Well done to our U19 soccer team who beat Terence McSwiney Community College 3-2 in the quarter final of the Cork County Trophy yesterday.
Day 1: Storm Eowyn, Sleepover in Airport & Sunny Rome
This was not the first time the Home Economics Department organised a trip to Italy – our last trip was cancelled due to the global pandemic and this trip very nearly didn’t get off the ground due to a once in a lifetime weather event!
Thursday was a very jittery day watching flights being cancelled, weather forecasts, lots of phone calls and teams messages but thanks to lots of support (from everyone!) and our superhero bus driver Damian Long we arrived safely at Cork Airport ahead of the storm for an unscheduled sleepover.
We felt like celebrities at the airport with many SCS friends and family checking in with us and making our sleepover more comfortable. This was much appreciated, thank you to everyone. Before we knew it, we were boarding our delayed flight to Rome which eventually took off at 11am on Friday Jan 24th.
Alessandra our tour guide greeted us at the airport in Rome. She took us under her wing, and we immediately felt at home. The sunshine and blue skies of Rome were the perfect antidote to the stormy weather we left behind. It was straight on the bus for a scenic drive and snooze to Sorrento. On arrival we had dinner, checked into our lovely family run hotel in the centre of Sorrento and it was an early night for everyone!
Day 2: Storm Who?
What a difference a day makes - after a good night’s sleep and breakfast, we were collected by Alessandra and our bus driver Giovani who took us on a whistlestop foodie tour of Sorrento including:
A 200-year-old family run, wood fired coffee roastery
A marmalade and honey farm and factory
An olive farm and olive oil factory
Lunch in Franco’s, Sorrento’s oldest pizzeria , unforgettable!!
Some free time to wander the beautiful streets of Sorrento
Before meeting up again for a Gelato demonstration & tasting
Quick stop for a Mozzarella demonstration & tasting
We rolled back to the hotel to freshen up before heading out to dinner in a Cookery School where we got a masterclass in Gnocchi from Head Chef Mama Lucia.
Our students then got to work making their own dinner.
We finished the evening with the most delicious Tiramisu, a perfect end to a perfect day!
Day 3 – Amalfi Coast with more Pizza and Gelato!
More sunshine for our coastal bus tour of the breath taking Amalfi Coast. Pictures don’t really do this justice.
After a stop off in Positano for some beautiful photos, students had some free time to explore and wander through the beautiful streets of Amalfi, have a coffee, some amazing local pastries or more gelato (well it would have been rude not to!).
Back to Sorrento, Alessandra organised a picnic for us in Marina Grande, an authentic fishing port and marina. “Daddy’s Burger” delivered pannino ( a popular take out option with teenagers in Sorrento) which we ate al fresco. We did have some unwanted company from some overly friendly local seagulls! We just about had room for a little sample of some local delicacies which we had bought in the most divine bakery in Amalfi (purely educational!). A quick visit to the church of Saint Anna, before working off lunch with more free time to explore the orange tree lined streets of Sorrento.
Our hotel was just a short walk from Sorrento town centre where we regrouped later and headed back to the Cookery School, this time for a Pizza Making Masterclass, what a treat!
But the food was only half the story – we were entertained by some local traditional dance and song – so much fun! Of course, our very talented students reciprocated with some music, song and dance of their own - a thoroughly enjoyable evening. We didn’t want to leave.
Day 4 – Pompeii, Rome and Home to Skibbereen
An early start as we said our goodbyes to Sorrento, but we didn’t have time to be too sad as by 9am we were in Pompeii, in the shadow of the imposing Mount Vesuvius and this most certainly did not disappoint.
Pompeii is a very special place, hard to put in words how we felt walking in the footsteps of those who went before us over two thousand years ago. It was truly awesome and we could have spent the day there and still only scratched the surface.
Next stop was an early lunch before our 3.5-hour journey back to Rome. Luckily, we were able to squeeze in a quick two hour city tour, rescheduled from day one. Highlights included a drive by the Colosseum, walking through the streets of Rome, stopping for a gelato at the Trevi Fountain, climbing the Spanish Steps and marvelling at the Pantheon.
We really just dipped our toe in a city that has so much to see around every corner. Had we more time we possibly could have tracked down that Dubai Chocolate Bar, that Napoli Jersey and we would have visited the five storey Zara store, but they will have to wait for our next visit ! (Intour joke!)
At Rome Airport we bid an emotional farewell to Alessandra our trusted tour guide who really did make our tour with her professionalism and attention to detail. Next stop Skibbereen.
A trip of a lifetime, a taste of the Dolce Vita, beautiful places, people and food. Some items ticked off our bucket lists and we will be back!
This trip would not have been possible without the huge work & support behind the scenes from the following:
Our principal Anton O’ Mahony, 4th year Deputy, Diarmuid O’Donnabháin and all SCS Management.
Our TY Co–ordinator, Mr. Conor Uhl & Year Head Mr. Pat Joe Whooley.
Mary Kelleher Fowler.
The Parents of our TY Students.
Our tour co-ordinator Lyndsey O’Loughlin from Saffron Travel.
Alessandra our tour guide in Italy.
Damien Long Coach Travel.
Our Home Economics Department; Sarah McCarthy, Norma Roberts and Majella Ní Charthaigh.
Our amazing TY students who made this trip by being such fantastic ambassadors for themselves, their families and SCS.
Arrivederci!
Pictured below are our TY students in Spain.
Members of our Student Council recently took part in a West Cork Student Council Networking Event hosted by Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí. The event took place on Wednesday January 15th.
Students from Skibbereen Community School, Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí and Schull Community College participated in this inaugural event.
The morning began with each school giving a presentation on the achievements and challenges faced by student councils in their respective schools. They also participated in a walking debate and a brainstorming session.
A hugely enjoyable and productive day.
Our thanks to SCS students Noah Dennehy, Saoirse Dieter, James Hayes, Arianna Doolin and Ciaran O'Donovan for attending, Mr Carolan for accompanying them and Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí for their generous welcome and hospitality.
Watch this space for more news from our Student Council.
Thanks to past pupil, Ciara Dennehy, and the farm owner Mike Coughlan for taking the time today to host our school and giving an informative and engaging farm walk.
Ciara led the group of students around the farm, and they had the opportunity to learn first-hand about key aspects of dairy farming, including:
- Calf Rearing: Best practices for feeding, housing, and health management of young calves.
- Mastitis: Causes, prevention, and treatment of this common dairy cow infection.
- Bull Selection & Breeding: Understanding the role of genetics in dairy herd improvement.
The visit provided valuable real-world knowledge, linking theory to practice and enhancing students' understanding of dairy farming. Ciara shared her experience of studying in Clonakilty Agricultural College and encouraged students to pursue Agricultural Science as a future career with lots of opportunities.
Thanks to Ciara for sharing her passion and knowledge with us today. It was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Thanks to Mr. Shanahan for organising the trip.
A huge thank you to Sinéad and Donal Buckley for hosting us on their dairy farm and providing an insightful talk on modern, sustainable dairy farming.
Donal spoke about the importance of nutrition and the effect it has on milk yield.
He spoke fondly of his Holstein and Fleckvieh herd and how selective breeding ensures high-yield, disease-resistant cows that thrive in Irish conditions.
He spoke about the importance of colostrum, the first milk, which is packed with nutrients and antibodies vital for the calf’s health.
We also got to see the calf housing, feeding routines, and how the Buckley's manage herd health to give each calf the best start in life. It was a valuable experience that deepened our understanding of dairy farming and animal care.
And to top it all off, we were all treated to tea, coffee, breakfast baps and even their own cheese. It was delicious!
Thank you to the Buckley family for sharing their knowledge and giving us such an informative and enjoyable visit today.
Thanks to Mr. Shanahan for organising the trip.
A special thank you to Liam and Dolores O’Donovan for helping out and taking time out of their busy schedule to take 4th and 5th year Agricultural Science students through the principles and practices on a Dairy Farm.
Calving, feeding, milking and grazing methods were all discussed and students benefitted from the on Farm practical experience of the day.
Thank you to Ms. Dullea and Mr. Shanahan for organising.
Congratulations to our U15 Boys Football team and their coaches, Mr. Patrick Hayes and Mr. James McCarthy on beating Clonakilty Community College in the First Round of the County Championship. It was a cracking game and well done to both teams involved!
Our 5th Year History Class and their teacher Mr. Colman O Driscoll visited the Michael Collins Centre in Clonakilty on the first stage of their War Of Independence Tour. They were then accompanied by the curator, Mr. Tim Crowley who took them by bus to Woodfield, Béal na Bláth and Kilmichael. Mr. Crowley an avid Historian gave them a fantastic talk at each location with our students and teacher contributing their own stories and family connections. Many thanks to Tim for his time and we would recommend his centre and historical tour to all!
The South Munster Schools Cross Country Championship was held at Tramore Park, Cork on Thursday with schools from all over Cork and Kerry participating.
Well done to Caoimhe Flannery SCS , who finished 2nd out of 46 finishers in the Senior Girls' race, over a testing 3k course.
With the first 15 individuals and 3 teams qualifying in each age group ,Caoimhe will now proceed to the Munster Schools Finals in two weeks.
A big thank you to Mr. John Dullea and Ms. Caroline Murphy who visited the mini-company class yesterday.
They met and interviewed each mini enterprise on various aspects of their business.
They shared real experiences, lessons learned from successes and failures, and the realities of running a business.
They concluded by imparting valuable and insightful advice to each enterprise and wished them every success on their entrepreneurial journey.
The 5th and 6th year students were educated by Mr. Dullea, as he once again shared his extensive knowledge within the sphere of the Irish Agricultural sector.
This timely talk, a week out from the pre-exams, covered topics such as disease control, animal nutrition and husbandry.
The classes and teachers would like to thank John for sharing his knowledge and for giving up his time once again for the students benefit.
Ms. Dullea, Ms. O Brien and Mr. Shanahan.
Congratulations to our Senior Ladies Football Team and their coaches, Ms. Ella Ryan, Ms. Anna Ward, Ms. Kate O’Donovan and Mr. Ger Carey on winning the Munster "A" Championship today for a second year in a row.
They beat St. Mary's of Midleton on a scoreline of 3-12 to 1-7 in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
It was an incredible game from start to finish and the girls have done themselves, their school and their clubs so proud.
Many thanks to all our girls for all their efforts, their coaches, our first aider Chris, our staff especially our admin staff Mary, Margaret and Ciara, the parents who travelled, our sponsor Dave Long Travel and all our local GAA clubs. SCS Abú!
Pictured below are the winning Munster Champions for a second Year in a row & Leah our captain with the trophy.
Our 2nd year boys basketball team continued their winning run in Pool 1 with an exciting one point victory over last year's county champions Crosshaven.
Despite losing to Crosshaven, our 1st year boys basketball team showed a great improvement in their play today.
Well done to all involved.
Congratulations to our 1st and 2nd year girls basketball teams. They beat Coachford Community College today in two very exciting games.
Well done to all involved.
Well done to our senior football team & their coaches who defeated Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh in the Simcox Cup semi-final today on a scoreline of 2:14 to 0:04.
Simcox Cup Semifinal
27-01-25 - Bishopstown 4G
Skibbereen Community School 2-15 - Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh 0-04
On Monday the 27th of January 2025, Skibbereen Community School played Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh, Bishopstown in the Simcox Cup semi-final. The strong SCS team started the game well and despite playing against a strong breeze they dominated the early exchanges. Team captain Frank Hurley led by example from his centre back position as SCS stormed into a 0-6 to 0-1 lead inside the first 15 minutes with Seán Connolly prominent at centerfield and Niall O’Callaghan and full forward Danny O’Donovan proving much too difficult for the CSN backline to handle.
While scores were tougher to come by in the second quarter SCS were on top at halftime leading on a scoreline of 0-07 to 0-02. Sean Connolly contributed 4 points and Danny O’Donovan, Luke O’Sullivan and wingback William O’Donovan all chipped in with a point apiece in the opening half.
On the resumption SCS quickly restamped their authority on the game and built an unassailable lead with some outstanding passages of play. Goals from Danny O’Donovan and Frank Hurley underlined the Skibb sides dominance on the day as they ran out comfortable winners on a scoreline of SCS 2-15 to CSN 0-04.
Skibb now await the winners of the other semifinal between Hamilton Highschool and Coláiste Choilm. This will be the Skibbereen’s school third Senior ‘A’ Cork County final in four years as they look to regain the Simcox Cup they last won in 2022.
Scorer for SCS: Danny O’Donovan 1-04 (0-2f), Seán Connolly 0-6 (0-4f), Frank Hurley 1-0, Luke O’Sullivan 0-1, Daniel Cleary 0-1 (0-1f), Willian O’Donovan 0-1, Dan McCarthy 0-1 (0-1f)
Pictured below are 4th year students 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.
Skibbereen Community School will be closed all day Friday, January 24th due to the Red Weather Warning,
Regards,
SCS Management.
Sincere thanks to co-ordinator Máire O' Sullivan and the staff of the West Cork Campus for inviting 6th year students to sample a taster programme of their courses on campus this week.
Students had an opportunity to learn about what courses are available in our hometown in the areas of Business, Art, Hairdressing, Early Years, Health, Nursing and Social Studies. They were also given a great insight into the employment and progression routes coming from these programmes and engaged in questions with the wonderful tutors of these courses.
A great morning of learning was had by all.
Well done to our 2nd year boys basketball team who defeated CBC Cork today by 36 points to 19.
They face last year's county final champions Crosshaven in their next game.