Coláiste Chill Mhantáin
HAPPY CHRISTMAS
As a very busy term draws to a close with our annual Carol Service and Talent Show, we would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the many successes and achievements, both curricular and extra-curricular, of our students over the past few months.
Thank you also to the management and staff of the school who have supported the students and encouraged them to achieve their potential.
Finally, thank you to the members of the board of management, the parents’ association and to all the parents whose ongoing support ensures our continued success in the school. We wish you all a happy and peaceful Christmas and New Year.
GERMAN CHRISTMAS MARKET
The German Christmas Market took place last week in CCMs Foyer. It took place during break and lunchtimes for TY mini-companies and was staged by the German department.
The authentic German market created a great Christmas atmosphere with a lot of festive cheer circulating the corridors of CCM. TY mini-companies produced some great products to sell to the student and teaching bodies in the school.
There were companies selling frankfurters, waffles, crêpes, icecream, milkshakes and sweets along with some very good gift ideas for Christmas from companies such as: turned wooden pens, brownie and cookie DIY jars, photo laboratory, candle holders and soap dispensers.
Each year the TY students come up great original mini-companies and many thanks to the Enterprise department for all their hard work. The German department would like to thank all the teachers of CCM for their cooperation with the students as this event would not happen without their ongoing support each year. We wish you all a very happy Christmas and New Year.
GLASS BIENNALE EXHIBITION
On Wednesday, December 11, 12 senior cycle students travelled to the Coach House in Dublin Castle where they met Dr Caroline Madden and were shown around the Ireland Glass Biennale 2019 Exhibition. The students then went to the National College of art and Design (NCAD) where Caroline and her team facilitated a workshop using glass as a medium to create artwork.
The students were given the opportunity to engage in lampworking, slumping and engraving. The students created beautiful artworks to take home and really engaged in the workshop. It was a great opportunity for the students to work in the glass studio and gave them a good insight into the college.
SUSTAINABLE FASHION
On Friday, December 13, all four TY classes had a Q & A session for one hour with Sustainable Fashion Dublin. The topic at hand was ‘How to engage with fashion in a more conscious and sustainable way.’ Taz and Geraldine broke down the negative environmental effects of the fast fashion industry, screened insightful, short videos and ultimately taught the TY students how to engage in sustainable fashion in a positive, economical way.
The groups really enjoyed the talks and took a lot from them. They were extremely engaging and sparked questions referencing the levels of plastic in our oceans and how most of it is coming from our clothes.
CHRISTMAS TRIPS
Transition Year students travelled to Dundrum on Tuesday, December 17, for their annual Christmas outing. They watched ‘Last Christmas’ in the cinema, followed by some ice skating. On the same day, Sixth year and LCA students also enjoyed their Christmas trips while Third years had their outing on Wednesday. These trips proved an enjoyable way to end an extremely busy term for both teachers and students.
TY DRIVER EDUCATION
Well done to all the students in Ms Murphy’s tutor group who completed their safe drive module on Monday, December 16, by taking part in a full day Driver Education Workshop. The morning began with a short driving lesson, a chance to see under the bonnet of a car, changing a tyre and experiencing beer goggles. Students then went in to the computer room where they learned and practi.
Sed the driver theory test as well as looking at other important requirements for when they will get on the road themselves. Thank you to Gavin Byrne, who presented the workshop.
CARLOW IT ENTRANCE AWARD
Well done to Robert Moffitt, 2019 graduate of CCM, who was presented with an Academic Scholarship Award from IT Carlow in recognition of the fact that he achieved the highest Leaving Certificate results on his course. He is currently studying an Honours
degree in Aerospace Engineering in IT Carlow and enjoying it immensely.
WICKLOW LADIES RFC
Well done to the RFC Wicklow Ladies’ team who were crowned under-18 Leinster Champions following an exciting Leinster Cup Final on Sunday, December 15, in Energia Park, Donnybrook. A special word of congratulations goes to the students of CCM, Laura Newsome, Ciara Brennan, Sarah Carroll, Siobhán Gorman and Toni Quinn, who were on the winning team and have done both their club and school proud.
SENIOR GIRLS SOCCER
Well done to the Senior Girls’ Soccer team who took on a very strong Presentation Wexford team in their first league match. Although Presentation scored two very quick goals, the CCM Girls settled and Holly O’Toole put her name on the scorecard, making it 2-1 coming up to half time. Presentation pulled away again and, despite very determined play and enormous efforts from the CCM Girls, the Wexford team were just too strong on the day. Well done to all the girls as they never gave up.
SENIOR BOYS FOOTBALL
Malachy Stone (Full back) and Seán Coffey (Midfield) represented Wicklow Schools’ Combined Senior Boys’ football team vs Louth schools in Abbotstown in the last 16 of the Top Oil Leinster Senior boys A football championship on Saturday morning, December 14. Unfortunately, Wicklow lost on a scoreline of 1-8 to 0-5.
This was an evenly contested game up till the last six minutes of the match where Louth scored the decisive goal to stop Wicklow’s challenge in its tracks. The halftime score was four points to two, which favoured Louth however they lived on their nerves a few times when Wicklow missed some gilt-edged chances to be well in control of the game.
That was the real story of the game for a Wicklow side which was threatening all game but couldn’t put that pressure where it mattered on the score line. Louth ultimately were deserved winners as they accomplished what they set out to do by keeping Wicklow’s score down when playing with the wind and, when they got their chances, they finished the game clinically.
Very well done to Seán and Malachy, they played very well throughout the game but, unfortunately, they were on the wrong side of the score line this time.
The junior girls competed in a X7 blitz in Greystones playing five matches in total. They won all five which should prove to be an excellent preparation for the Leinster tournament in the new year. A number of girls had their first taste of rugby and they were led in excellent fashion by skipper, Jane Neill. The girls have shown tremendous commitment this year and all bodes well.
JUNIOR BOYS RUGBY
CBS Moyne 39 EGS 31: The score tells the story of an enthralling encounter in the Junior Boys Rugby Development Final where skill met brawn. EGS gave away a significant size differential to run the Longford side praying for the final whistle. They were led from the front by Scott Fitzpatrick, who bagged four tries, two from his own line and made some crucial tackles to keep his side in the contest.
At full back the diminutive Hugo Sloan Kelly always seemed to skip past the on rushing defence and Finn Fitzpatrick made some timely breaks one of which sent the electric Calvin Kirya over beneath the posts. However, time ran against the Wicklow side and
Moyne ran out winners, but the sizable crowd were left in no doubt which side played the game as it was intended. This sets the tone for the South East Junior League in the new year.
BOYS SOCCER
Our under-15 boys soccer team played St Killian’s recently in their final group game. This proved to be a highly entertaining and high scoring affair with both teams sharing 12 goals between them. We had the better of the first half exchanges and held a comfortable 5-1 lead at half time, with goals from Jack Noble, Chris Johnson and a Tadhg Lord hat-trick.
However, this proved to be the proverbial game of two halves as St Killian’s dominated the second half. Indeed our opponents would draw level with 20 minutes to play and looked odds on to go on and win the game. Our boys showed great determination to stay in the game and when Jack Noble scored a screamer with five minutes to play, it looked like we would collect all three points.
Determined not to go home empty handed, St Killian’s replied once more, leaving the final score at 6-6. Both teams will feel that they had victory within their grasp, but a draw is probably a fair reflection of the game.
TRANSITION YEAR NEWS
As we break for the Christmas holidays the Transition Years can look back on a very busy and productive few months. Our stage is coming nicely with dancers, actors and musicians all taking a keen interest to see where they might find themselves during performances.
This year’s musical ‘Grease’, promises to be a fairly epic production so keep the date in your diary, we will be putting on four shows that are sure to sell out so book tickets early. The show will be on in East Glendalough school in the first week of March.
Elsewhere students had a great time listening to Micheál Moylan from Irish History live who brought all manor of weaponry for the
Another pre-Christmas activity of note is the St Vincent de Paul School Conference effort in coordinating, packing and delivery of Christmas Hampers to our local St Vincent de Paul. With the assistance of our fifth and Transition Years, 350 hampers were packed and delivered with great dedication last week. The endeavor is a truly uplifting experience for all concerned.
STUDENT COMPETITIONS
Well done to Marcus Pipet, Ruanne Whitelaw and Tim Wilkinson, who participated in the Irish Maths Olympiad recently and who have thus far received full marks in the event. A wonderful achievement for all three students. They will be progressing to the next stage of the competition in due course over the coming months. Continued success to you all.
Congratulations also to Murray Sheehan, who was runner-up in the all-Ireland Finals of Poetry Aloud competition. Poetry Aloud is an annual poetry speaking competition for post-primary schools organised by Poetry Ireland and the National Library of Ireland in partnership with University College Cork. It is a tremendous achievement for Murray to achieve the runner-up prize from thousands of entries nationwide. Well done.
We would like to take the opportunity to wish all in our school community, and our readers, a very happy Christmas and peaceful New Year in 2020.