The weather was on our side this year for our Sports Day in June 2017. It was a very active and fun day for all. Competitive for some too! Check out the pictures of the parents’ races! Out thanks to Dunsany GFC who welcome us onto their pitch every year for this popular Sports for All Day.
We had our over-night school tour to Knockcree and Bray, Co. Wicklow for 5th & 6th class in June 2017. We can be seen foraging for bugs (although we didn’t have to look too hard for the ones that ate us alive in the Wicklow heat!), building a 3-man hut from what we could find on the forest floor, (+ mean-looking doormen!), making fire without matches, night-time paddling in the stream and posing outside the hostel with the Sugarloaf in the background.
On Saturday we travelled through Enniskerry village and onto Bray town, where we got to play on the beach and paddle in the sea. Lunch and a spot of retail therapy followed. As you can see the boys were particularly fond of Claires!!
Whilst 5th and 6th class got to go on their ‘special’ overnight school tour in June 2017, 4th class were not forgotten. In blistering heat, they took off for a long day to Clara Lara Funpark in Wicklow. This has to be one of the most popular venues for our school tours. Seeing Yvonne our SNA, and Mrs Bockett struggle to row out onto the lake is always a good laugh!
2017
We held a different type of Open Afternoon this year. We opened our classrooms with their laid out work stations on Sunday afternoon, 11 June 2017. We had great attractions inside and out. Our student body and new pupils (and some past pupils!) got to enjoy each other’s company, have fun at all the outdoor play stations, enjoy some lovely treats (supplied by mums and dads) and show off their work stations all under the supervision of mums and dads, teachers and past pupils. Huge thanks to all who helped make this a very enjoyable afternoon.
To finish our 7 sessions of swimming at Aura Pool, Trim in June ’17 we decided to hold a picnic lunch along the River Boyne and to walk the Boyne Walk taking in Newtown Abbey, The Yellow Steeple and Trim Castle. A very active afternoon was enjoyed by all!
For Christmas 2016, we made the decision to put on a play involving all 79 pupils! The Magical Christmas Jigsaw was a big undertaking, which saw all pupils co-operate with each other to stage this enjoyable musical which tells the story of the nativity in a novel and interesting way. Well done all!
We had to say goodbye to our ‘Big Tree’ just before mid-term break. Our lovely copper beech despite producing lovely foliage, was rotten within its trunk. This tree has been the back drop to our communions, confirmations, family chats, hide & seek games and some of our past pupils have even had their wedding photos taken under its rich-coloured leaves. Watch out for the next pics of the exciting removal day!
The Junior Room went to Dunshaughlin Library recently to meet author Juanita Browne. Juanita is a zoologist, science communicator, and writer. Her session introduced the children to our wonderful Irish wildlife, using props, animal images and sounds. Juanita also gave us an insight into her work, books, and natural history documentaries for RTE television and radio. Her book “My First Book of Irish Animals” was shortlisted for the Literacy Association of Ireland’s Children’s Book Award 2015. She in turn was very impressed with our knowledge of our native animals!
