St. Gerard's Senior School Summer Newsletter 2023

As another unique academic year comes to a close with the final Leaving Certificate exam in Applied Mathematics, I wish to thank all of our students, colleagues and parents together with the wider St. Gerard’s School community for all of your kindness, both of heart and of mind, this year.

I congratulate and commend all of the students on every one of their successes throughout the year. Congratulations to the 6th and 3rd Year students for the manner in which they have found their pathway through both the Leaving and Junior Certificate. We pray that they will continue to be guided by the Holy Spirit and that they will receive their reward for all of their hard work and dedication to their studies. I wish the Leaving Certificate Class of 2023 well in their future paths of life and commend them on their unique and meaningful Graduation Mass and Valedictory Ceremony.

To our Transition Year students, I applaud all of the students who strived for success throughout Transition Year and wish them well as they enter their Leaving Certificate expedition. Well done to our 1st , 2nd and 5th Year students on their Summer Examination attainments and results which will undoubtedly lead to continued future academic success.

Family, friends and community are at the core of what we focus upon through our holistic development of each student. We encourage all of our students to take time for their families and support those in society who continue to need our support during the summer. Please remind your sons and daughters how precious and cherished they are in all of our lives and encourage them to support each other, as they continue to build their friendships in our classrooms and through our co-curricular and extra-curricular programmes. Through their support for each other they can continue to thoroughly enjoy the abundance of opportunities each day offers with gratitude.

In particular, I wish to thank Rory O’Connor who is retiring after 30 years of tremendous service to St. Gerard’s School. I also wish to recognise and thank the Board of Directors, The Senior Board of Education and the Junior Board of Education for their commitment to St. Gerard’s School and their continued support this year. Sincere thanks to our Parents’ Association for their time, encouragement and support.

The success of St. Gerard’s School is based on teamwork and prioritising the “you” above the “me”, so that the students continue to do the ordinary in an extraordinary way.

It continues to be a great privilege as Headmaster to work with the whole school community and I wish our St. Gerard’s School Community a restful and enjoyable summer break.

Tom Geraghty Headmaster

Student Council 2022-2023

It was another busy year for the St. Gerard’s Student Council. The role of the council is to act as a link between the students and management and we have held regular meetings to brainstorm ideas to improve each student’s experience in the school. It is always impressive to see young students have the courage to speak up at meetings. They take the responsibility of representing their peers very seriously. One of our biggest accomplishments this year has been raising over 5,000 euro from our two non-uniform days. The amounts raised went to a number of very worthwhile local causes

We have also worked with the Green Schools Committee to promote a culture of environmental awareness, and to encourage the student body to eliminate plastic waste by using reusable bottles. We wish our 6th-year reps’ all the best in the Leaving Cert exam and we look forward to new members joining us in September.

Investment Club

At the revamped Investment Club under guidance from Mr Hughes, we got the chance to examine some of the top global companies with a particular focus on their stock market price. To introduce a bit of competition in the class we started an investment game called Marketwatch which allows players to invest online currency into stock markets with real-life-based fluctuations. This showed us our general performance if we had really invested in all these companies. Victor Cullen topped the leaderboard with over a 30% return on investment from his smart and profitable investments. The club continued with an increasing membership as the Christmas exams approached and it was a common sight to see crowds of people entering the classroom at lunchtime to listen to the wise Mr Hughes as he displayed his predictions for the upcoming fiscal year. A truly memorable experience and one that will serve us well in the future.

French Exchange

This May St. Gerard’s we’re delighted to host St. Joseph’s of Libourne. 30 students travelled with their French teachers and were hosted by a number of St. Gerard’s parents.The students took part in a number of lessons in St. Gerard’s and enjoyed several cultural trips around Wicklow. During the last week of May, 11 St. Gerard’s students had the opportunity to travel to France accompanied by Ms Finane and Ms Buckley. In addition to their daily French lessons they got to visit some of the beautiful sites of Bordeaux. They meandered around the cobbled streets of St. Emilion and visited the famous vineyard. They climbed the imposing Dune du Pilat and went swimming in Arcachon Bay. All involved enjoyed the experiences the of course sharing each others culture and language.

ISTA Junior Science Quiz

Two teams of 3rd-year students represented St Gerard’s in the Irish Science Teachers Association Dublin region Junior Science Quiz. It was held at Belvedere College on Wednesday, May 3rd. The two teams: Colm Kavanagh, Kevin Whelan and Chloe Holohan; Charlie Geelon, Lucy Curran and Henry Rachwal, put in very strong performances but were not among the top three teams on this occasion.

Mathematics Competitions

The 1st-Year cohort competed in the IMTA Junior Mathematics Competition in February with a total of over 15,000 students from 219 schools taking part this year. Congratulations to Rory Brennan-Hobbs who was one of only 63 students nationwide to achieve over 80% and was awarded an IMTA trophy in recognition of this remarkable achievement.

ISTA Photograph Competition

Charlie Geelon & Isabella Stewart

Two 3rd-Year teams competed in the Wicklow section of the IMTA Pi Quiz. It was held this year in Glenart College, Arklow on Pi day (14th March). They finished an impressive 3rd and 4th from over 20 schools. The students competing were; Daria Bokovenko, Colm Kavanagh, Lucy Curran, Matthew Burke, Charlie Geelon, Catherine Keogh, Isabelle Lynch and Isabel McKeagney.

The Irish Applied Maths Teacher’s Association held their annual Junior Problem Solving Competition at the Institute of Education, Leeson Street in March. This is targeted at Transition Year students but a group of our 3rd Years (Catherine Keogh, Lucy Curran, Matthew Burke and Daria Bokovenko) gamely took on the challenge and put in an excellent performance beating a number of older teams. This experience will stand to them when they compete next year.

Aaron Corry & Ruby Geelon

2nd-Year students, Elena Scanlan and Aoibhinn Lake entered a photograph each into the ISTA Photograph competition. The theme of this year’s competition was Sustainability. Elena won second prize in the Junior category and Aoibhinn received a ‘Highly Commended’ award.

2nd Year CSPEBóthar Initiative.

During CSPE, we discussed the drought in Ethiopia and decided to do something about it. We raised money to help those affected by the famine in the Horn of Africa. After a class discussion, it was agreed that we would engage in jobs around our households and local communities to raise money. We mowed lawns, cleaned cars and helped with local functions. Together we raised over €500 and donated this to Bóthar. On our behalf, they purchased a Guinea fowl, some bees, some chicks and a share of a cow for those in need. This livestock will be used to help farmers source food and earn money. We chose Bóthar as we thought the animals would last a lot longer and produce more food than simply sending money.

Model United Nations

Since Christmas, St. Gerard’s has participated in four MUN conferences. A team of students represent one UN country. The students mould their arguments around this country’s foreign policy.

In January, a team of experienced 5th-year students represented the delegation of Colombia at the Blackrock College conference. Well done to Laura Cullen who was presented with a ‘Distinguished Delegate’ award in her committee.

The Wesley College MUN conference took place in March. This is a large conference with schools from all over Ireland present. St. Gerard’s were tasked with representing the nations of Vietnam and Tanzania.

Next up was St. Andrew’s International MUN, which took place during the first week of Easter break. A team of our 5th Year students headed to the Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoghaire as the delegation for New Zealand. They discussed issues such as; ethical clothing production and measures to protect both vulnerable people and animals during extreme heatwaves.

Our 4th Year students participated in their first MUN conference in April in the High School in Rathgar. They were nervous at the start but the more they participated the more they enjoyed it. The experience will stand to them for next years competitions.

The 5th Year students involved were; Laura Cullen, Kate Freney, Ella O Neill, Lewis McNeil, Emily Harty, Leah Hogan Emilie Galligan and Sadhbh McGloughlin. The 4th Year students involved were; Isabella Wilkinson, Nicola Harmon, Pippa Bellows, Tara Carey, Sarah Daniel and Lilly Urell.

UCD Junior Debates

This year 8 students from St. Gerard’s entered the UCD Debates, the largest debating competition of its kind in Europe. Alice O’Leary, Isabelle Lynch, Isabelle O’ Donovan, Micael O’ Cuinn and Matthew Burke all competed in the opening rounds, however, only Lucy Curran and Charlie Geelon made it through to the finals. From this point on their ability shone through and they made it to the final. In the final, against 810 other students, Lucy and Charlie stood out and were clear winners. This is a truly outstanding achievement.

Gillian Lynch Final

With the largest number of entries to date, it was super to hold the final of the Gillian Lynch in front of the 1st and 2nd Year groups. To reach the final both groups had already battled through the tough quarter and semi-finals. The motion being argued was “Now is the right time for Irish reunification” and this was being proposed by Isabel Bownes, Zack Alexander and Isabelle O’ Donovan. In opposition were Ciara O’ Farrell, Zara Jaworski and Leon Griffin Oford. In what was a heated debate, it quickly became apparent that the judges had a difficult task on their hands. All speakers had finely tuned, informed speeches, but it was the proposition that won the day. Well done to all students involved in the competition.

Concern Debates

Our Senior Debaters: Eva Harbourne, Charlotte Finnegan Quirke, Ruby Geelon, Kate Freney, Florence Clopin and Katelyn Glass were unfortunate to not qualify for the knock-out rounds of the Concern Debates this year. This team are all eligible to compete next year so optimism is high for future debates.

Trinity MACE Debates

This year saw the return of MACE Debates with four students representing St Gerard’s at the Trinity Debate: Laura Hogan, Pippa Bellows, Eva Harbourne and Charlotte Finnegan Quirke. It was a great experience for first-time debaters Laura and Pippa, while the more experienced partnership of Charlotte and Eva were unfortunate not to progress to the final having won their opening round and placed in the second round.

Luca Gheta Memorial Debating Competition

Ruby Geelon, Tim Langan and Scarlett Glynn were the winners of the inaugural Luca Gheta Memorial. This debating competition was open to all 4th, 5th and 6th Year students and resulted in some outstanding arguments. The final was an enthralling affair as students argued whether or not a wealth tax was the best way to combat inequality. While Aaron Corry, Charlotte Finnegan Quirke and Pippa Bellows put up a sterling argument they were outdone by Scarlett, Tim and Ruby..

Active Schools Week

The P.E. department put together a fun-filled and action-packed Active Schools Week during the second week of May. The programme included games every day and was spread across the school campus. From table tennis tournaments to the classic ‘Gerard’s Mile’ run, there were lots of opportunities to stretch the legs and up the daily step count.

School Library Book Club

The Library has been a hive of activity since January. The introduction of a monthly book club has been a great success with various authors and genres featured ( not to mention the sweets and treats provided by the Library Monitors!).

World Book Day was marked with a scavenger hunt whereby students had to find various titles using some cryptic clues. We were delighted with the huge number of 1st and 2nd Years who participated. Well done to the winning team of Olivia Curran, Pearl Connolly and Merielle Thuillier.

Congratulations also to our winners in the Design A Book Mark competitionSiofra O’Farrell and Elena Scanlon. All bookmarks are creatively displayed on our unique circular windows(The Windows of Wonder).

It was an honour for the school to host the Leaving Certificate poet Eileen Ni Chuilleanain who addressed our 5th-year students and afterwards met with the English Department in the Library. A special word of thanks goes to our Library Monitors and TY Library Team, all of whom give of their time to cover lunch duty, catalogue new titles, label books, produce library newsletters and run our various activities.

Most of all it is highly encouraging to see so many students using the Library each day.

Literary Magazine Team

Ethna Vondrys, Charlotte Ballagh, Charlotte FInnegan Quirke, Sam McEntee, Laura Cullen, Kate Freney, Sadhbh McGloughlin, Kevin Day, Ruby Geelon, Emily Harty, Eva Harbourne, Emily Galligan, Charlotte O’ Dwyer

Eileen Ni Chuilleanain

Summer Concert 2023

This years Summer Concert took place on Thursday 4 May 2023

Compères ~ Lily Curley & James O’Dowd

Musical Directors Jackie Curran Olohan & Diane Owens

Stage Manager Roisín Currid & Nicole Cassidy

Keyboard van McKenna

Sound ~ Noel Dicker – Event Technology

Lighting ~ Paul Macken

PART 1

TY Musical - Grease

Summer Lovin ~ Gus Dolan, Laura Hogan & Company

Hopelessly Devoted to You ~ Laura Hogan

Grease Lighting ~ Gus Dolan & Company

There are Worse Things I Can do ~ Holly Danaher

We Go Together ~ Company

TY

I’ll Always Remember You ~ Grace Roche

Apassionata Sonata ~ Beethoven Patrick Chen

3rd Year

Close Every Door ~ Joseph Colm Kavanagh

The Moon Represents my Heart ~ Chloe Holohan

New York State of Mind ~ Alice O’Leary

Love you Anyway ~ Sam Fennelly

Put a Spell on You ~ Colm Kavanagh, Chloe Holohan, Olivia

Vondrys & Uliana Nedilko

Music Festival Winners

Tout L’Universe Daria Bokovenko

Allemande In D Minor Bach Olivia Vondrys

Make You Feel My Love ~ Eva Harbourne

Ballade no. 1 - Chopin ~ Leo McNally

PART 2

A Capella

Cheap Thrills from Pitch Perfect ~ 5th & 6th Year Girls

5th Year

Die Lotosblume – Schumann Charlotte Finnegan Quirke

Cavatina – Raff Charlotte Ballagh

Not for the Life of Me Katelyn Glass

Landslide Charlotte Finnegan Quirke, Eva Harbourne & Kate Freney

2nd Year

The Rose ~ Lily O’Sullivan, Ciara O’Farrell, Caitlin Park, Isobel Bownes, Elena Scalan, Isabelle O’Donovan

Thank You for the Music ~ Isabelle O’Donovan

6th Year

I Know Him So Well – Chess ~ Millie Nowlan, Katie Callan

Meditation – Massenet Leo McNally

On My Own – Les Misérables - Ava Stanley

The Lion Sleeps Tonight - Medley Patrick Bray, Peter Catterson, Christian Higgins, Finn O’Connell, Harvey O’Sullivan, Conor Balmaine, Leo McNally, Christian Smith, Joshua Butler

FINALE

Seasons of Love ~ Rent Choir

Never Enough – Greatest Showman ~ Kirsten Connolly

A Million Dreams – Greatest Showman ~ Choir ~ Featuring Finn Jolly & Peter Catterson

Summer Concert 2023 Participants

Alice O’Leary

Katelyn Glass

Kevin Day

Sadhbh McGloughlin

Kate Freney

Charlotte Finnegan Quirke

Eva Harbourne

Laura Hogan

Nicola Harmon

Charlotte Ballagh

Grace Callaghan

Olivia Vondrys

Chloe Holohan

Colm Kavanagh

Daria Bokovenko

Charlotte O’Dwyer

Millie Nowlan

Katie Callan

Ava Stanley

Peter Catterson

Isabelle Kidd

Leo McNally

Christian Higgins

Gus Dolan

Kirsten Connolly

Jack Williams

Emma Hamilton

David Ahern

Kevin Whelan

Pearl Connolly

Ruth Wilkinson

Finn Jolly

Patrick Bray

Finn O’Connell

Harvey O’Sullivan

Conor Balmaine

Christian Smith

Grace Roche

Chris Kelly

Patrick Chen

Sam Fennelly

Ciara O’Farrell

Caitlin Park

Lily O’Sullivan

Uliana Nedilko

Elena Scanlan

Isobel Bownes

Joshua Butler

David Williams

Isabelle O’Donovan

THE LAND OF ICE AND FIRE by Kate Callan

In January, myself and 57 other Geography pupils from 5th and 6th Year visited Iceland to explore the wild and wonderful landscape of this land of Ice and fire! During our four days exploring the south coast of Iceland, we were lucky enough to be wowed by the recent winter snow which completely covered the landscape, and were also treated to a spectacular show of the northern lights, with Reykjavik glistening in the background. We enjoyed a jam-packed trip, including visiting the beautiful waterfalls, thermal springs, geyser fields, and Golden Circle tour. For me however, the RÚSÍNAN Í PYLSUENDANUM (the raisin at the end of the hotdog) was the incredible hike on the Sólheimajökull glacier. We also visited the brilliant Perlan geothermal exhibition centre and the Hellisheidi Geothermal Power Station and left armed with plenty of SRPs for our LC essays.

On a night walk through Reykjavik’s streets, we got a real sense of how this amazing Nordic country coped with their winter darkness. The Icelanders had fireworks displays every night which created a wonderful atmosphere in the city. There wasn’t much downtime and so everyone really enjoyed relaxing at the amazing Blue Lagoon.

Thank you to Mr Mulholland and the St. Gerard’s teachers (Ms Herriot, Ms Newton, Ms O’Brien, Mr Kelly, Mr Jennings) for putting together this fantastic trip and for all of the amazing memories that we got to make!

Butler’s Chocolate Factory

The TY Home Economics class travelled to the Butler’s Chocolate Factory in Clonshaugh Business Park. During their visit, students were able to see a real-life example of topics studied in Home Economics this year. From a viewing gallery, they watched the production of these world-renowned chocolates and the HACCP requirements set in place for manufacturing, packaging and labelling. The chocolate museum detailed the origins of the cocoa beans in the Aztecs to today and an informative video presentation told the story of how Marion Butler started making chocolate in her kitchen in 1932, her idea flourished and the company now has shops in Butlers Chocolates are available in over forty countries and sixty airports around the world. Students decorated a hollow-filled chocolate elephant which they brought home.

3rd Year Zoo CSPE

In May, we embarked on a trip to Dublin Zoo. It was part of our CSPE course and was looked forward to as a break before the Junior Certificate. As well as observing the animals up close we were told all about the level of different endangered species. Dublin Zoo’s commitment to the welfare and conservation of many species was evident in the incredible enclosures which are designed to replicate their natural habitat. Dublin Zoo’s involvement in breeding programs and conservation research showcased its dedication to preserving these creatures for future generations. It was really interesting to learn all about how all of the zoos work together in Europe and America to help increase the populations of endangered species. Our final stop led us to the orangutan sanctuary. We observed the orangutans swinging from branches, climbing ropes and playing in their environment. The zoo’s efforts extended beyond the physical enclosure, as they actively participated in conservation programs in Southeast Asia to protect the orangutan’s natural habitat. We were told that half of our tickets go directly into the animal’s natural habitat and half goes into keeping the zoo running. The trip to Dublin Zoo was a great way to learn all about conservation and stewardship while looking at all the amazing animals.

2nd Years Trip to Castlecomer Discovery Park

In April the 2nd Years had a fun activity day at Castlecomer Discovery Park, in Kilkenny. The students took part in Team Challenge Games which put their problem-solving, communication and coordination to the test. They zipped over stunning woodland and two lakes on Ireland’s longest zip line. The exhilarating zipline was accompanied by the Octagon High Ropes Course. The Octagon consisted of a two-level course that presented a series of challenges in the form of nets, ropes, and wooden bridges which put even the fearless students to the test! Finally, the students completed boating activities with some students opting to sit back, relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the 80-acre woodland. While others opted for the fast-paced cruise around the lake to fit in some exercise while having fun on the pedal boats and Canadian canoes! With a few students ending up overboard! It was a tough and challenging experience with all groups having to work collaboratively to succeed. What an amazing opportunity for the students to be active and enjoy the outdoors, in such a beautiful location.

1st Year Spanish Book

Our class wrote a book in Spanish about our favourite person. Everybody got to have their work featured and got to draw a picture as well. It was a great experience to use the Spanish we had learned while also creating something fun for everybody at the same time. I think the project gets people interested in learning and it was amazing to have a published book to keep forever at the end.

Nina Boydell

International Women’s Day

TY MUSICAL

For the entire month of January, the TY retired from school and became experts in music and dance. We had a total of 24 days to produce the best version of Grease that St. Gerards had ever seen. Between the cast, the ensemble, the sound team, the band and the stage crew a lot of hard work and effort was put in. The musical was genuinely one of the best experiences I’ve ever had because of how close everyone in the year became and how much fun I had whilst doing it. I started out slightly worried I wouldn’t be up for the part of a main role, but once I got my script and started to learn some of the numerous dances I really enjoyed rehearsals. They gave me the opportunity to talk to different people and make more friends, all whilst doing something outside my comfort zone.

My favourite part of rehearsals was doing the big group dances such as “Grease” and “Hand Jive”. I also really enjoyed watching the boys prepare for

“Greased Lightning” because of the sheer enthusiasm they had for the dance.

It all started to feel so real once we got our costumes together. The excitement in the room was electric as we waited to see what we’d look like on stage. In typical Frenchie fashion, I was kitted out in all pink including a surprise wig at one stage which really got a laugh from the audience. Opening night was nerve-racking, but we all felt the same way and there was a good atmosphere as we prepared to take to the stage. The second night was the best performance for me, it felt smooth and not too stressful. I thought I’d be nervous on the stage but I ended up really loving it. It really helped to be around my friends and familiar faces, plus we started a pre-show ritual song to help calm us down.

The best thing about the musical was the friends I’ve made from it and the confidence it’s given me. I never thought I’d be able to be on stage, let alone a main character. Going so over the top with my character challenged me but once everyone else got stuck in, it was easier to play the role. If I got to do the musical again I wouldn’t change anything because it was already brilliant.

- Pippa Bellows

Difference Day in aid of Peamount Healthcare

On the 5th of May, we rallied together to help build new facilities for the people of Peamount Hospital. We set off bright and early, ready for a day of rewarding work for a great cause. We were separated into four groups to work on the gardens of the homes. The fourth group created a large art mural full of colourful paintings, which were placed around the perimeter of the main hall. I was a part of one of the bungalow teams. We were assigned the task of building a back garden space surrounded by plants and enclosed on three sides. I mainly worked on the surrounding border which had three levels of wooden planks, stacked up on each other and screwed together. I then began bringing dirt and sand to place on the ground and inside the wooden planks, where we would be putting flowers and plants later on in the day. My final job was to cover up all of the holes, tire tracks and bumps in the garden, to make it look clean again. I really enjoyed the Difference Day and liked the practical element of the day, using our hands to build a project from the ground up. I took a leadership role for the final two hours of the day, to try to get more people into jobs that were falling behind. Overall, I had an amazing experience at Peamount Hospital and I would love any opportunity to do something similar again.

by Matthew Leonard

Killary Adventure Centre Activity Week

By nature, I try to be as prepared for things as possible. I like to know what to expect, and after deep dives through the Killary website, I still felt unsure about the trip. It was evident when we arrived that I was not alone in this as everyone showed up with large suitcases filled with clothes having packed for any eventuality. After a long bus journey, we were eager to see the centre and find out who we were sharing with! There were a few mumbles as our phones were taken from us, but the groups were called out, we set off (device-less) to get ready for our first activity. High ropes! I have always been scared of heights and more specifically, falling. So when I was faced with a trapeze jump as our first activity my stomach dropped. I tried to put on a brave face and tell myself it was going to be fine but when climbing up to the platform I had to force myself to keep going until I made it to the top. That was the scariest part, I think largely because by the time I had to jump, I was so relieved to be getting off the platform I didn’t care anymore! When my feet were placed firmly back on the ground, I felt relief and pride. On the last day we faced a “Skyfall” off the high tower, and after completing the high ropes trapeze jump I no longer felt nervous about the height and even decided to do it twice!

by Bella Wilkinson

TY GRADUATION NIGHT

TY GRADUATION NIGHT

SCT BBQ

Valedictory Evening

CLASS OF 2023

Valedictorians 2023 ~ Scarlett Glynn and Hugo Wyse

Seachtain na Gaeilge

Bhí spórt agus spraoi againn i rith seachtain na Gaeilge . Bhí imeachtaí éasgsúla ar siúl timpeall na scoile. Bhaineamar sult as an tóraíocht taisce, an damhsa céilí agus as na cluichí éagsúla sna ranganna. Bhí deis ag daltaí na cúigiú bliana dul go dtí an scannán An Cailín Ciúin . Ní minic a fhaighimid an deis scannán iontach a fheiceáil trí Ghaeilge . Bhain gach dalta agus na múinteoirí sult as . Bhí roinnt comórtaisí idir ranga ar siúl freisin chun an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn timpeall na scoile. Beatha teanga í a labhairt.

Green Day

Eucharistic Ministers

This year 25 of the 5th-Year students volunteered to complete their training as a Eucharistic Minister. With the help of Father John and Pat Maguire, they undertook their training in May and are now ready to be commissioned in September. Following this, the students will be involved in the liturgies throughout the year.

Medjugorje Pilgrimage

Medjugorje is a small town in Bosnia and Herzegovina with a predominantly Catholic and Croatian population. If you were to look at it and have no prior knowledge of the place, you would assume that it’s like every other town in the Balkans. Except it’s not, as a matter of fact, it’s not like anywhere else in the world. It is home to six visionaries, three of whom receive daily apparitions from the Virgin Mary. However, there we found something that is hard to put into words, but undeniable in its presence. It may be hard to comprehend for those who have not been but for the 50 of us that were there the peace and memories that we experienced will live with us forever.

Kate Freeney

Memorial Service

On Tuesday 18th April we held a special memory service for Grace Rush. The evening featured prayers and songs chosen by Grace’s friends and classmates in 2nd Year. It was an opportunity for us all to honour her and show solidarity with Grace’s family. The 2nd year students, who were joined by their parents, then proceeded to the pond where we held a Ceremony of Light. Grace was loved and is missed by all of her St.Gerard’s family.

Retreats

Retreats are a part of St. Gerard’s spiritual engagement with young people and are organised for all of our year groups as part of our Religious Education programme. To go on a retreat is a special event in a person’s life. It can be an enriching experience, to move away from a time from the hustle and bustle of school and everyday life, to find for a short while, a space for prayer, peace and tranquillity. A retreat is recognised as an opportunity to enhance the spiritual, emotional and social development of young people.

ART COMPETITION WINNERS

Representative Sports Honours

SOCCER

Abby Tuthill -Represented the Irish U19 Women’s soccer team over the Easter break at the second round of UEFA European Championship Qualifiers.

HOCKEY

Congratulations to Hannah Duffy and Eva Doyle who represented the Irish U16 Hockey team over Easter in a Four Nations tournament in Germany.

SPORTS OVERVIEW

There has been a huge number of fixtures, training, competitions and more throughout this very busy term. We have fielded teams in hockey, rugby, golf, tennis, soccer, cross-country and equestrian. Our students have all represented the school really well in various sports. It has been fantastic to see the campus so busy every Wednesday and Saturday with fixtures and training sessions. Well done to all the teams so far this season and best of luck with the rest of the year!

Equestrian

We have had some good results in various events so far this season. Well done to all students who have been competing and representing the school so well. Our St. Gerards Show Jumping event was postponed due to bad weather but we are really looking forward to the event which will now be held in December.

Some of our notable results from the season so far include Cocobelle Manning winning the 1.10 individual competition in Barnadown. Ali Condren finished 2nd in the 80cm individual competition in Coilog Equestrian. Our open team won Best Turnout at the same event. Our Green Novice team finished 5th out of 28 schools and won the Best Turnout prize in Barnadown. A huge ‘well done’ to all the students who have represented our school so far this season and all the best for the rest of the year!

BOYS CRICKET

The boys cricket programme was again able to field three teams in Leinster leagues. This summer proved very popular for the sport, and it showed in all our matches. Our First year boys played in the Raftery Trophy, and after two great wins in their pool matches, they qualified out of their pool section. They went on to beat CUS in the semi final, and have booked a place in the League Final against Wesley College! This is a great achievement, as it is the school’s first final in cricket, after reintroducing the sport back into the summer sports programme.

Our Second year boys played in the 2nd Year B league, and had two wins and two losses. Our Third year boys played in the Alf O’Connell league which is predominately made up from senior seconds teams. Despite what the team lacked in age, they had bundles of fight and spirit, and came very close on two occasions to cause an upset.

Recording the most number of victories the school has ever achieved during the cricket season, and indeed reaching a semi final, it is true to say that the appetite for the game is definitely growing. We look forward to building on this next year.

BASKETBALL

With the introduction of basketball into the multisports programme in St. Gerard’s this year, we are continuing to build the numbers of those participating. It is encouraging to see a nucleus of junior and senior cycle boys getting involved through the weekly games programme. With mixed basketball on a Thursday, the programme is open to all students wishing to get involved. The emphasis so far has been on creating a fun environment to work on fitness, teamwork and skill development through small-sided games. This provides the players with more opportunities to make decisions and develop game skills, by getting up more game shots and offering a more natural tendency to pass more often.

BOYS SENIOR SOCCER

Given that we had a new squad of players coming into the team and only seven returning players, the squad had an impressive season. We went out of the league cup in the quarter-final stage, beaten by a good St. Vincent’s Castleknock College team who progressed to the final. This year we entered the team into a Senior Cup which had over 100 teams competing. After a preliminary game, we exited at the second-round stage to a division one team. The lads competed well but in the end, we were up against a school that had specific football programs. The team also entered a second smaller cup with only fifteen teams. In their match, the players did well and gave a good account of themselves but failed to make it to the finals. Still determined to finish on a high, we entered two teams into a ‘Mini-World Cup’ against three other schools. The lads did well with one squad winning Group A and the other squad finishing runners-up in Group B.

SAILING

Our sailing squads took part in the inaugural schools sailing league event in March where they competed in a team racing format. There were three rounds planned, but unfortunately, they could not be held during May, and these events have been moved to September.

St. Gerard’s again held our annual Inter-school Sailing Regatta in Greystones Sailing Club. The event hosted six schools, with 51 sailors in 29 boats. Congratulations to Cian and Caoimhe Swan for winning the Jack Roy Trophy, and to the sailing squad for finishing second overall on the day. and third respectively.

CROSS COUNTRY AND ATHLETICS

It has been a very busy year for our cross-country and athletics squads. In January we had the East Leinster Cross Country Championships take place. We had seven students qualify from East Leinsters for the Leinster cross country Championships. Well done to Isabelle Smith, Isobel Lynch, Malachy Kenny, Evan Kenny, JP Lynch and Emily Harty who all qualified as individuals. Congratulations to our Junior Boys team who finished 3rd (Evan Kenny, JP Lynch, Luke Redmond, Isaac Leahy, Fredy Willis and Rian Kavanagh). Isobel Lynch went on to qualify for the All-Irelands in the senior girls category. The All-Irelands took place in Waterford in March. Isobel represented the school incredibly well and finished midpack on the day in tough conditions, well done!

We had over 90 students competing at the East Leinster Athletics Championships in UCD this year. We have entries in every age category and are delighted to see numbers so high for athletics. We are excited to see how the championships go for our athletes.

Our annual Djouce run took place in April. We had over 30 students sign up for the event. It was a glorious day on the mountain and the students ran the course with great enthusiasm. Congratulations to our winners Malachy Kenny and Martha Moore! A special mention to Isaac Leahy, JP Lynch, Emily Gleeson and Victoria Roche who all finished second and third respectively.

GOLF

Our pupil’s Golf Championship was held in Dun Laoghaire Golf Club on Friday 19th May and had twenty-four entrants. Congratulations to Jack McGovern who won the boys event with a stunning three-under-par (69 Gross) score. This also contributed towards Jack taking the Golfer of the Year award. Congratulations to Emma Haugh, winning the girls event with a fantastic 41 points. Congratulations to Adrianna Mulloy also, who won the Girl Golfer of the Year award this year.

The Junior Boys squad played two matches in the summer term, a friendly with St. Columbus College, and the CBC Inter-school Match Play Invitational in Killiney Golf Club. With more girls involved in golf in the school, we are hoping to have more friendlies during the summer months for both girls and boys.

As part of our Extra-Curricular Activity programme, our school golf spring lessons took place again at the Dun Laoghaire golf club. 46 pupils, made up from both senior and junior schools, attended an eight-week programme with the professional team up in the club.

BOYS TENNIS

The return to school after the Easter break saw the tennis season kick into full flight! We had five boys teams competing in Leinster leagues. With the interest being very high, we were able to field two teams at both junior and minor levels for the first time.

Both our Junior A and Senior tennis teams qualified from their group, and progressed through to the knock-out matches and into the finals of their respective competitions. The Juniors were in a position to retain the Leinster Division 2 title but sadly came up against a very strong St. Andrew’s College side in Templeogue TC. The Senior team played in a very close match with St. Fintan’s High School in Fitzwilliam LTC which saw the match go down to the last set in the last doubles. Despite battling for over two hours, it was not to be this year! It was a great achievement to have two of our boys teams make it into the final.

The Family Tennis Evening again proved to be a very enjoyable evening in the school and saw 46 couples compete for the title. On a calm Wednesday evening in May, it was the turn of Hugh McCarthy Morrogh and his uncle, Tadgh McCarthy Morrogh (a former pupil) to take the honours in a closely fought final. Our Prize and Sports Day on Sunday 21st May saw all our school tennis championship finals come to a conclusion, and we would like to congratulate all our finalists, and, of course, the winners at minor, junior and senior levels!

GIRLS TENNIS

This year we have three very strong girls tennis squads at minor, junior and senior levels. We had a huge turnout to the tennis trials for each age group which was brilliant to see. Our minor girls team beat The Teresians School and Muckross Park College in the opening rounds of their Leinster League Campaign. They now face Loreto Foxrock in the League Quarter Finals.

Our Junior girls had a very strong win against Rathdown in their opening match. They won all 3 matches in convincing fashion. They then faced a very strong Holy Child Killiney team in the next round where they narrowly missed out on advancing to the next stage.

Our senior squad had a great win against The Teresians School where they picked up all three points. They then took on Mount Anville School in the quarter-finals of their league. The team had a great performance beating Mount Anville 3-0. They then faced Alexandra College in the semi-final stage, again having another super performance and didn’t drop a match on their way to victory! It was brilliant to reach the finals day at Lansdowne Tennis Club where we faced St. Mary’s College, Naas. This was an incredibly close fixture. It all came down to the last match but unfortunately, we lost 2-1. Congratulations to Ethna and Olivia Vondrys, Sophie and Isabelle Rhatigan, Florence Clopin, Emily Harty, Sarah Browne and Charlotte Ballagh on a successful season!

HOCKEY Senior Cup Team

Our SCT Team has had an enjoyable season with some great results along the way. From December the team played in a lot of important games, getting some good results. They played Holy Child Killiney, Temple Carrig School, Wesley College, Mount Anville Secondary School, and The High School Dublin. Unfortunately, our last game was a narrow 1 - 0 loss to Holy Child Killiney in the South Dublin League final. After a 17-game season, we said goodbye to the hard-working 6th Years and then entered the summer pre-season training with a new-found determination. Throughout the Easter break, we were given a detailed running plan so we could keep our fitness up and be ready to get back to the pitch. Sam and Cara had us working hard on strength and conditioning both on the pitch and in the early morning gym sessions. Since the start of pre-season, our training has been highintensity and the coaches have been pushing us all to do our best individually as well as as a team to get us to reach our potential going into next year. June training will commence shortly and this consists of two, three-hour long weekly training sessions. We will be working really hard at hockey and fitness to give us a head start for when we are back at school and the league starts.

Senior 2

The S2 squad showed great improvements and development throughout a difficult competitive year. The girls found themselves on the wrong end of several incredibly close games decided by very small margins. These setbacks however did not dampen their appetite to train and develop, with over 20 players present regularly at sessions. Their engagement in training and commitment to work and learning in the face of some tough days is a testament to their attitude and perseverance. A large number of the squad will no doubt be members of the SCT next year and we can’t wait to see their continued development as athletes over the coming year.

Senior 3

Despite small numbers, due to the Spanish exchange, the Senior 3s continued to show dedication in their training. Consistently facing difficult matches with a positive ‘can-do’ attitude the Senior 3s came away with a strong willingness to improve their skills. Ending the season with a tough loss against Mount Sackville Secondary School the girls showcased some great hockey nonetheless. A season filled with many highs and lows, with extra challenges due to low numbers, the girls showed up and worked well together at training. Well done, and congratulations on all of your hard work!

Junior Cup Team

Our JCT Team has had a brilliant season with some great results along the way. The whole group has bonded really well and have all made improvements to their game. The team played 20 fixtures this season which was a considerable number of games. The team has made enormous progress from our first game in August to our last game in March. Throughout the season, the team scored 32 goals, a season high! Some of the most notable results were victories in the first and second rounds of the Leinster Cup against St Wolstan’s Community School and The High School respectively. We then faced Holy Child Killiney in the third round of the cup. This game was a true nailbiter and our girls left everything on the pitch. After a scoreless draw at the end of fulltime, we headed to a shootout. Well done to the five girls who stepped up to take an eight-second shuttle as it is never an easy task. The shootout was incredibly close and after the 16th shuttle, Holy Child Killiney won. This was an incredibly difficult result for the team as they were so close and everyone was extremely proud of their effort.

The team finished out their Leinster League campaign with a convincing 4-0 victory over Loreto Dalkey. We then shifted our focus to the South Dublin League where we won both our pool games to reach the final. We faced a strong High School team in the final and lost 1-0 on the day. This team has had many highs and lows this season but they have always stuck together and worked hard for each other! Well done to all on a very successful year!

Junior 2

The Junior 2 squad have been incredibly committed and enthusiastic throughout the season. They have improved immensely as a team and have some incredibly close fixtures. Every player involved has improved their technical and tactical skills. They have been a pleasure to work with. The team had some very notable results throughout the season. They beat Holy Child Killiney, Rathdown School and Wesley College. Their victory over Wesley College really highlighted the strides this group has made. They worked incredibly hard that day to earn themselves a brilliant league win. The team have faced many challenges throughout the year with a change of coach and close losses in the Leinster League and South Dublin League but they remained dedicated and kept coming back to work hard in training. Overall, it has been a very enjoyable, successful and rewarding season for the team. Well done all!

Minor Squads

All Minor teams had a good season and we saw some good displays and some excellent hockey. The development of all the players both tactically and technically was impressive. The Minor A’s had a solid league campaign and were ultimately set back by some midseason form which cost them their place in the semifinal. They had a good cup run, losing out to Alexandra College in a very tight cup match where they squandered some excellent chances. They competed very well in the South Dublin League and won the final displaying their best hockey of their season.

The Minor B’s were in a tough group in the league and ultimately found the going hard. Despite putting in some great performances they just seemed to always come out the wrong side of the result. They progressed as a team and were moving the ball around and causing problems for their opponents and creating many chances.

The Minor C’s had a very good season constantly improving and playing some fantastic hockey. They had a mixed league campaign with both close wins and losses. They were very competitive in all their games and pushed their opponents. The group really gelled as a side and seemed to really enjoy playing together.

1st Year Hockey

Since Christmas, the 1st Year Hockey squad has been extremely busy. Unfortunately, the B1 Eight-a-side team did not progress any further in their league. However, the A2 team went on to win their league final. In total, they played four round-robin matches against four schools with a tough final against Loreto Secondary School, Bray. The girls stepped up to the plate and secured the win with two super goals from Sanna Rankin. As we left eight-a-side hockey, the teams merged into two squads of A and B. The B team had a challenging group but their spirits never dampened despite not being very successful in their league. The A team however made great strides by reaching the final of their league which meant they got a day out in Three Rock against St. Andrew’s College. Despite some great support from their year group, the match did not go their way and they finished second overall in their league. The team also made the semi-final of their cup fixture but also lost out by one goal. Overall it has been a great season for 1st-year hockey.

RUGBY

Senior Cup Team

This year’s Senior Cup Team entered the Vinnie Murray Cup in early January and was drawn against St. Andrew’s College. Another tough draw for this team after being drawn into the ‘group of death’ in the league. We had five weeks to prepare with the match scheduled for immediately after the Christmas break. Donnybrook was the venue for this Cup match. It was a cup day like many others, with the nerves, the noise, the pressure and, of course, the support. In a very closely fought game, it ended unfortunately in defeat for St. Gerard’s. With bare and honest reflection, it was one of the team’s worst performances, too often giving access for St. Andrew’s to attack through our own errors. These days are always hard to take. Much like life, sometimes the effort does not reflect the outcome. This is sport of course and this is how it can build character. For the 2022-23 St. Gerard’s SCT Rugby team, with the right attitude there would be one last opportunity awaiting - the Vinnie Murray Plate Competition. The players regrouped after the disappointment. They promised themselves, and they promised one another to continue training to their best ability and go and win the Plate. This is what they did. In the final four weeks of the year, the shackles fell off, training was fluid, players were connecting and the team had one simple target with all players rowing in unison and in the same direction. The SCT had four matches left to play, two friendlies against Belvedere College and The King’s Hospital School and two plate games against Ardscoil Rís and unknown at the time, a final against The High School. They aimed to win all four and they were successful, scoring on average over forty points per game. The Vinnie Murray Final was hosted in St. Mary’s College RFC against a tough and motivated High School team. After a slow start, St. Gerard’s were behind on the scoreboard due to some effective and organised High School forwards play. St Gerard’s stuck to the process and pulled ahead with a faultless 10-minute period of rugby, yielding two excellent team tries. It seemed throughout the game that St. Gerard’s might pull clear and open up a sizeable lead. However, all credit to High School as they always stayed in the fight in an end-to-end game that saw nearly 80 points scored between the teams. The final score saw St. Gerard’s lift the Plate with a 45-34 win and was a fitting reward for these players who can be proud of themselves as they move on from St. Gerard’s life and into Senior rugby with more wins and friendships gained.

Senior 2

The Senior 2 team got off to a great start of the season as a combination of 4th, 5th, and 6th Year students defeated some strong teams. After their closely contested win against The Oratory School, there was no stopping this St. Gerard’s side as they went on to defeat Presentation College, Bray and Kilkenny College respectively in the second and third rounds of their league with captain and vice-captain Victor Cullen and Harvey O’Sullivan both scoring tries to give them their third and fourth wins of the season. The St. Gerard’s spirits were once again lifted as they triumphantly defeated Oatlands College at home to secure themselves a spot in the semi-final of the Leinster Seconds Cup facing Belvedere College. After a very tough game away Belvedere were found to be too much and took the win in the last match of the season. A bitter way to finish the 6 Year’s rugby careers but it was all smiles in the huddle afterwards. A fantastic group of players and some brilliant prospects for the future.

Senior 3

Nearly a month after dispatching CBC Monkstown in their league semi-final, news came through of their eagerly anticipated TY/5th Year league final against St. Mary’s College. With a reduced squad, due to the Spanish Exchange, we knew our backs were against the wall to try and go one step further than last year and win the TY league. The squad braved severe elements and faced an outfit that was much bigger than them and had a much larger pool of players. They played some of the best rugby of their year in the final. The forwards worked their socks off and were accurate at the set pieces. Similarly, the backline executed some beautiful pieces of play and capitalised on an excellent kicking strategy. In what was the toughest game of the year, they finished 15 - 12 winners!

Junior Rugby

The JCT officially came together in June, when training commenced for what would hopefully be a successful and memorable season. For many, JCT rugby exposes the boys for the first time to proper game plans, shapes & structures, strength and conditioning training and how to prepare for games both physically and mentally. Therefore, it is a season where a huge amount of rugby education is installed. This rugby education provides a solid foundation of knowledge that will stand to them as they move on into the Senior Cycle. A lot of emphasis went into building the culture of the team, including work ethic, respect and above all enjoyment. With the culture set, it flowed into the season. Despite a rough start in the league away to Newbridge College, the JCT managed to secure their first win in a come-from-behind victory against Presentation College, Bray. This was a must-win game for the team in terms of the goals they had set for themselves and also guaranteed qualification for the Leinster Schools Junior Cup. The team went on to win the remainder of their group games with memorable victories at home to Kilkenny College and Cistercian College Roscrea to finish second in their group with three wins from four matches. This was then followed by a brilliant win in the quarter-final against Wesley College. Unfortunately, the team came up short in the semi-final against St. Vincent’s Castleknock College, which would go on to win the league final. The first round of the Junior Cup saw the JCT play Presentation College, Bray in a titanic

battle. The JCT came out with a 7-3 victory and was a day the players won’t forget. A tough match and a deserved victory. The draw for the second round was made and a clash v Blackrock College beckoned. On a wonderful occasion at Donnybrook, the team lost 38-7 to a very good Blackrock College team who would go on to win the Junior Cup Final. However, the score did not reflect the match and the team gave a very good account of themselves. Overall, the JCT can be very proud of their season. There is now huge excitement around what this group can achieve as they move on to their SCT experience. Everyone in the school looks forward to seeing this play out over the next two to three years. Well done boys.

U15 Rugby

Gryffindor A’s & Hufflepuff’s B’s

The 1st Year group of boys arrived eager to learn and to start their rugby journey in Big School. It was important from the outset to see who had played and who was starting rugby for the first time. We needed to look at not only the tackle area but ruck, run, catch, and pass, along with improving their skills and understanding of the game. What was important going through the entire year with the group, was that we kept swapping players around to gain experience in different positions but also changing them from team to team and challenging them constantly. Highlights of the season included long away trips to Ballyclare High School, Bandon Grammar and Glenstal Abbey, producing both great performances and a great atmosphere for the lads to enjoy. Gryfindors will remember their last game of the season securing an away win against Glenstal Abbey (29-14). The Hufflepuffs season ended on the 15th of March losing to CBC Monkstown. They will, however, fondly remember the week before when they won away to Bandon Grammar 34-24. Overall the coaches are very happy with the group and their first year of Senior School rugby. All in all the squad played over 40 matches and did themselves and the school proud.

U14 Rugby

With very little rugby played in Standard 6 by this group of players due to COVID restrictions the focus this year has been on the development of the players’ skill set and understanding of their roles during a game not only as individuals but as part of a team. After a slow start to the season that saw the side suffer heavy defeats to Gonzaga and St. Michael’s, the players’ dedication and commitment to training resulted in a string of impressive victories over Clongowes Wood College, Templecarrig, St. Andrew’s and Willow Park, as well as an undefeated run at The King’s Hospital Blitz. If the improvement shown by the U14 squad so far this season continues into the New Year then there is every reason to be excited by what the future holds for rugby in St. Gerard’s.

Prize & Sports Day