Leaving Certificate Results

The Board of Management, Parents’ Council and staff of Ard Scoil na nDéise would like to extend their heartfelt congratulations to the Sixth Year class of 2019 who received their Leaving Certificate results on Tuesday, 13^th August. Thank you to the dedicated teachers in Ard Scoil na nDéise who supported the girls throughout their time in the Ard Scoil. Thank you to the Sisters of Mercy for keeping the girls in their prayers in recent months. The support of the sisters was greatly appreciated in the stressful weeks coming up to the exams. We are so proud of the girls and the excellent results that they achieved. It is wonderful to see all of the hard work pay off as our class of 2019 moves on now to start the next chapter of their lives. We wish them every success in their future endeavours and we look forward to hearing of their successes and achievements. Well done girls!!!!

Principal Jennifer O’Keeffe pictured with two students from the class of 2019.	Proud students receiving their Leaving Certificate results
Deputy Principal Joanne Brosnan and Principal Jennifer O’Keeffe pictured with excited students as they receive their Leaving Cert results.	Deputy Principal Joanne Brosnan pictured with students from the class of 2019
Deep in thought as the all important points are added up!

Ard Scoil na nDéise Debs 2019

Congratulations again to our Leaving Certificate Class of 2019 on their fantastic Leaving Cert results. We were so proud to join them in celebrating their Debs Ball in the Park Hotel on Thursday, 22^nd August. It was a joyful occasion and it was wonderful to hear that so many of our students have succeeded in gaining entry to their courses of choice at third level. The girls have chosen a diverse array of courses ranging from chemical engineering, to teaching, to photography, to laboratory technician, and so many more. We hope that wherever life takes them, they will continue to have strong bonds with the friends they made during their time in Ard Scoil na nDéise. Farewell to the class of 2019!!!

A warm welcome to the First Year Class of 2019

On Friday, August 23^rd we gave a warm Ard Scoil na nDéise welcome to our First Year Class of 2019. We can already see that they are a great bunch of girls and their laughter is filling the corridors around the First Year classrooms as they get to know each other and find their feet in their new school. Our Fifth Year mentors, the Cairde Girls are working hard to ensure that the girls feel supported and are being given opportunities to mix with the other students and make new friends. First Year Year Head, Ms. Lucey is keeping a close eye on the girls to make sure they know where they are going and what they are doing. She is being ably assisted in this task by First Year Tutor Ms. Foley who is also working hard to support our new students. So far, the girls have had team building activities with the Cairde Girls, have done shape construction projects in art class, have played Monopoly in Business Studies to develop their business skills, and have taken part in a table quiz organised by the Cairde Girls. We are sure that they were exhausted at the end of their first week in Ard Scoil na nDéise but we hope they are relaxing into life in the Ard Scoil and are looking forward to making many more new memories with their new friends.

All smiles on the first day of First Year	All smiles on the first day of First Year
Competition was fierce at the table quiz!	Well done to our quiz winners Sarah, Maeve, Beibhinn and Emily
The table quiz was a great start to the year	First Year Business Studies students palying Monopoly to develop their business skills.
Teamwork was required to make shapes in Art	Making three dimensional shapes isn’t as easy as it looks
Thank you to our Cairde Girls for all of their hard work with the new First Year students

Celebrating our Sporting Achievements in Ard Scoil na nDéise!

Here in Ard Scoil na nDéise we are enormously proud of our high level of involvement in sport across multiple disciplines. It is wonderful to see our students afforded an opportunity to excel in areas outside of the purely academic. As well as the obvious health benefits of participating in sport, the girls learn how to balance their time between training and study and learn transferrable skills that are vital in third level education and the world of work.

Athletics

Students from Ard Scoil na nDéise compete each year at Cross County and Track and Field events and have enjoyed plenty of success in recent years. In January 2019, Ard Scoil na nDeise won best overall girls’ school, two years in a row at the County Cross Country Championships. At the East Munster Schools Championships, Ard Scoil won second team prize in the Junior race, second team prize in the intermediate race and second team prize in the Senior girls race.

The Ard Scoil had another successful day at the Munster Cross Country Championships with 3 teams qualifying for the All Irelands which were held in Kildare on the 9th of March. It was an outstanding day for Athletics in the Ard Scoil as we were the only school in Munster that had three teams qualify for the All Irelands. The senior girls team went on to win third team prize at the All Ireland schools championships, which was led home by Lucy Holmes who finished second individually.

The East Munster Schools Track and Field Championships were held in Templemore on 1st^st May. Another great day for the Ard Scoil athletes with a grand total of 14 medals won.

Lucy Holmes went on to finish second in the 800m race at the All Ireland schools Track and Field Championships.

Athletics and Cross Country are very important in the Ard Scoil

Athletics and Cross Country are very important sports in our school

Camogie

In Ard Scoil na nDéise we have Senior, Junior and First Year Camogie teams who compete at local and Munster level. We have had a good deal of success of late in winning a Junior Munster final in February 2017, a Junior 7s South East title in September 2018 and a Waterford based blitz in December 2018 while also competing in other Junior and Senior finals in the last academic year.

We are very proud of our students who represent the school on county camogie teams also.

Senior – Sarah Lacey, Minor – Niamh Curran, Gillian Whelan, Míde Delaney and Sarah Lacey, U16 – Anna Hickey and Emma Hickey, U14 – Mairéad Hickey, Emma Phelan, Emma Fleming, Katie Lavin and Katelyn Gardner.

Camogie Success!

Our First Year Camogie Team for 2018 – 2019

Football

Our First and Second Year Football Team have enjoyed some success on the pitch

In Ard Scoil na nDéise we also have Ladies football teams who compete at Senior, Junior and First Year level in Munster and locally. The girls are very committed and have enjoyed various degrees of success lately, including titles at First Year Munster blitzes and reaching a Senior Munster final.

We have many students both past and present who represent their county with pride. Minor – Aoife Dee, Kate Hickey, Kirsty Green. U16 – Ella O’Neill (captain), Aoife Brazil who lost out recently in an All-Ireland final.

We are so proud of our girls and all they have achieved to date and we look forward to seeing what lies in store for them in the year ahead!!! We are also very grateful to the many staff members who give freely of their time to support the girls in training and accompanying them to matches.

Transition Year Surfing Trip to Tramore

On Tuesday morning, our year set off to Tramore for the annual Transition Year surfing trip. We were very lucky to get such good surfing conditions; the sun was shining and there wasn’t a drop of rain! When we arrived in Tramore, we went to one of the local surfing clubs that was organising our activities for the day.

We were split into two groups; one would be surfing while the other group completed a cryptic challenge and the groups swapped over halfway through the day. In the cryptic challenge, we broke into small teams and were given a set of questions; the answers were based on sights around Tramore. It was quite difficult because the answers were hard to find and it was easy to get lost. However, it was really fun to explore Tramore and the views were stunning.

Before we walked down to the beach, we were taught how to properly and safely get up on a surfboard and ride waves. This was really helpful as the majority of people had never surfed before. Then we changed into our wetsuits and walked down to the beach. We had nearly two hours in the water and there were lots of waves. The instructors helped people who were struggling to surf and a lot of people were even able to stand up on the surfboards. Everyone really enjoyed the trip and it was a great way to start the year.

Written by Jennifer Cronnolly

Our Transition Year students tried their hands at surfing recently

Attentive faces as TY students received instruction in surfing safety before taking to the water

Sixth Year Geography Field Trip

On the 5th of September 2019, Sixth Year Geography students went to Clare to carry out their Leaving Certificate Fieldwork Investigation. We left at 7 a.m. sharp from the school and set off for Lahinch. We studied the formation of Creg Beach in Liscannor, County Clare. It was a study on the impact of the geomorphic processes of transportation and deposition on the formation of a landform – the beach!

The weather stayed dry, thank God, but it was windy and cloudy. Our project aims were to examine how pebbles have been deposited on Creg Beach, and to determine the direction of Longshore Drift and the impact it had on the beach. Using a variety of different methods in the field, we came to the conclusion that the direction of Longshore Drift was South (Creg Beach in Lahinch) to North (Doolin Beach).

We also visited Doolin Cave where we got to see a feature of a Karst Landscape; ‘the Great Stalactite’. It is one of the World’s largest known free hanging stalactites and it was fascinating to see it!

After a 13 hour day we arrived back in Dungarvan at 8 p.m. Although it was a long day, we all gained plenty of knowledge and had a great time! The early morning was definitely worth it.

Thank you from all Geography students to Ms. Scully and Ms. O’Shea for the educational day. It was definitely one of my highlights of the past six years in Ard Scoil na nDéise!

Written by Mollaí Gough

Smiling faces during the geography fieldtrip	Sixth Year Geography students carried out fieldwork in Co. Clare recently
The trip to the caves was a high point of the trip	Hard at work during the geography fieldtrip

Twenty Second Annual Awards Night at Ard Scoil na nDéise

Ard Scoil na nDéise celebrated their twenty Second Annual Awards Night on Friday, 11^th October. It was a wonderful occasion which brought together a large cross-section of the Ard Scoil community to celebrate all that is good about our school and our students.

Our guest of honour on the night was Ms. Una Power, recently elected Green Party Councillor for the Killiney-Shankill area and Equality Spokesperson for the Green Party. Una is a past pupil of Ard Scoil na nDéise and has since pursued studies in Drama, Politics, and German. We were delighted to have a past pupil of our school join us on as our guest of honour and keynote speaker at this important event in our school calendar. Una’s words were well received by the guests present on the night and her life experiences certainly struck a chord with our students. Una was an exceptionally positive role model for all present on the night and we are delighted that she joined us for our awards night.

As always, the awards presented on the night acknowledged achievements across a broad spectrum of achievements, both curricular and co-curricular, placing emphasis on the holistic development of our students.

We were very proud to see an abundance of evidence of our students’ commitment to their academic work as well as to a range of extra-curricular activities. Looking at the scope and variety of awards presented on the night, it was clearly evident that there really is something for everyone here in Ard Scoil na nDéise. We are truly grateful to our dedicated and committed teachers who work so hard with the girls to help them develop their many talents.

We would also like to congratulate the girls for making the effort to move outside their comfort zones and to take up new challenges and try new things. We never know our limits until we are pushed and our students are clearly pushing themselves to be the best that they can be.

We had two beautiful musical performances on the evening. Our Traditional music ensemble provided a wonderful taste of Irish culture at the beginning of the night’s proceedings. We were also treated to a wonderful musical interlude from our Music Student of the Year, Jeanne Harrington who treated us to a beautiful rendition of Caledonia

We wish to thank our generous sponsors Ballymount Accounting, Copymoore, Sip n Surf, Printmaster, David Walsh, Comeragh Oil, Sisters of Mercy, Parents’ Council, Tomas Walsh, Baumann Jewellers, Great Deal Flooring, Joe Coffey Blinds, John Butler Coaches, Hygiene Excellence, MK Brazil accountants, and Monica’s. Events like Awards Night are so important in the school calendar but they simply would not be possible without financial support from the community.

Well done to all of our award recipients. We very much look forward to seeing what the future holds for you all!!

Outstanding Junior Certificate Results. June 2019 – Sophie Anna Peiclier, Chloe Lenihan, Abby Ryan, Sarah Nyhan, Mary Bradfield Absent from photo: Beth Gardner	Spirit of Transition Year Award – Lauren Douris pictured with her parents Martina and John, Ms. J. O’Keeffe, Principal, Ms. J. Brosnan, Deputy Principal, and guest speaker Ms. Una Power
Outstanding Leaving Certificate Results. June 2019 – Orna O’Brien, Sinead O’Brien, Kayla McCarey, Lydia Nugent, Orla Renton Absent from photo: Lowri Clancy Davies	Spirit of CEIST Award – Tara Fitzgerald pictured with her parents Julie and John, sister Aoife, Ms. J. O’Keeffe, Principal Ms. J. Brosnan, Deputy Principal, and guest speaker Ms. Una Power.
Sports Star of the Year – Sarah Lacey Sports Star of the Year pictured with last year’s recipient Lucy Holmes, and Ms. Fiona Rochford.	Special Commendation for Contribution to School Art – Niamh Hayes, Aoife Claffey Absent from photo: Beth Gardner, Janey Maher Langan
Back Row: Lauren Douris, Martha Ryan, Ciara Kiely, Aimée Flynn, Anna Whelan, Aoife Loome. Front Row: Andrea Barrett, Katie Lavin, Aoibh Murphy, Siobhán Lennon, Aoife Dee, Debra Jordan. Absent from photo: Kate Lenane, Maggie Veale, Ebony Kelly	Guest Speaker, Una Power (back right) past pupil of Ard Scoil na nDéise and recently elected Green Party Councillor for the Killiney-Shankill area, pictured with Ms Anne Gleeson, Teacher and Master of Ceremonies at Awards Night, Ms. J. O’Keeffe, Principal, Ms. J. Brosnan, Deputy Principal, and Awards Committee members Ms. Fiona Rochford and Ms. Sara Flavin
Music Student of the Year Jeanne Harrington	Awards for Achievement in Individual Sports – Back Row: Aoife Kiely (Swimming), Elia Tutty (Swimming, Cycling, Triathlon) Front Row: Tirna Connors (Karate), Kiah Connors (Karate), Sarah Nyhan (Triathlon), Catherine Ruane (Golf)
Traditional Music Awards – Back Row: Vika Murphy, Orlaith Dalton, Béibhinn Walsh, Emma Phelan, Robyn Power, Caoimhe O’Dwyer, Ciara Lenane. Front Row: Aislinn O’Regan, Annie Ryan, Yula Murphy, Mairéad Hickey, Darcey Toft, Méabh Barron. Absent from photo: Aoibh Murphy, Katelyn Fahey.	Special Commendation for Contribution to Sport in Ard Scoil na nDéise – Sinead O’Brien, Kirsty O’Leray Greene, Orna O’Brien
Special Commendation for Contribution to School Music – Back Row: Ellen O’Connor, Rebecca Hanna, Mollaí Gough. Front Row: Katelyn Fahey, Niamh Hayes, Caragh Geoghegan Absent from photo: Cifa Clancy Davies	Art Student of the Year Kayla McCarey
Public Speaking Awards – Back Row: Caoimhe Keane, Elia Tutty, Ella Harrington, Martha Ryan Front Row: Aisling Oakes, Shari Harty, Jacqueline Barron Carton Absent from photo: Mikayla Lonergan	Home Economics Award Crea Frisby pictured with Home Economics Teacher Ms. Margaret Cleary
Cairde Girls 2018 – 2019 – Back Row: Tara Fitzgerald, Katelyn Horsom, Ciara Prendergast Front Row: Dearbhla ní hAllachain, Niamh Curran, Aoife Dee, Sheenagh Hallinan Absent from photo: Cifa Clancy Davies, Kate Hickey, Lucy Holmes, Saoirse McCafferty, Maggie Veale	Orienteering Awards – Ruth Phelan, Emma Power, Oliwia Pawlikowska, Aisling Oakes Absent from photo: Jennifer Power
Athletics Awards – Back Row: Katie Donnelly, Mary Kate Prendergast, Sinead O’Brien, Lucy Holmes, Sarah Slevin, Roisin Kiersey Middle Row: Mary Bradfield, Aoibh Murphy, Sarah Nyhan, Mairead Hickey, Aislinn O’Regan Front Row: Eve Dwyer, Emma Fleming, Caoimhe Prendergast, Millie Lucey Absent from photo: Kate Hickey, Anna Hickey, Emma Hickey, Beth Gardner	Special Commendation for Involvement in Intercounty Football and Camogie – Ella O’Neill, Sarah Lacey, Aoife Brazil Absent from photo: Anna Hickey, Emma Hickey
STEM Awards recognising achievement in the area of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths – Back Row: Ruth Phelan, Martina Nowotny, Roisin Quinn, Alison Martin, Aisling Oakes Front Row: Alison Martin, Keeley Flynn, Orlaith Dwyer