Vol 28 No 25      21 April 2023

Leinster Senior League Victory

On Friday 31 March The High School Senior 1 boys' hockey played in the Leinster Hockey Association Schoolboys Senior League against Wesley College.  Ever since we were in Form 2 we have been coming up against these opponents and we knew it was going to be another tough game.  It was a wet day but many High School supporters - pupils, parents, past pupils, and teachers - stood on the sidelines to support us nonetheless.  The game itself was very tight and we both had some good chances to score.  It looked like it was going to 1v1s until Tom Whelan scored in the last quarter to put us up 1-0 with five minutes to go.  We managed to hold them off and win the League for the first time in the history of the school.  We are all incredibly proud and satisfied with this conclusion to a great season and six great years playing together.
Ben Pasley
Captain

Junior Drama Triumph

This year Junior Drama performed 'Agamemnon and Clytemnestra: The Special Victims Unit' on 30 March.   The play was set in ancient Greece and followed the story of the murder of King Agamemnon.  It was somewhat out of the ordinary but we all throroughly enjoyed it.  We put a lot of time and effort into bringing this play together and we really hope that all those who came to watch enjoyed it.     You could hear the buzz of the audience as backstage the cast ran through their lines one last time.  As soon as the curtains went up the silence was deafening.  You could hear a pin drop as the cast got into character.  The laughter of the crowd was a huge relief and the play seemed to fly by.  It was a great experience and we would do it all over again if we could.  We would like to say a huge thank you to all the teachers involved in bringing the play together; we really couldn't have done it without them. Pupils in Forms 4 and 5 deserve a special mention.  They took valuable time out of their busy schedules to help us out.  Lastly we would like to thank the backstage crew for the wonderful job they did on the set and keeping us all calm on the night.  Junior Drama is a great way to get involved in the school community and meet new people.  Anyone in Forms 1-3 can join.  If you are interested you should contact Ms Browne for more details. 
Serena Peng, Olivia Peng, Harshita Argarwal, and Alex-Anne Kennedy

Senior Debating Success

On Friday 21 April The High School senior debating team competed in the Concern Debates All Ireland semi finals in the Camden Court Hotel in front of an audience full of brilliant supporters.  We were proposing the motion that "Schools in Ireland are developing strong and caring global citizens" against Bandon Grammar School.  A closely fought contest left us all feeling nervous as we awaited the results.  After their deliberation we were thrilled to hear the adjudicators announce that we had won.  Our preparation had paid off and we have made it to the top two schools of 180 that began the competition!  Now we are looking forward with great excitement to competing in the All Ireland final in the Helix, DCU at 7.00 pm on Thursday 4 May.  There will be a bus taking pupils to and from the event.  If you are interested in attending please contact Ms Hutchinson Edgar for details. 
Daniel Tallon

Gráinne O’Neill Legal Essay Competition

The Gráinne O’Neill Memorial Legal Essay Competition was initiated by Judge Keenan Johnson - Judge of the Circuit Court - in collaboration with the Midland Solicitors’  Bar Association in 2019 to honour the life and legacy of the late Judge Gráinne O’Neill.  In 2014, Gráinne became the youngest judge to be appointed in Ireland.  She died in 2018 following a period of illness. This year the Law Society invited pupils in Form 4 from across the country to enter the Gráinne O’Neill Memorial Legal Essay Competition.  This year’s essay title was: “The law and social media: striking a balance between freedom of expression and responsible usage.”  The winners of the 2022/23 competition were announced at a presentation at the Law Society of Ireland on Thursday 23 March 2023. Congratulations to this High School pupil who was awarded a merit prize. 

UCD Entrance Scholarships

We are delighted to have been advised by the President of UCD that a record number of immediate past pupils of The High School have been awarded Entrance Scholarships in recognition of their high levels of performance in Leaving Certificate examinations.  The awards are made to first year students who have achieved 560 points or more in their Leaving Certificate examination.  In 2022, Michael Courtney, Katy Donnelly, Marcus Empey, Maya Feighery, Hugh Geraghty, Julian Hauxwell, Kayla Kennedy, Honor Nolan, Caroline O’Connor, Molly O’Shea, Emily Pryce, Darragh Sullivan, Samuel Walsh, and Andrew Whyte (all HSD, 2016-22) achieved this notable distinction and were awarded Entrance Scholarships.  We offer them and all recent past pupils of The High School our warmest congratulations on their achievements and wish them every success in their academic careers.

National Athletics Indoor Champion 

It was an wonderful feeling to come first in the country at the Juvenile National Indoor Championship.  All those early mornings and long hours of training had paid off: it was such an honour to represent Ireland on the national stage.  Looking back over the last couple of years, it has been amazing to see how much I've grown as an athlete.  I remember starting out with just one or two training sessions a week, and now I'm up to three a week.  It's been a gradual process, but I can really see the progress I've made in my speed, endurance, times, and technique.  Running for Ireland is something I've always worked towards (though I never believed I could get that far) and it's a privilege to wear the green and white vest.  Winning the national title has given me so much confidence and I'm excited to see what I can achieve next.  Right now my main goal is to see how well I can do having suffered an injury but this season I’m working towards qualifying for the European U20 championships.  If things go well I might also compete in the junior international tournament in Munich if not individually then with the national U20 relay team.  Either way I’m determined to get my third green vest which I have promised to give it to the school.  All in all I'm feeling grateful for how far I've come and excited about what the future holds.
Sean Aigboboh

International Karate Representation

Congratulations to Christopher Wong Lye and Asha Reen who have been selected to represent Ireland at the 2021 Karate 1 Youth League tournament to be held in Coruna, Spain.  We wish them every success as they compete in this competition and in the future.

National Climbing Representation

I started climbing when I was fourteen but became serious about climbing when I was sixteen and began training regularly with my friends for competitions in 2022.  Most of the climbing I do is bouldering where you climb on short walls without ropes or protective equipment but with a crash pad below.  I also climb outside, for example in Glendalough and the Scalp in Co Wicklow as well as Fair Head, Co Antrim.  After placing third in the Irish Bouldering Championships in March 2022, I was offered a place on the Irish Youth Squad.  We trained for competitions the following season starting in September.  I won the Irish Youth Climbing Series and qualified for the Grand Final with the top climbers in Ireland and the UK competing against each other at Swindon.  In 2023, the season started with the Irish Bouldering Championships again.  I competed in the senior category so the competition was a lot tougher.  I managed to place ninth on the day.  I also competed in G-Force which is the biggest climbing competition in Ireland.  I managed to make it so the semi-finals but am aiming for finals next season.  A few weeks ago, The High School entered a team into the Irish Schools Climbing Competition.  The top two teams and individuals in Dublin and Cork qualify for the finals.  On the team was Jack McGinn, Oliver Davey, Max Holland, and myself.  Unfortunately, our team just missed out on qualification, placing third.  However, I qualified in the Individual category, so I will have the chance to represent the school on the May Bank Holiday weekend in the finals.  I am also training for the Irish Lead Championships which will be held on 7 May.  Lead climbing is roped climbing on higher walls, where you bring the rope up with you as you climb and clip it into the fixed carabiners on the way up.  It can be difficult to find a balance between training and study with the Leaving Certificate due to start in a month.  This means that I have to follow a strict plan and use all my time as efficiently as possible.  Luckily, I have training facilities within half an hour of my house.  Next season I intend to compete in the European Championships and the Junior category of the Youth World Cup.
Thomas Nickels

Form 3 Home Economics

In December we randomly chose a task for our CBA 2. This task was linked to our practical exam for the Junior Cycle which is worth 50% of the marks  Our CBA was to carry out research on the task we had chosen.  There were three tasks.  Task one involved researching how to plan and prepare low-cost nutritious meals and snacks and then make a lunch and a snack that were both nutritious and economical.  Task two required us to research how fats and oils affect the nutrition and sensory qualities of baked products, and then make a sweet or savoury baked product using a fat or oil of our choice accompanied by a smoothie. Task three asked us to research the cuisine of a country of our choice and then cook a complete main course representing our chosen country.  We practised in class and completed a mock examination.  Then on 23 and 24 March we completed our practical examinations.  To prepare we came in to school early.  There are 30 minutes allocated to setting up for the examination.  We organised our equipment and set out our ingredients into bowls.  After that the examiner came in and checked our preparation.  Then the examination started - it lasted an hour and a half.  During that time we had to prepare, cook, serve, wash up, taste, and evaluate our dish.  When the examination ended the examiner stayed in the classroom by herself to taste our dishes and allocate marks for all our hard work.  She also read and marked our written evaluations.  When she was finished we came back in and tried each other's food.  Overall we were all very happy with how the examination went and pleased that half of our Home Economics Junior Cycle has been completed!
Olivia Margetts and Lara MacWilliams

HSD MUN Conference

On Friday 28 and Saturday 29 April The High School is hosting our second ever Model United Nations (MUN) conference!  Excitement is building around the school as we put the finishing touches to this event.  We will need all hands on deck for Friday and Saturday so if you would like to help please contact Mr Scanlon or Ms Maher on MS Teams.  This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about hosting a large event while developing plenty of skills that will be very useful in life outside of school.
Ciara Morton

Form 4 Hike

Recently a group of Form 4 pupils went on an overnight hike to Glendalough as part of An Gaisce - The President's Award.  The day started off cold with a steep walk up some sixty steps alongside the most beautiful waterfall.  The sounds of the water gushing down beside us set the pace of what was to come.  We walked along a windy path, ascending the mountain for a little while before venturing off the beaten track to begin properly hiking.  At this stage it was getting warm with the sun coming out for the first time.  Already we could see beautiful views of the valleys beneath us but we continued at a brisk pace - all eager for our first break!  When we finally reached the first peak we were all delighted to rest.  It was astounding to see how much distance we had already covered.  The views of the hills were stunning and the sun shining down on us brightened everyone’s spirits.  We then proceeded on a long walk across the summit through bogs and puddles of mud.  Unfortunately, the rain started at this point; it was time to put on the wet gear and keep going.  With the rain came a lot of cloud coverage and when we got to the summit we could see little of note.  We were all so glad that we got to see the stunning vista earlier in the hike!  After a long descent we were all looking forward to a warm meal and some hot drinks.  Thanks to all the teachers who joined us on the hike - it was an excursion that was enjoyed by all!
Ciara Morton

Senior Drama 

Over the Easter break a group of us from Senior Drama went to go see SIX: The Musical at the Bord Gáis Theatre.  It is a modern retelling of the lives of the six wives of Henry VIII presented in the form of a pop concert. In the show each of the wives take turns telling their story to see who suffered the most from Henry VIII.  We had a fantastic night and enjoyed the lively and entertaining performance from the six wives of King Henry VIII.  Not only were the songs brilliant and uplifting but we definitely learned a lot about history and the process of staging a musical.  Thanks to Mr Milofsky for securing us some great seats and buying us popcorn - it was a lovely way to spend the evening and we would recommend the musical to anyone!
Daisy Gillham

Junior French Easter Projects

Pupils who study French in Forms 1, 2, and 3 participated in an Easter competition with a creative twist.  They produced some outstanding pieces such as original animation, painting, chocolate cakes, buns, intricate sketches on wood, and vibrant posters!  You can see some of their beautiful work below. Well done to all who participated for their hard work, creativity, and innovation.
Ms Lally