Vol 30 No 23     14 Mar 2025

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig ar gach uile dhuine i gcomhphobal na hArdscoile.
Bainígí spraoi, sult agus taitneamh as ár bhféile náisiúnta, ár dteanga náisiúnta agus ár gcultúr saibhir an  deireadh seachtaine fada seo.

We send warm wishes for a festive and delightful St Patrick's Day celebration to every individual within our school community! May your day be filled with happiness and joy as you enjoy this special occasion.

Engineering Week

During Engineering Week at The High School, three engineers from Ethos Engineering visited on Friday afternoon to address all Form 1 pupils. They were Colin Quinn, Andricke Smith, and Scott McCarthy. They discussed the roles of engineers, various engineering disciplines, their international and Irish projects, as well as their personal journeys into engineering.  Additionally, Dr John Butler, a mathematical neuroscientist from TUD who is both a past pupil and a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin with an international career spanning Germany and New York, spoke to Form 5 pupils who are studying Physics.  For more information click here.

Fencing Ireland

Congratulations to Erika Sanvito for qualifying and taking part in the European Cadet Fencing Championship in Antalya, Turkey. Erika is delighted to have represented Ireland at this event in both the individual and team event. In particular she is very proud of being part of the first Cadet Women Foil Team ever to represent Ireland at a Cadet European Championship. We wish Erika all the best for her future in fencing.

Leinster Football Association Representation

A huge congratulations to Edward Webb on being selected for the Leinster Football Association (LFA) 20-man squad and representing his province in the FAI U18s Interprovincial Tournament last weekend. It was a fantastic achievement, and both goalkeepers finished the tournament with clean sheets. Well done, Edward; we are incredibly proud and look forward to seeing more of your success on the pitch!

Waterpolo Success

On 15-16 February two pupils from The High School - namely, Carla Millar and Daniel Collins - represented Leinster at the Swim Ireland U15 girls and U17 boys Waterpolo Interprovincial games where they both came home champions. We are both extremely proud to represent our school, club, and province. Both teams started off the tournament by playing Connacht; the boys won 20-11 and the girls won with a score of 21-3.  The next match both teams played against Ulster with the girls winning 12-3 and the boys winning 8-5. We are so honoured to represent our province and hope to be given the opportunity again some time in the future.
Daniel Collins

Senior Girls Hockey League Victory

The High School’s Senior Girls’ hockey team secured a fantastic victory in the South Dublin Hockey League winning all three of their matches in an impressive display of skill and determination. Facing tough competition, the team rose to the challenge, defeating Rathdown School, Holy Child Killiney, and Loreto Dalkey to claim the top spot. Each match showcased outstanding teamwork, precise passing, and relentless effort, with the players demonstrating their commitment to success from start to finish. This incredible achievement reflects the dedication and hard work put in by the team throughout the season. Their resilience and strategic play ensured a clean sweep, making the victory even more rewarding. Congratulations to the Senior Girls on this well-deserved triumph!
Ms Jones

Support Our Girls!

The High School Girls Senior Cup Team has made it to the Final of the Leinster Schools Rugby Cup and we need your support! The team will face Loreto College, Mullingar at Donnybrook Stadium on Thursday, 20 March at 2.30 pm. Let’s fill the stands and cheer them on! Get your tickets online here. See you there!

Senior Boys Hockey

The High School Boys Senior 1 Hockey Team will play against St Columba's College in the semi final of the Leinster Schoolboys Cup on Friday 14 March at 4.30pm at home. Please come along, your presence and support for the team would be greatly appreciated!

Form 4 Rock Pop

Form 4 pupils had an unforgettable experience visiting Windmill Lane Studios as part of their Rock Pop module. Stepping into the legendary recording studio, they explored the history behind some of the greatest albums recorded there. Pupils got a behind-the-scenes look at the production process, from mixing tracks to mastering songs. The visit was both inspiring and educational, offering a glimpse into the world of professional music recording. It was a fantastic opportunity to see how music comes to life, leaving everyone excited to apply their newfound knowledge in their own musical projects!
Ms Phillips

Form 6 English

On Wednesday 5 March, Form 6 English classes took a breather from the Leaving Certifcate and went on a trip to the Gate Theatre for a showing of King Lear by William Shakespeare. This production of the infamous tragedy featured a largely Irish cast, with Conleth Hill – renowned for his appearance as Lord Varys in Game of Thrones – assuming the eponymous role. Roxana Silbert’s direction guided the colourful cast through a dramatic odyssey of deception and decadence, all hurtling towards a catastrophic climax where the trappings of tragedy sealed their jaws over the stage once and for all.  

Silbert’s adaptation – although it took few liberties with Shakespeare’s original text – made use of a series of performances determined to teeter on the desperate. From Gloucester’s flippant dismissal of his bastard son in the play’s unfurling moments to Lear’s sincere love as revealed through his own burgeoning madness, each performer told a story with not just the words they spoke, but through the web of hidden meanings by which the real story is spun. It’s these emotive subtleties that Silbert’s adaptation captured above all else, drawing together a sensitive and nuanced portrayal of one of literature’s most renowned spirit-dampeners.  

The theatre trip not only served as a well-earned break in Form 6 schedules but also offered a new perspective on a familiar text. With so much time spent combing through every speck of detail hidden between the lines, it’s important sometimes to zoom out and watch how it all forms into a bigger picture.
Mr Miller

Drop Everything and Read

To celebrate World Book Day, pupils enjoyed a Drop Everything and Read session, taking time to immerse themselves in their favorite books. For one class period, the school paused as pupils and teachers alike engaged in the joy of reading. It was a wonderful opportunity to relax, explore new stories, and appreciate the power of literature. Events like this highlight the importance of reading, and we look forward to more book-filled moments in the future!

Form 5 Careers

As part of their Careers course, Form 5 pupils recently took part in mock interviews designed to prepare them for future job applications. In the lead-up to the event, pupils worked hard to create professional CVs, research potential career paths, and refine their interview techniques.

Dressed appropriately for the occasion, they faced a panel of HSD parents and past pupils, who generously volunteered their time to conduct the interviews. This experience provided a realistic insight into the interview process, allowing pupils to build confidence and receive constructive feedback in a supportive environment.

The evening was a fantastic opportunity to rehearse for real-life interviews, equipping pupils with essential skills for their future careers. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to making the event such a success!

Bí Cineálta

Work is ongoing across the High School community to update our school policy and procedures in relation to preventing and addressing bullying behaviour. Bí Cineálta or Be Kind is a national initiative of the Department of Education to update all policy and procedures in relation to anti-bullying in Irish schools. Advocating a partnership model in the development of the new policy and procedures, a series of consultations with stakeholders across the school community is currently underway.

A key part of this initiative is the creation of a student friendly version of the policy. A sub-committee of the Student Council has been established to draft this and they recently met with our creative team to explore how best to communicate and educate in relation to key messages intended to create better understanding of the nature and impact of negative behaviour as well as to promote a school culture where all students feel safe and empowered to call out and report negative behaviours before they become more problematic. We look forward to the support of the whole school community in the next school year when we hope to formally launch our new High School policy and procedures. 
Mr Tobin
Deputy Principal

Form 2 Hockey

The Minor B girls' hockey team defeated Loreto Foxrock at the weekend. It was an exciting match with our 7-1 victory! Three of our goals were scored from short corners, showing how much we have improved as a team.
Rita Cancela-O’Donnell

Student Council

Last week, representatives from The High School’s Student Council met with members of the Senior Management Team to discuss a variety of topics relevant to our school community.   

Among the number of topics discussed—ranging from anti-bullying policy to bathrooms—was an update from management on a new free period products scheme.  Initial funding for a pilot of this scheme has been secured, which will begin during Easter.  The pilot will see one free vending machine put in a girls toilet on each floor.  We—along with management—ask that this system is respected, as otherwise we will all lose this privilege.  

Also suggested was the division of girls' and boys' toilets into junior and senior facilities.  We believe that this may help reduce vandalism in the toilets as perpetrators will be more easily identifiable.  The exact logistics of this move are still being considered.  However, we can guarantee that no pupil will be further than one floor away from a toilet.  

Our general aims for the rest of the Spring Term are to look at ways in which we can improve the safety of cyclists on their way to and from The High School, continue our work on an anti-bullying campaign, and improve pupils’ knowledge of the Student Council’s actions, projects, and functions. 

Last week’s meeting with the Senior Management Team was a very productive one, and we are all very proud to announce the rolling out of these Student Council initiatives in the coming months. We would like to express our gratitude for all the work involved in making these schemes possible.  

A reminder that if you have a school issue you think needs addressing, please speak to your year representative. The names and emails of these people can be found on the Student Council’s noticeboard, located beside the Common Room.  Your opinion is valued and we would be more than happy to listen to what you have to say. 
Olivia Leonard
Secretary
Student Council

Library Amnesty Week

The School Library is having an Amnesty Week for all books that have been taken out.  Any books found in school bags, bookshelves, lockers or under beds, should be returned. No questions asked! The Librarian will be very happy to just have the books dropped back. 
Ms Wiggle

Seachtain na Gaeilge

Click here for a suggested reading list for Seachtain na Gaeilge. All titles are available in The W B Yeats Library at The High School.
Ms Wiggle

Junior Drama

Zion Parish Fête