have been working diligently to prepare for these examinations and we would like to take this opportunity to wish the students every success in their written examinations in June. ANTI – BULLYING REVIEW
The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) Blue Shield Anti-Bullying review committee, which includes staff and students took place on Tuesday. A representative from each year group from the student council, a member of our Senior Mentor team, along with our Head boy and Head girl were in attendance and acted as student representatives. Three members of staff were also present and they worked together to constructively and critically review how our school can continue to be more proactive against bullying. THEATRE TRIP
On Thursday last a group of our First Year students attended the play “War Horse” at the Grand Canal Theatre, Dublin. The play based on the book of the same name tells the story of the World War 1 through the eyes of a horse, Joey, who is sold to a yeomanry cavalry division and shipped to France where the poor animal ends up wounded and wandering in no mans land.
The play certainly evoked a variety of emotions among students and depicted the conditions that existed during this war brilliantly. The props used were appropriate and imaginative and our students found the live performance engaging and will no doubt benefit them in their study of this book. BASKETBALL
Our First Year girls basketball team reserved one of their best displays so far for their match against St Mary’s, Arklow, on Monday last in Coláiste Chill Mhantáin. At the end of an exciting and hard fought encounter, St Mary’s emerged victoriously by a single point. It was a thrilling match which could have gone either way.
Our team got off to a good start racing into the lead with scores from Emma Cruise and Sadhb Ní Dhubsláine giving the side a platform. Unfortunately three quick baskets from St Mary’s in the third quarter brought them into the game. A mighty struggle ensued eventually with St Mary’s taking the lead.
The girls from Coláiste Chill Mhantáin did the school proud with a performance that was heroic at times and with a little luck could have snatched it on the day. They are a hard working team that displayed great heart and determination but unfortunately marginally missed out. Well done to the girls from St Mary’s. GAELIC FOOTBALL
Hard luck to our Junior Gaelic footballers who were narrowly defeated by a Scoil Chonglais, Baltinglass side in their Championship game on Monday March 24th. The match was played in miserable conditions; however the team persisted but were overcome by a very strong Baltinglass team. Stand out players were Darragh Riordan, George O'Connor (Captain), Robert Keogh, Andy Earls and Jack Dunne.