Vol 29 No 29    17 May  2024

Mental Health Week

This year’s Mental Health Week got off to a great start with a "buzzing" atmosphere at The High School! Our theme was “bee”: we felt this reflected exactly what we were trying to get across to pupils at our school. Bees work together to build a working hive so each day of the week was filled with interactive activities for all. The Wellbeing Committee always hope that this week spreads awareness and positivity. We thoroughly enjoyed a range of fun activities and events around the school. 

Tuesday was “bee connected”. In the morning we had a feel good playlist, taking pictures in the frame to show our togetherness, and using a hug-o-meter for everyone coming in through the doors. At Assembly, Poppy Comerford and I spoke on the theme of Mental Health Awareness and what we can do to help ourselves and others who are struggling.  At lunch we had bracelet making and community colouring!

Wednesday was “bee aware”. We had face painting and the hug-o-meter at the doors in the morning.  At Assembly an animation by Johnny Kirkpatrick, Lauren Collins, and Lauryn Doyle was shown. That evening we had a beautiful time of memory and reflection for all those who have lost someone or know someone who is struggling. There was a beautiful array of performances of poetry, music, and singing.

Thursday was “bee curious” with musical talent on show at lunchtime. On Friday, the theme was “bee generous”. To display this we gave out sweets and tray bakes delivered alongside Zumba! Saturday’s “bee active” saw us taking part in the Darkness into Light walk. It was a memorable morning with a wonderful sunrise and a hopeful way to finish off the week.

Mental Health Week 2024 was a huge success and we believe that it will make a long lasting impact and difference to the wellbeing of our school community. A massive thank you to all who helped organise it and to everyone who took part! 
Eleanor Donnan

Form 4 Excursion 

On the May Bank Holiday weekend a group of 60 pupils and six teachers gathered at Dublin Airport for our flight to Rome. Everyone was extremely excited and couldn’t wait for the weekend ahead. We arrived in Rome quite late so we went straight to the hotel to get some rest before the busy weekend.

The next day we woke up early and boarded a bus that took us to the centre of Rome. Our first stop was Vatican City where we spent time walking around the museum admiring all the historical artwork on display. The highlight of Vatican City for me was visiting the Sistine Chapel. Following this we had a walking tour of Rome with our friendly guides. The tour began at the Colosseum which everyone found fascinating with lots of photographs taken. We then proceeded through Rome to visit the Trevi Fountain and later ended our tour at the Spanish Steps.

On Sunday we headed to Rainbow Magic-Land by bus. Upon arrival everyone rushed to enjoy the biggest rollercoaster to avoid long queues. We spent the day riding all attractions repeatedly as it was so much fun! Afterwards we returned to our hotel, changed clothes, and went to relax at the beach just in time for a beautiful sunset.

Monday started early as we made our way to Naples. First stop was Mount Vesuvius: after navigating its winding roads, we trekked up further for breathtaking views inside this volcano overlooking the Naples cityscape below us. Next on our itinerary was exploring Pompeii's ancient ruins: an incredibly intriguing part of our trip showcasing how these structures have endured since 79 AD providing insight into life back then.

As we journeyed back towards Dublin airport on Monday evening conversations were filled with reminiscing about what an amazing time we had during this trip - truly unforgettable memories were made! A heartfelt thank you goes out to our teachers for organizing such an incredible excursion.

National Mock Trials Competition

On Saturday 11 March a group of Form 4 pupils represented The High School at The Criminal Courts of Justice for the 22nd Annual National Mock Trials Competition. Organized by the Public Access to Law organization, the competition aimed to provide pupils with a unique insight into the world of law. Participants were required to "appoint" barristers, solicitors, witnesses, tipstaff, and a jury. Each individual had an important role to fulfill and spent weeks preparing for the event.

I was fortunate enough to serve as a barrister and worked in pairs to prepare our cases. We were assigned cases involving prosecution and defence related to a burglary scenario. Our time was dedicated to gathering evidence, crafting examinations, and speeches. Despite requiring significant time and effort seeing our cases come together made it all worthwhile.

Additionally, we had witnesses who diligently memorized their statements, prepared for questioning, and embraced their roles with appropriate costumes. On the day of the competition, we gathered early at the courts for a 9.00 am start. Following an opening speech, we were promptly allocated to our respective courtrooms where we faced off against other schools in trials.

The first trial yielded success as we emerged victorious; however, the subsequent case proved challenging resulting in an unfortunate loss. After a brief lunch break came our final case of the day which was intense but ended in a narrow defeat by three points. Despite this outcome, we were proud of our hard work and grateful for such an enriching experience.

A special acknowledgment goes out to Ms Scott whose dedication in organizing and coordinating everything was invaluable; her efforts were instrumental in our participation and success at the event!
Poppy Comerford

Form 5 English 

In Form 5 English this term, we have been studying the poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins. During Creative Schools Week, pupils used mobile technology to craft visual montages of his arresting imagery to demonstrate what Hopkins termed "inscape" - the inner life of things. In his poem "Pied Beauty" Hopkins celebrates all things dappled, spotted, freckled, and spare; the essence of diversity. Pupils combed through the poem for visual references and compiled colourful inscapes of what they imagined Hopkins was describing. As you can see, the results were truly remarkable and brought the poem to life in a new and visceral way for us all.
Ms Burrowes

Form 4 Outdoor Education

We were looking forward to preparing for our plunge into the water by the time we arrived at Dublin docks. We quickly squeezed into our wetsuits and put on our safety gear - all set for our kayaking adventure. The instructors were happy with how excited we were as we eagerly splashed into the water. We had a great time flipping over, racing, laughing, and happily exploring Docklands. After securing the kayaks, we linked arms as we dived back in for more fun. Switching to paddleboards, we did team challenges until exhaustion kicked in. Relaxing on my paddleboard later on let me soak in the scene: fresh air, clear skies, and birds soaring above - Form 4's Outdoor Education programme providing pure happiness!

Leinster Rugby Selections

Congratulations are due to a number of pupils who will be participating in Leinster Rugby over the coming months. Samuel McNamara from Form 6 has been selected to join the Leinster U19 summer program. Leo Kilroy, Edward Duke, and Ury Spain from Form 4 have been selected for the Leinster Schools U17 summer program. Furthermore, Maya Neely in Form 4 has been selected to represent The High School and Leinster in the Under 16 Interprovincial Girls’ Sevens Championship. Siobhan Layte is also set to participate in a forthcoming Leinster representative event. 
Mr Mc Dermott

Locker Notice

The academic year is drawing to a close so please note that all pupils must clear out their belongings from school lockers before the end of Summer Term.

Library Books Reminder

All pupils are required to return Library books to the W B Yeats Library promptly.  An amnesty is currently in place for late returns, so no questions asked! It is important to have them all back before the end of the school year.
Ms Wiggle

Rathfarnham Parish Fête