Pictured below are some of our 4th year students helping out in Cara House.
To celebrate World Languages and Culture Week, our first year students created and displayed posters that encapsulated the theme, "Languages for Peace".
Learning languages indicates a willing to be open minded, a willingness to understand and empathise with one another, listen to what others have to say and share our own needs, wants and opinions.
In the words of the author John Steinbeck, "Try to understand [others]. If you understand each other, you will be kind to each other". Dialogue is essential to resolve conflict.
Well done to our U16 boys basketball team & their coach Ms. Marie O’Mahony who beat Christian Brothers College today by 66-24 in the ‘A’ league.
The Well-being Committee would like to acknowledge World Teacher’s Day on October 5th.
World Teachers' Day – a UNESCO/International Labour Organisation (ILO)/Education International (EI) event, which recognises the importance of education and celebrates the work of teachers.
The 2024 celebrations will focus on "Valuing teacher voices: towards a new social contract for education". The theme underscores the urgency of engaging with teachers to address the challenges they face but, most importantly, to acknowledge and benefit from the expert knowledge and input they bring to education.
As part of the school’s well-being programme, we were delighted to welcome nurse Margaret Crean today to give two talks to first year students.
Thanks to SPHE teacher Ms. Orla O’Sullivan for organising.
Hard luck to our U17 boys footballers who lost to Bantry today in the first round of the county championship.
Pictured below are 4th years litter picking this week.
Many thanks to Skibbereen Tidy Towns, Cork County Council and Ms. Orla O’Sullivan, Mr. Conor Uhl and Ms. Liz Leonard for organising.
The school were delighted to welcome nurse Margaret Crean today to give two talks to 3rd year students.
Many thanks to Ms. Orla O’Sullivan for organising.
Dear Parents/Guardians,
On Wednesday 9th October, your daughter/son will be presented with their Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA).
During your daughter/son’s journey through Junior Cycle, you will be aware of their achievements in their Classroom Based Assessments (CBAs), and Other Areas of Learning (OALs). They will also be receiving their Junior Cycle state examination results. The JCPA will contain a record of each of these areas of achievement.
We are delighted to invite you to a school celebration of this wonderful achievement commencing at 12.40pm. We kindly request that you take your seats by 12.30pm. Light refreshments will be served after the presentation. We anticipate the event will take approximately an hour or so.
We are very much looking forward to this special occasion and to celebrate your daughter/son’s success with you. Thank you for your continued support.
Every good wish,
Patrick Hayes
Junior Cycle Co-Ordinator
Pictured below are TY students enjoying Tapas during Language & Culture Week.
On Friday 27th of September 2024 the school had the pleasure of inviting Ms. Susie Hall to Skibbereen Community School. She was warmly welcomed by our principal Mr. Anton O’ Mahony, the Religion department and the entire school community. She was invited to discuss teaching as a potential career option and about her career to date.
She taught for 41 years and would absolutely recommend it. Students were told that whilst not everyone can be famous, we can be successful in our own lives. One thing money can’t buy is how to be happy. Unfortunately people often equate success with money. If you know how to be happy you will live a wonderful life. It is no one’s job to make you happy and when you get up in the morning you should always have something you should be grateful for. Being grateful will carry you through any misfortune.
She was the first female in UCD to wear trousers in 1965. She had to fight for this as women were not allowed to wear them before that. She campaigned for maternity leave for adoptive parents and she was the first person in Ireland in the public service to get adoptive maternity leave in 1979.
She spoke about the importance of having dreams and to never let go of your dreams. If you have a dream, hold on to it and someday it will happen. She always wanted a motorbike and it gave her great joy when she got it. Dreams give you hope.
She spoke about having to give up teaching when she got engaged and when she turned 65. She loved teaching and mentioned that in Ireland no one will give you a job at 65. She retrained as a workplace and family mediator and emphasised the importance of volunteering. She said it was the best paid job as you don’t get money but you get so much out of it.
She said everyone starts out the same way but it is the choices you make along the way that makes the difference. However you must first work out what makes you happy. If you feel no one values you, you will not be of value. She loves teenagers and teaching. Teachers are in a position of great trust.
She is a big advocate of life long learning. Students were asked to never stop learning. You must keep your brain active. Keep an open mind. Reading is one of the greatest gifts in life. If you have an interest in something, it will last your entire life. She said you will have to be able to work with both genders. She warned of the dangers of sharing online and saw at first hand the devastating consequences of it.
She spoke of the benefits of TY. Students should ask themselves where am I going? What have I always wanted to do? What makes you happy? TY is exactly what you make of it. You will get out of it what you put in. Work experience is very valuable and it should be grabbed with both arms.
Do your best at whatever it is and behave acceptably was another key message. No one asks you to be the best but giving things a try is important. There is something for everyone in life to make you fulfilled.
She spoke about resilience and taking no notice of what people say about you as it doesn’t matter.
Our student referred to her talk as inspirational. We all at Skibbereen Community School thank her thoroughly for her time. We are already looking forward to her next visit!
Thanks to Ms. Orla O’Sullivan for organising.
On Friday 20th September, five of our 5th-year students embarked on a five-day pilgrimage to Lourdes with the Cork & Ross Diocese. This year there were almost 450 people travelling from the diocese. The week was filled with blessings and a packed schedule of meaningful activities.
Throughout the week students had the opportunity to celebrate and lead Mass at the Grotto and in the St. Pius X Underground Basilica, among other sacred locations. One of the highlights was leading the torchlight procession on the Monday night. The place was lit up by candlelight. They also spent an afternoon tracing the footsteps of St. Bernadette.
In addition to the various liturgies, the students volunteered daily at the hospital, assisting local pilgrims in need. Whether helping them around the grounds or simply sharing a cup of coffee and a chat, their kindness and compassion shone through.
As a school we would like to take the opportunity to say that we are incredibly proud of Adam, Jack, Paddy, Niamh and Abaigh for their dedication and their efforts. Well done!
Hard luck to our U16 girls basketball team who narrowly lost to Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí today. The final score was 48-43.
¡Hola! Bonjour! Dia duit! Привіт
SCS will celebrate World Languages and Culture Week from 26 September until 03 October. This coincides with the European Day of Languages which is celebrated on the 26th September every year.
Our TYs have been very busy organising different activities throughout the week, particularly for our 1st year students.
A few of the week’s highlights are outlined below:
· Music: International folk music session in LRC on Friday 27th, 1.20 – all folk musicians, dancers and fans are welcome.
Thursday 26th and 3rd - Breaktime playlists and requests in the canteen.
· Film Club: Screening of MFL shorts in G66 on Monday 30th lunchtime. All welcome.
· Art - First year poster competition. Theme: ‘Languages for peace’. A3, deadline for entry 03/10/24.
· Games: Thursday 26th lunchtime, canteen. Board game and puzzles. Games Club – Tuesday 1st, lunchtime. Bingo, marbles, pinata.
· Dance: 1st year Dance Off. TY Zumba with Flavie.
· Sport: 1st year and TY “Champions League” soccer tournaments.
· Food – un petit-déjeuner / desayuno español, TY tapas, 6th Year churros.
· Festival – a TY mini-Tomatina.
· Language and linguistics – Debate in Spanish, “Smartphones should be banned for under 16s”; All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad puzzles
Everyone smiles in the same language.
MFL, EAL Department and Language and Cultural Committee
Skibbereen Community School would like to acknowledge Poppy Kilpatrick’s continuing success. She has been invited to Cook along with Neven @ Dunnes Stores headquarters in Dublin on Thursday, September 26th in their product development kitchen.
This special day is part of her winning prize from the All-Ireland cooking competition success in ATU – St Angela’s in Sligo last May. Poppy will join celebrity chef Neven Maguire & other chefs, plus other winning students from the cookery competition, where they will prepare & cook 3 dishes with Neven.
She will also get to see product development in action in the Simply Better brand @ Dunnes Stores headquarters.
During the summer Poppy was invited to complete 2 days’ work – experience @ Mc Nean House Restaurant in Blacklion. as part of her prize. Poppy impressed Neven so much she was presented with a hamper full of treats for her and her family.
She also received a €300:00 voucher from Dunnes Stores for herself and €300.00 voucher for the school.
The final part of Poppy’s prize is to visit Neven Maguire Cookery school, MacNean House Restaurant, along with some of her classmates. It’s absolutely fabulous to see Poppy’s success story going from strength to strength.
Well done to our senior ladies football team who beat Mercy Mounthawk today. The final score was 5-18 to 2-07.
Well done to our senior hurling team & their coach Mr. Tom Foley who beat Coláiste Daibhéid last Friday on a scoreline of 8-15 to 3-07.
Pictured below are 4th years litter picking this week & playing their part in keeping Skibbereen tidy.
Many thanks to Skibbereen Tidy Towns, Cork County Council and Ms. Orla O’Sullivan, Mr. Conor Uhl and Ms. Liz Leonard for organising.