Vol 30 No 05     27 Sept 2024

Leaving Certificate Results 2024

I am delighted to report that Leaving Certificate examination results at The High School in 2024 were among the best recorded in the history of the school.  In summary, 95.1% of the papers taken at higher level achieved H5 or above; H8 or less was recorded on 0.6% of papers.  I should like to offer my warmest congratulations to all candidates on their individual successes.

In 2020 The Sunday Times ranked The High School as the top co-educational school in its sector in Ireland.  It was ranked as one of the top 5 mixed feeder schools in Ireland by The Irish Times making it the leading Protestant school in the country in 2022.  The High School was ranked as the leading Protestant fee-paying school in Ireland by the same publication in 2023.  Our past pupils have been awarded a total of 25 Entrance Exhibitions, 5 Foundation Scholarships, and 1 Gold Medal at TCD as well as 54 Entrance Scholarships and 7 Ad Astra Scholarships at UCD in the last decade.

I should like to congratulate all our pupils on their outstanding results and to thank my colleagues who have worked tirelessly on their behalf throughout their time at The High School.   

Mr G A Forrest
Principal

Sustainability Week

Last week The High School proudly hosted its annual Sustainability Week, an event dedicated to promoting environmental awareness and encouraging eco-friendly habits across the school community.  This year we took the opportunity to assess our current sustainability practices and identify areas for improvement within our school community.  The key focus areas selected were the Re-Return Scheme, Food Waste management, Recycling Bins utilization, and Air Quality monitoring.

As part of the Environmental Innovators program, groups of Form 4 pupils conducted research and presented proposals for enhancing the wormery, compost facility, and caring for our new school family of hens residing in the coop built by the Form 6 Construction Studies class last year.  In addition, air quality monitors were installed to monitor air quality on and around our campus. This module provided valuable insights into sustainability practices that we thoroughly enjoyed learning about.

Sustainability Week served as a successful reminder to The High School community about the significance of environmental conservation and adopting sustainable lifestyles.  We are excited to continue this positive momentum throughout the year by implementing meaningful changes wherever and whenever we can.
Mila Dimitrova and Emily Kyle

Form 4 Sustainability

We have been learning about food waste and sustainable consumption in the Geography Sustainability module of the Transition Year programme in Form 4. 

As a part of this, we decided to foster understanding in the school about the United Nations International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste which is held on the 27 September.  The goal of this day, as stated by the UN, is to “raise awareness to the importance of the problem and its possible solutions”.  We wanted to promote this and its goal in school to celebrate the day by creating posters, quizzes, and PowerPoints to share our learning with the rest of the school. 

We have been visiting Form 1 classes giving information and advice on responsible food usage and testing them on their knowledge of the topic!  We will be visiting more classes on Friday 5 October and we will have an information table set up outside The Reynolds Hall at Junior lunch (with collectible badges).  In addition to presentations and an information table, we would like to ask if pupils could make an effort to try out  ‘Veggie-Friday’, a meat- free lunch day. Every small change makes a difference! 
Form 4MU

Cricket Ireland Representation

Congratulations to Robert O'Brien,  who recently represented Ireland at the international level, playing for the Ireland U19 cricket team. Over the course of three matches held in Loughborough Robert showcased his talent and dedication on the field against both England and Scotland’s U19 teams.

In his first match on 12 September, Ireland U19 took on England U19 in a Youth One-Day International. Robert contributed 5 runs in a competitive match, gaining invaluable experience playing against one of the top cricketing nations.  On 13 September, Robert faced Scotland U19 in another exciting encounter. He made a solid contribution of 13 runs, continuing to demonstrate his commitment and focus under pressure.  Finally, on 16 September Robert once again took the field against England U19. While he didn’t manage to score in this match, his presence in the team and experience gained playing at such a high level are commendable achievements.

Representing Ireland in international cricket is a tremendous accomplishment, and Robert has done both his school and his country proud. His selection for the U19 team is a testament to his hard work, skill, and passion for the game.  We look forward to seeing what the future holds for Robert, and we wish him every success in his cricketing journey. Keep an eye out for his next big match!
Mr Barnard

Banned Book Week

"Banned Books" have made their return as special feature of The W B Yeats High School Library.  This shelf includes an array of books that have been banned or challenged in other schools or countries for various reasons, such as The Diary of Anne Frank, The Color Purple by Alice Walker, and Beloved by Toni Morrison. 

These books are often known for addressing controversial topics and they reflect the power of literature which inspires thought, encourages discussion, and​​​​​​​ and supports the freedom of expression.  Our goal is to give pupils the chance to explore different viewpoints and think critically about the world around them.  The "Banned Books" shelf is about promoting intellectual freedom and encouraging people to delve into numerous perspectives. 

We invite you to explore the collection, discover why these books have faced challenges, and form your own opinions.  Some of the most important works in history were once censored, yet they continue to shape and influence the way we think today.
Max Lyons

Forms 1 and 2 Rugby Trip

Last Saturday, Form 1 and 2 rugby teams went on an exciting trip to West Cork to play a much-anticipated match against Bandon Grammar School. 

The journey down to Cork was just as much fun as the match itself. Upon arrival, the boys got a chance to refuel and warm up; then it was straight into kick-off. After the matches both teams enjoyed a late lunch in the school canteen. Overall, the trip to Bandon Grammar School was a fantastic experience for everyone involved. 

Then to cap things off we had a great week of rugby.  Both Form 1 teams beat The King's Hospital well; the Form 2 team also beat that school in a close game.  The Junior Cup Team defeated Temple Carrig School in their first league match while the Senior Cup Team lost a close game to St Andrew's College in their first league match.
Jasper McSweeney

Junior Girls Rugby Blitz

The Junior and Senior Girls' rugby teams participated in their first matches of the season on 18 September.  The event was a blitz tournament involving Wilson's Hospital, Wesley College, St Andrew's College, and Loreto College, Mullingar.  It was an enjoyable experience for everyone.  We especially enjoyed supporting our teammates and we are eagerly looking forward to our upcoming match scheduled for 2 October.
Ruby Kirk Gillham

Studyclix

We have just set up Studyclix Premium access for our Form 6 pupils.  Studyclix.ie  is Ireland's most popular study website and helps you revise using past exam questions, videos, notes, quizzes, flashcards and much more.  To avail of the offer, you can create or login to your own account on Studyclix with your school email and your upgrade will already be available and enter the code provided to be upgraded at no charge. 

We would like to thank the HSD Parents' Association for kindly co-funding the cost of Studyclix.  

For more information visit  www.studyclix.ie/for-students . If you have any queries, you can contact the Studyclix support team at  info@studyclix.ie who will be able to help. 

Ms Connolly  
Deputy Principal 

Form 4 Material Technology Wood

Last week, Taidgh Browne, a talented young designer, spoke to our Form 3 Woodwork pupils about the creative process behind their construction projects. 

Taidgh shared practical tips on how to come up with ideas, emphasizing the importance of research, sketching, and prototyping.  Using examples from his own work, he demonstrated how a simple idea can evolve into a finished product. 

Taidgh’s achievements have earned him recognition—he was commended in a recent competition and is a finalist in another major competition happening this October.  His talk left pupils inspired and eager to apply his insights to their own projects.
Mr O'Sullivan

Scuba Diving

Over the last two years SCUBA diving has taken me to places I never thought I would see; I have had experiences that I never could imagine and my passion for it has led me to travel the world, and it will continue to do so.  I began my journey into the sport whilst on the Aran Islands with a dive center called “Dive Academy”, I took my first breath underwater with them and I haven't looked back since. I continued with my training in Dublin to get my Open Water certification and later travelled back to the Aran Islands to get my Advanced Open Water certification with the same dive centre I took my first breath with.  Read more...
Anthony Leonard 

Form 6 Higher Options

On Wednesday 25 September the Guidance Department took all Form 6 pupils to the Higher Options and World Skills event at the RDS.  Pupils had the unique opportunity to spent time listening to talks by guest speakers and discussing courses with a variety of third level institutions.
Ms Lowry

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