Vol 31 No 29    15 May 2026

Sports Day Success

There was a palpable sense of excitement at The High School as the much-anticipated annual Sports Day got underway - a cherished tradition that brings the whole school community together in a celebration of energy, determination, and enthusiasm. The day began beneath a soft blanket of grey cloud, but it was not long before the skies brightened and the sun emerged to warm the fields, and a human flag of red and black spread across the green of our beautiful campus at announcing that Sports Day 2026 at The High School was underway. Who would win the day and arrive home with stories of medals presented or near misses, only time would tell, and soon laughter and cheers filled the air as pupils ran, danced, jumped, and raced their way through a full programme of events. Form 4 pupils supplied ice cream in aid of Oscar’s Kids, while our dedicated kitchen staff provided an endless supply of burgers and hot food to keep the athletes fed. From classic tug-of-war contests and charity ice-bucket challenges to playful novelty events and fast-paced relay races, every moment was filled with spirited competition and strong team spirit. Yet another fantastic Sports Day at The High School!

Cricket Leinster Senior Cup Final

Congratulations to our Senior 1 Cricket Team on their excellent achievement in reaching the Senior Cup final which will take place on Tuesday 19 May at Merrion Cricket Club. This is a fantastic milestone for the team and a reflection of their hard work, commitment, and determination throughout the season. Good luck to all involved as they prepare for what promises to be an exciting final.
Mr Barnard

Leinster Hockey

The Leinster U21 Men’s Hockey squad has been announced ahead of the Interprovincial fixtures. We are incredibly proud to announce that two of our pupils, Fionnán Coyle and Ciarán Lyons, have been selected to represent The High School. We wish our pupils and the entire team every success as they don the blue and white jerseys to represent HSD and Leinster this weekend. A huge well done to all players selected!
Ms Gray

Form 4 Innovators

The Environmental Innovators Transition Year programme aims to engage pupils in understanding and applying sustainability practices on our campus and in the wider community, with a focus on innovative and beneficial approaches that contribute to environmental preservation and conservation. The module encourages pupils to research a topic that can be developed over the five-week schedule. Groups are asked to complete a poster project highlighting sustainable practices. All completed posters were entered into the National Peer Day final. Two groups were selected to represent The High School at Bord Bia headquarters last Friday. Well done to the following pupils for their dedication to research and innovation: Rowan Drum; Nikola Jovanovic; Aidan Smith; Oliver Blain; Saoirse Fleetwood; Síofra Quigley; Caoimhe Gannon; and Rebecca Needham.
Mr Langrell

Form 3 Excursion

On Monday 11 May our Form 3 class went on an excusion to Dublin Zoo. The day began with us boarding the buses at nine o’clock and making our way to the zoo.  At first, we were all concerned because it was pouring down when we arrived, but it cleared up later. After our arrival, we split up and were given a tour of most of the exhibits by a guide. They shared some interesting facts with us, such as there being only an estimated eight hundred wild Asian lions left on Earth. After finishing the tour, we divided into groups of our choosing and were able to roam around the zoo. My group spent most of our time in the African-themed area, where we saw animals such as zebras, giraffes, gorillas, and even rhinos. Overall, the trip to the zoo was very enjoyable and I learned a lot. I would love to see if this trip can be topped next year!
Tiernan Geraghty
Photographs by Amber O'Brien
Sketches by Sophie Rutledge

Form 4 Photography Exhibition Part 1

Pupils in Form 4 studying Photography with Mr Hanan have produced some exceptional work this year. You can view their online exhibition, titled PERSPECTIVES here.  Well to to all envolved in this excellent project. 
Photographers: Bébhinn Berube / Niamh Browne / Saoirse Fleetwood / Fred Hendley / Ollie Hoey / Orla Jepsen / Abby Kelly / Izarra Lavelle / Freya Maher / Ben McGrath / Ava Middelkoop / Simon Millar / Tom Miller / Anna Murphy / Finn Murphy / Sean Murtagh / Carla O’Mahony / Serena Peng / Lauren Prunty O’Toole / Maebh Shanahan / Lea Siberry / Leon Stuart Gleeson / James Taylor / Scott Thompson.

Dublin City Interfaith Forum

A few weeks ago, we welcomed members of the Dublin City Interfaith Forum (DCIF) to our Form 5 Religious Education class. The DCIF is a network of people form a variety of faith communities. They raise awareness of the diversity of faith and culture in the city and work through dialogue and cooperation to create a more respectful society. They told the class about a project they were involved in creating a prayer room for Muslims in a Dublin hospital and how much it meant to the community. They also talked about a new project that they are involved in called InterMu-Se, which is aimed at combatting discrimination and intolerance. InterMu-Se focuses on tackling negative stereotypes against Jewish and Muslim communities and fostering trust and understanding between people. As well as DCIF, InterMu-Se has partner organisations in six other European countries, including Greece, Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, and Cyprus. The members of DCIF who spoke to the class came from different faith backgrounds and they led discussion on a wide range of topics. At the end of their visit Form 6 pupils joined the class so that they could ask them for their thoughts on their Leaving Certificate coursework, which is about how the constitution reflects the place of religion in Irish society and culture. The pupils were incredibly grateful to have their perspectives and found it really helpful for their research. Over the past number of years we have engaged regularly with members of DCIF and their CEO, Adrian Cristea, has been wonderfully accommodating to our pupils. We hope to continue this positive and beneficial relationship into the future. 
Ms Hutchinson Edgar

Form 4 Irish

Recently, Form 4 pupils had the exciting opportunity to visit Croke Park as part of their Irish course. Accompanied by our Irish teachers, pupils explored the famous stadium and learned about its rich history and importance in Irish sport and culture. As the headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association, Croke Park holds great historical significance in Ireland and has played an important role in promoting Irish games, language, and culture for generations.

During the tour, pupils visited a number of impressive areas within the stadium, including the VIP section and the media area at the top of the stadium, where journalists report on major matches and events. The visit gave everyone a fascinating insight into one of Ireland’s most iconic venues. A big thank you to all the staff at Croke Park for taking the time to guide us around and share their knowledge. We would also like to thank our Irish teachers for organising such an enjoyable and educational trip.
Eva Lei

Form 4 French

On Tuesday 5 May a group of 56 Form 4 pupils who study French travelled to the Alliance Française in Kildare Street to attend a series of workshops. These workshops were conducted in French and included topics such as French cuisine and cinema, as well as French board games and La Francophonie (the French speaking world). They gave the pupils an insight into the cultural and linguistic world of French which proved very entertaining and useful. These were followed by a snack in the Alliance café of a pain au chocolat or a croissant and a hot chocolate. The Alliance Française provides classes and summer courses for all ages and anybody with a love of the French language  and culture can enjoy the many services the library has to offer.
Ms Roullet

Form 4 Physical Education

Photos: Tom Miller

On 11 and 12 May Form 4 pupils headed to Surfdock in Dublin 4 for an exciting activity day. The year group was divided into two groups: 4GY, 4BY, and 4MU attended on Monday while 4GD, 4MY, and 4MN went on Tuesday. It was great fun getting out onto the water. We took part in kayaking which everyone really enjoyed.  A big thank you to all the staff at Surfdock, as well as Mr Malin, Ms Garland, Ms Murdoch, Ms Jones, Mr Grant, and Mr O’Sullivan for being there to support us and look after us throughout the day.
Eva Lei

Tennis Fixture

The tennis season is in full swing at The High School. This week pupils in Form 1 had great fun trying out their skills against Loreto College, Dalkey.  The perfect weather on the day brought so much joy.  Sunshine, ice-cream, and tennis. What could be better than that?
Ms Jones

Locker Reminder

Pupils should bring their books home over the course of next week. There will be limited access to lockers during the week of house examinations. All lockers should be clear of belongings by the end of the school term.
Ms Fitzgerald

Library Book 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 will be asked! It is important to have them all back before the end of the school year.
Ms Wiggle

HSD Parents' Association

The High School Parents' Association have finalised dates for two events that might be of interest to you as follows:
22 May -  HSD PA BBQ
20 June - HSD PA second-hand book and uniform sale
Peter de Lacy
Chairperson