Classmate Spring 2018

Dublin City Council’s Primary School Magazine Iris do Bhunscoileanna Chomhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath

CLASSMATE ST PATRICK’S DAY/LÁ LE PÁDRAIG Spring 2018 Earraigh 2018

www.dublincity.ie

DublinCityCouncil

@DubCityCouncil

DublinCityCouncil

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FÁILTE ISTEACH / INTRODUCTION Hello everyone and welcome to the Spring 2018 edition of Classmate.

Well done to all who entered our competitions. The winners’ names are on pages 3 and 9. We have another quiz that will test your knowledge about children’s books in Ireland. There is also lots of information about events happening in

Dublin in the coming months, including the St Patrick’s Festival, the Citywide Reading Campaign and MusicTown.

If you would like to get in touch with us, you can email classmate@dublincity.ie

CONTENTS The Bookworms

3

The History Detective

8

The Culture Vultures

10

The Whizz Kids

15

The Earth Defenders

16

Your City Council

18

Team Classmate

19

Word Spiral

20

Cover: Photo By St Patrick's Festival

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IRISH BOOK QUIZ

THE BOOKWORMS

ENTER OUR COMPETITION TO WIN A KINDLE FIRE! To enter our competition answer the following questions about Irish children’s books.

Send your entry along with your name, age, and school to classmate@dublincity.ie by 5pm on Friday, 6 April. Please put ‘Irish Book Quiz’ in the subject line of the email.

The winner will be picked at random from all the correct entries. The winner’s name, age and school will be published in the next issue of Classmate.

Congratulations to Catherine Ingle (age 12) from Gaelscoil Míde, Kilbarrack, who won a Kindle Fire in our Harry Potter 20th Anniversary Quiz.

1. Eoin Colfer has written a series of books about a 12-year-old criminal mastermind. What is the name of the main character in the series?

2. The very popular book The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas was made into an equally successful film. What is the name of the author of the book?

3. Making Millions by Erika McGann was the Citywide Read for Dublin this year.

Making Millions is book two in the Cass and the Bubble Street Gang series.

What is the first book in the series called?

4. The father/daughter team of Fatti and John Burke have created the awardwinning books Irelandopedia and Historopedia. One of their recent books is about words from the Irish language – what is it called?

5. Ná Gabh ar Scoil by Máire Zepf and Tarsila Kruse is an amusing picturebook about a little bear’s first day at school. What does Ná Gabh ar Scoil mean?

6. The TV and radio presenter Ryan Tubridy wrote the children’s book Patrick and the President about the visit of US President John F. Kennedy to Ireland in 1963. Which well-known Irish illustrator and author illustrated this book?

7. What famous Irish author and playwright wrote the story The Selfish Giant?

8. Judi Curtin’s book Stand by Me won a Bord Gáis Energy Book of the Year award in 2017. What other recent book by Judi features two accidental time travellers?

9. Brian Gallagher has written several books set during eventful periods of Irish history. In 2017 Brian published a book set during the Irish War of Independence. What is the name of this book?

10. What well-known Dublin writer wrote a series of books featuring a dog called Rover?

All the answers can be easily found at your local library or by searching the library catalogue online. And remember, you can download e-books and audio books for free using BorrowBox if you are a library member.

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THE BOOKWORMS

DO YOU LIKE COMICS? YOU CAN READ THOUSANDS ONLINE IF YOU JOIN YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY Comics Plus is an exciting new app available through Dublin City Public Libraries.

The Library Edition of the app gives unlimited access to thousands of digital comics and graphic novels.

There are over 16,000 titles available, including comics from IDW, Archie, Dark Horse, Dynamite, and Boom! There

are TV, game and movie tie-ins like Adventure Time, Angry Birds and My Little Pony. They also have manga comics like Naruto, Dragon Ball, Astro Boy, and Usagi Yojimbo. And, of course, we can’t forget the classic comic characters like Batman and Judge Dredd.

You can use Comics Plus through iOS or Android on any computer, tablet or smartphone with an internet connection.

The comics can be stored in the cloud or downloaded to your device. Search for what you want by genre, publisher or comic, then instantly check out your favourites. Each checkout is for seven days, and you can renew them as often

as you wish. All you need is your parent’s permission, your library membership number and your PIN number. You can ask in any Dublin City Public Library if you need help.

Now you can access comics for free whenever you want them, with no waiting! www.rbdigital.com/dublincity

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MAKING MILLIONS

BY ERIKA MCGANN

THE BOOKWORMS

DUBLIN UNESCO CITY OF LITERATURE’S CITYWIDE READ FOR 2018

The Citywide Reading Campaign for Children will finish with a bang on Sunday, 18 March. Join in the fun in No 63 Merrion Square as the St Patrick’s Festival brings Erika McGann’s story, Making Millions, to life.

Join the creepy ghost tour, squeeze into the mysterious storytelling tent by torchlight or try the shadow puppetry

and illustration workshop. There will be special readings from the book throughout the day by author Erika McGann as well as a fun outdoor gymnastics zone.

The reading campaign runs from January to March in association with Dublin City Public Libraries and O’Brien Press. Copies of the book are available to borrow from your local library or to buy in any good bookshop. The first two chapters and a teacher’s guide to the book are available at www.dublincityofliterature.ie/ projects/citywide-read

St Patrick’s Festival Big Day Out 63 Merrion Square SUNDAY, 18 MARCH 12pm – 6pm All events are free!

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OUR DREAM LIBRARY Dublin City Public Libraries is planning how libraries will be managed in the next five years and they would like to hear about your dream library.

They want you to imagine that you have been put in charge of your local library.

What would you do differently to make it better for children, from babies to teenagers, and for their families?

They would like to invite your class teacher to email Classmate with your ideas for a more child-friendly library in less than 500 words.

THE BOOKWORMS

Email your ideas to classmate@dublincity.ie and please put, ‘Our Dream Library’ in the subject line.

All the responses will be entered into a draw. The winning entry will receive €250 worth of wall-charts and books for their classroom.

Deadline: 5pm on Friday, 23 March

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BOLD GIRLS To mark 100 years of women’s voting rights in Ireland, our friends in Children’s Books Ireland have produced a fantastic book guide called the BOLD GIRLS Reading Guide.

The guide contains reviews of over 170 fiction and non-fiction books featuring strong and independent girls and women at the centre of the action. It also profiles twenty of Ireland’s best female authors and illustrators for children, including former laureates and award winners.

The BOLD GIRLS school resource guide highlights twenty books to help teachers and students engage creatively with the books and to explore concepts such as gender, equality and stereotypes. The guide can be downloaded for free from the Children’s Books Ireland website at www.childrensbooksireland.ie/boldgirls A BOLD GIRLS exhibition will also be held in the Long Room at the Old Library in Trinity College. It will run for three months from March and will celebrate the achievements of female Irish writers and illustrators from the eighteenth century right up to the present day.

Spring 2018

THE HISTORY DETECTIVE

THE HISTORY DETECTIVE THE ABBEY OF ST THOMAS THE MARTYR Just south of Thomas Street in the Liberties lie the remains of an old abbey, buried underneath our modern city.

Nothing is left of the abbey above ground but a team of experts called archaeologists led by Dublin City Council have found the site of the old church and other buildings which had been lost for a long time.

been murdered in 1170 by four of Henry’s knights. King Henry thought that naming the Abbey after Becket would let everyone know that he was sorry about what had happened.

This abbey was called the Abbey of St Thomas the Martyr. It was founded in 1177 by King Henry II. He named the Abbey after the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket. Thomas, who had once been his friend, had

The abbey was located outside the city walls on the western side of Dublin.

It had its own ‘liberty’ which meant it was free to make its own laws and take taxes. The abbey was very powerful and it influenced how the city grew and developed. From its foundation until it was closed in the sixteenth century, the abbey controlled two thirds of the water supply into the city. This was very important for the people who

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COMPETITION!

We have ten signed copies of Where the Stones Sing by Eithne Massey to give away. The book is set in medieval Dublin during the time of the Black Death.

Just answer the following question: Eithne Massey also wrote the book adaptation of the award-winning film The Secret of Kells. What is the name of the animation studio that did the animation for this film?

Send the answer to classmate@dublincity.ie by 5pm on Friday, 6 April. Please put ‘History Detective Competition’ in the subject line of the email. Winners will be picked at random from all the correct entries. The names of the winners will be published in the next issue of Classmate.

Congratulations to everyone who won a copy of The Making of Mollie in the last issue. Their names are: Lauren Asple, Chloe Burke, Nora Burke, Joseph Connolly, Siun Cummins, Isobel Dalgarno, Luke Feeley, Rosa Fitzpatrick, Grace Mac Sweeney and Fiona Corrigan O’Brien.

FACT CHECK

Find out more about King Henry II on Junior Britannica.

If you are a member of Dublin City Public Libraries this resource is free to use from your library or from home. Visit www. dublincity.ie/library-eresources or ask in your local library.

lived in the city and there were several disagreements between the citizens of Dublin and the abbots about sharing the water supply.

After 1530 the abbey lands were given to the Brabazon family who later became the Earls of Meath. Then, in the nineteenth century, the land finally became part of Dublin City. All that reminded people of the abbey was the name given to the ‘Liberties’ and the street which was called Thomas Street after Thomas Becket.

From what the archaeologists found and from old maps and other old

The Abbey of St Thomas the Martyr, Dublin Mainistir Thomáis Mairtíreach, Baile Átha Cliath

by Dr Áine Foley

TEACHER’S TOP TIP

A book about the abbey by medieval historian Dr Áine Foley is available from Dublin City Council for €10.

documents, they were able to reconstruct what the abbey would have looked like around 1500. The drawing opposite is by Stephen Conlin and is based on this information.

Last October the history of the abbey was celebrated by local children who made models of the abbey, decorated swords and shields, and took part in a procession led by knights on horseback in the Liberties.

You can learn more about the abbey on www.dublinia.ie, and at www.libertiesdublin.ie/ st-thomas-abbey

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ST PATRICK’S FESTIVAL

THE CULTURE VULTURES

This year’s St Patrick’s Festival will take place from 15–19 March.

The festival theme ‘Home’ will be brought to life by the pageant companies in the Festival Parade on 17 March.

HIGHLIGHTS Festival Parade – 17 March, 12pm The festival parade begins on Parnell Square at 12pm and continues on to O’Connell Street and over O’Connell Bridge to Westmoreland Street. It then winds its way in spectacular fashion down Dame Street and Lord Edward Street, passing by Christ Church Cathedral and finishing on Kevin Street.

Amidst the colourful pageantry, bands from Ireland and abroad will deliver uplifting scores and inspiring rhythms.

This is a must-see for all ages, try not to miss it.

Festival Big Day Out 18 March, Merrion Square, 12pm­–6pm Merrion Square will be transformed for a one-day street carnival bursting with energy and colour. Spend the day being entertained with street theatre performances, open-air shows, music, workshops, arts and crafts, the Science Foundation Ireland Science Zone, games, Irish language events and much more.

As long as you are not too easily scared you are invited to enter a world of fantasy as Dublin UNESCO City of Literature’s Citywide Read Making Millions comes to life in a Georgian House on Merrion Square (see page 5 for more details).

For more information on these events and lots more, visit www.stpatricksfestival.ie The Festival is proudly supported by Dublin City Council, Fáilte Ireland and the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

Photos by St Patrick’s Festival

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THE CULTURE VULTURES

MusicTown is an annual showcase of all the types of music that are played in Dublin. It takes place from 13–22 April in iconic buildings and well-known venues around the city.

and will also showcase young musicians.

This year’s festival will celebrate diversity, collaboration, and community.

show on Saturday, 21 April. Ask in your library for more details or check out the website www.musictown.ie.

The Music Library in the Central Library will host two of the Dublin rock scene’s best emerging artists, Cult Called Man and The Motives, for an afternoon

This ten-day event was founded by Dublin City Council to explore and celebrate the diverse music culture that exists in Dublin City.

There will be something for everyone, from opera, choral music and contemporary classical to hip-hop, electronic, traditional, folk, jazz and rock.

As well as performances and concerts, there will be workshops, master classes and discussions. Producers, DJs and visual artists will also be involved.

Cult Called Man

MusicTown will feature both Irish and international artists. It is aimed at all ages

BLIAIN NA GAEILGE 2018 Má théann tú isteach go lár na cathrach feicfidh sibh bratach mhór in airde ar Oifigí na Cathrach.

Tá an bhratach ann toisc go bhfuil Bliain na Gaeilge ar siúl i mbliana. 125 bliain ó shin thosaigh daoine ag déanamh iarracht mhór chun an teanga a thabhairt ar ais. I 2018 tá rudaí níos fearr ná sin ach tá daoine fós ag obair chun an Ghaeilge a chosaint.

an file Seamus Heaney ‘Not to learn Irish is to miss the opportunity of understanding what life in this country has meant and could mean in a better future.’ Tá deis ag páistí na hÉireann an teanga a choinneáil beo amach anseo.

Cén fáth an Ghaeilge?

Tá sé an-deacair rud a fháil ar ais nuair atá sé imithe. Má chaillimid an Ghaeilge ní bheimid in ann í a fháil ar ais arís. Dúirt

Spring 2018

THE CULTURE VULTURES

LOOKING AT ART

AT DUBLIN CITY GALLERY - THE HUGH LANE My name is Lesley McBride and I am from the United States.

I was recently awarded a Fulbright scholarship to work at the Hugh Lane Gallery. I am working in the Gallery’s Education Department which organises lots of great programmes for people of all ages.

Moving from New Orleans to Dublin was a bit of a culture shock. However, the people here have been very kind which has made my experience of moving to a new place all the better. It is a thrill to be here, in a city that is flourishing with culture and art.

For me, travel is one of the best types of education, as you can learn about other cultures and share your own. Sometimes you don’t have to travel far to discover something new!

Visiting art galleries like the Hugh Lane Gallery in your own community is a great opportunity to enjoy art. I hope you’ll put the Hugh Lane Gallery at the top of your travel itinerary. We have lots of exciting art workshops this spring and some of these are included here.

So whether you come with your school, friends or family, everyone is welcome to be creative at the Hugh Lane!

‘Wall of Death Hell Rider’

by Brian Duggan

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FAMILY WORKSHOPS AT THE HUGH LANE GALLERY

ST PATRICK’S FESTIVAL NATIONAL DRAWING DAY Saturday, 10 March, 2–4pm

Get ready for St Patrick’s Day in this drop-in family workshop led by artist Barbara O’Connell. Let's make our own fun flags for the parade with our own crests and patterns on them!

No booking required although numbers may be limited

AT SUNRISE Saturday, 31 March, 2–3pm

Create a colourful stained-glass composition inspired by James Scanlon’s Study No. 2 for Miró in this art workshop for 6 to 10 year olds with artist Barbara O’Connell.

Booking required. Fee €5

KEEPER

Saturday, 24 April, 2–3pm

Saturday, 19 May, 2–3pm

Mini-museum Join us to create your own mini-artwork to be displayed in a mini-museum in this art workshop for 6 to 10 year olds with artist Rebecca Shelford.

Booking required. Fee €5

SUNDAY SKETCHING for 6+ year-olds, 3–4pm

During these free sketching workshops for families we invite you to explore and respond to our collection and temporary exhibitions through discussion and drawing.

Bring your own sketchbook or avail of the drawing materials provided.

Free. No booking required although numbers may be limited.

Be inspired by Amanda Dunsmore’s exhibition Keeper and explore the theme of portraits through the medium of drawing in the art workshop for 10 to 14 year olds with artist Janine Davidson.

Booking required. Fee €5

BEALTAINE: CARD MAKING Saturday, 12 May, 2–3.30pm

Cards of Encouragement Bring an older relative with you for this card-making workshop led by artist Rebecca Shelford. When you have finished making your card, pen words of encouragement to exchange with one another.

FURTHER INFORMATION

For further information on the Hugh Lane’s education programmes go to www.hughlane.ie/education or contact Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane, Charlemont House, Parnell Square North, Dublin 1. Tel. 01 2225550

Booking required. Fee €5 Spring 2018

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VISIT CITY HALL THE JACOB’S BISCUIT FACTORY:

THE CULTURE VULTURES

AN ASSORTED HISTORY

Have you heard of Jacob’s Biscuits? Do you know where they were made?

Visit the exhibition in City Hall to find out more.

under the age of 16. In the 1900s, girls and boys started working in the factory at 14 years of age. From the ages of 14 to 16, children attended school every day for some of their work hours. They were taught regular school subjects as well as drill and gymnastics along with needlework for the girls and woodwork for the boys.

W & R Jacob opened their biscuit-making factory in Dublin in 1851 at Peter Row on the corner of Bishop Street. By the 1930s, over 300 different types of biscuits and cakes were made at the factory. Some of the biscuits had special advertisements and packages to appeal to children and their parents. This included a special Christmas cake for children and Zoo biscuits which taught children about different animals.

The workers received swimming lessons in the factory swimming pool, free meals and could visit the factory doctor and dentist free of charge. Many of the workers lived nearby in housing conditions which were far from ideal. The working conditions in the factory, along with its warmth, hot meals, educational opportunities and recreation facilities made it one of the best jobs in Dublin.

Many adults from Dublin worked in Jacob’s Factory for most of their lives. Up until the mid-1960s Jacob’s also employed children

The factory building was seized and occupied by the Irish Volunteers during the Easter Rising of 1916. They did not damage the building but they did eat

lots of the biscuits! In 1975, the factory moved to Tallaght, where it remained until it closed in 2009.

You can find out more about life in the factory at the exhibition Jacob’s Biscuit Factory: An Assorted History which will be displayed at Dublin’s City Hall until the end of March 2018.

Jacob’s Zoo Label from 1922

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THE WHIZZ KIDS

TAKE OFF WITH TECH! Are you interested in creating apps for your phone or building your own website to show off your interests? How about making a robot that senses obstacles and moves around them?

You can learn to do all of this through CoderDojo. CoderDojo is a movement of free computer programming clubs for young people aged 7 to 17. In the clubs, which are called Dojos, mentors will help you build the projects that interest you. There are no exams or lessons – Dojos are nothing like school! They are

fun spaces where you can use your imagination and creativity to learn cool new skills and make new friends.

As a member of CoderDojo, you will also have the chance to take part in the Coolest Projects showcase. This is a yearly free event where young people from Dojos all around the world show the projects that they have created. This year’s Coolest Projects is taking place on 26 May in the RDS, Dublin. Want to find out more? Check out www.coolestprojects.org.

Right now, there are more than 1,600 CoderDojo clubs spread across 85 countries. Joining a Dojo will make you part of this growing global community. To find a Dojo near you, visit www.coderdojo.com.

TIN If you like robots you’ll love the new book Tin by Pádraig Kenny.

It is set in a re-imagined 1930s England where mechanicals (or robots to you and me) are a part of everyday life.

Christopher is a ‘Proper’, a real boy with a real soul who was orphaned in a fire. He works for an engineer who makes the mechanicals that are Christopher’s best friends. A tragic accident reveals a shocking secret about Christopher and puts him in terrible danger. He has to rely on the loyalty and bravery of his friends to help uncover the truth about who he really is. You can ask for Tin in your local library.

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WELCOME TO YOUR BIOSPHERE! Bull Island © Dublin Port Company

CHECK IT OUT Dunes - North Bull Island

Dublin Bay is a very special place for all types of wildlife and is internationally recognised by UNESCO as a Biosphere reserve. It includes the area from Baldoyle Estuary to Howth Head to Killiney Hill. North Bull Island has some of the rarest and fairest wildlife in Ireland.

For the people living in and near the Biosphere it’s somewhere to be proud of. There are few places in the world that have such a rich mixture of wildlife, archaeology, folklore, and characters as Dublin Bay. If you’re into nature we have seals, porpoises, shellfish, wildflowers, otters, wading birds, and wildfowl, including everyone’s favourite – the Brent Goose. Would you believe this goose flies 4,500 km from the Canadian Arctic where it lives with the polar bears? They are herbivores so we have to be careful not to disturb them while they are feeding in our parks during the winter.

If outdoor activities are your thing, then our Biosphere offers opportunities for kite-surfing, hill-walking, cycling and swimming. Or if you’re into history, the Biosphere has a rich maritime heritage and sites to visit such as the National Maritime Museum, the Dalkey Heritage Centre, the Poolbeg Chimneys, James Joyce Mortello Tower, the Diving Bell, Dublin Port and many more. And of course, there are the stories too, from Molly Malone to Captain Bligh.

The young people of Dublin City’s Comhairle na nÓg made a video to tell the story of Dublin Bay and its UNESCO Biosphere in their own words.

You can see it at: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Yo6lNxSPdRc.

Brent Geese © Niamh Ni Cholmain Watch out for our special feature on how school children protect the Geese in the next issue of Classmate and watch the skies too, you might see the Brent Geese in flight.

The Biosphere is a place for you to enjoy and be proud of!

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THE EARTH DEFENDERS

AN TAISCE’S NATIONAL SPRING CLEAN Every year, An Taisce asks anyone and everyone who is interested in their local environment to register to do a cleanup in their area during the month of April.

Last year, 5,717 groups took part and collected 2,600 tonnes of litter. Groups come from every part of Ireland and right across society from businesses, sporting

organisations, environmental groups, community groups and, very importantly, schools. Last year, 140 Dublin schools took part, making a massive contribution to the campaign.

Taking part is very easy. All you have to do is register your school on the website.

Let them know how many pupils you think will take part (it could be one class, it could be the whole school!).

They will send you a cleanup kit containing bags, gloves and tabards. After that it is entirely up to you when and where you do your cleanup during April.

An Taisce also encourage people to do little cleanups all year round – spend two minutes of your time, on your way to or from school for example, doing a mini cleanup. Then take a photo and hashtag it #2minutestreetclean on whatever social media you use. More info on this is on the website www.2minutestreetclean.org To register your school for the 2018 National Spring Clean visit www.nationalspringclean.org

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YOUR CITY COUNCIL: DUBLIN CITY COMHAIRLE NA nÓG

Do you like discussing issues that are important to people of your age?

If you do, you might be interested in joining Dublin City’s Comhairle na nÓg.

What is Comhairle na nÓg?

Comhairle na nÓg means Youth Council.

It is like a parliament or discussion place for young people aged 11 to 18 years of age. There is a Comhairle na nÓg in every local authority.

What do they do?

Comhairle na nÓg select, discuss and work on a topic that is of interest to young people. To do that, they might gather the views of other young people, organise meetings, make videos, produce leaflets/posters and develop online materials. They then show what they have produced at a special event.

How does it work?

Every year, usually in October, each Comhairle na nÓg holds an Annual General Meeting. Young people from schools and youth clubs are invited to go to it. They discuss three topics of

importance and then choose one of them which becomes the working topic for the year ahead.

Why join?

Comhairle na nÓg is a great place to meet other interesting young people, to find out about the problems young people face, to learn how to bring about change, and to help make your area a better place for young people to live in.

How do I get involved?

New members are elected at the Dublin City Comhairle na nÓg Annual General Meeting which is held in September/ October of each year. They are invited from local schools and youth groups.

Alternatively, you could contact mary. mooney@dublincity.ie Find out more: Websites:

www.comhairlenanog.ie www.dublincity.ie/comhairle Social Media @DCCcomhairle Dublin City Comhairle dublincitycomhairle

Dublin City Comhairle na nÓg Dublin City Comhairle na nÓg has 63 members and is the largest in Ireland. Their topic for 2017 was Youth Homelessness with a focus on young people in care.

They worked with organisations such as Focus Ireland, EPIC (Empowering Young People in Care) and Tusla.

Members produced a video and an Aftercare Charter that sets out six recommendations on the support that young people need when leaving care. You can watch the video on Dublin City’s Comhairle video channel. Both were presented at an awareness day in Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin on 20 September 2017.

Dublin City’s Comhairle na nÓg topic for 2018 is ‘Mental Health’.

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STARTBOX WITH DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL Ireland has a fantastic sporting history in boxing and lots of Irish heroes have put on gloves and stepped into the ring, including the amazing Katie Taylor!

Dublin City Sports and Wellbeing Partnership has teamed up with the Irish Amateur Boxing Association to promote boxing and community engagement through their Boxing Development Officers.

Do you want to get involved?

Try Dublin City Council’s StartBox programme. It is a great introduction to boxing and you don’t have to worry

TEAM CLASSMATE

about getting hurt because it is noncontact at first.

StartBox is aimed at young people with little or no experience in boxing. So if you are a boy or a girl, aged 10 to 21, this could be for you!

You can find the contact details of the Boxing Development Officers at www.dublincity.ie/main-menuservices-recreation-culture-sportsfacilities/boxing

Meet one of the Dublin City Sports and Wellbeing Partnership’s employees who is dedicated to getting Dublin’s children and young people into sports - Sports Officer Mitch Whitty.

What attracted you to the job?

Working day-to-day in sport, which feels like a hobby and not like work!

What do you like most about your job?

I love helping young people to master a sport through the opportunities which we can give them. I also get to see a lot of sporting events and matches.

What was your dream job as a child?

Being a professional sports star – in any sport.

What piece of advice would you give to your 10-year-old self?

I was very driven and I loved sport. However, I was a bit too focused on winning, so I would advise my 10-year-old self to relax and enjoy playing with my friends.

More information on sports officers in your area can be found at www.dublincity.ie/main-menu-services-culture-andamenities-sport-and-recreation-what-we-do/meet-yoursports-officer

Who are your sporting heroes?

Roy Keane, Brian O’Driscoll, Martin Storey and Joe Calzaghe.

Spring 2018

WORD SPIRAL Work out the puzzle and find the hidden word.

Starting from 1, fill in the grid in a clockwise direction with words, using the clues below. The last letter of each word becomes the first letter of the next word. If you have correctly filled in the

1

N

grid, there should be a six-letter word revealed in the centre of the puzzle. To give you a little help, one letter has been filled in. Also, a clue which requires you to use a dictionary is included.

2

6

3

8

7

5

4

CAN YOU WORK IT OUT?

2. Buildings are lit up in G _ _ _ _ in cities around the world on 17 March to celebrate St Patrick’s Day. Dublin is your city. Be proud and keep it looking clean!

3. Spring is here and it is time for the birds to find a safe place in the trees or hedges to build a N _ _ _ .

4. Julie and Stephen bought popcorn, a T_ _ of ice cream to share and some jellies to bring to the cinema. When the movie finishes, they bring all their wrappers and empty packages home with them to put into the bin. Get

into a good habit - never drop litter on the ground!

5. In springtime the avenue is lined with pretty pink cherry B _ _ _ _ _ _ trees.

6. “M _ _ _ _ _ , M _ _ _ _ _ on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?’ asked the wicked queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

7. R _ _ _ is another word for ‘harvest’ or ‘gather’. Check your dictionary to find the answer.

8. They are probably one of the most popular vegetables. They are small, round and green. What do you think they are?

One last clue: their name begins with the letter P

Hidden Word: Season. Answers: 1 Bang, 2 Green, 3 Nest, 4 Tub, 5 Blossom, 6 Mirror, 7 Reap, 8 Peas

1. The little boy in the marching band was nervous but excited. He had to B _ _ _ the drum as loudly as he could to announce the start of the parade.