Read sixth year student, Eimear Noctor’s account here

As part of our art course, we went on a trip to learn about paintings, Irish historical items and modern art.  We started the morning by visiting Trinity College where we went to see The Book Of Kells.  We learned where it came from, and the amount of detailed handwork that went into writing and decorating it.

Next, we visited the National Art Museum where we learned about the beginning of the Renaissance right up to the Impressionism. We learned about Irish artists like Yeats. We also learned about how paintings are restored and the process that it takes to do it.

Ms Lacey with sixth year art class

Lastly, we visited IMMA – The Irish Museum Of Modern Art – where we got to look at an exhibition by Rivane Nevenschwander Called A Day Like Any Other. Here we became more aware of film as art, Things people made out of Rubbish, Portraits of peoples first loves and Ribbons. We got to partake in a project where you take a ribbon with someone wish on it and tie it around your wrist. You wear the ribbon until it falls off and then that person wish comes true. You then write your own wish and place it in the hole where the ribbon was for it to be made into a Ribbon. The trip was very enjoyable and interesting. We all got to take something new in and got to take part in a meaningful project.

Irish Aid Centre, O'Connell Street

It began with us being shown a movie made about a girl who lived in a Developing Country and though she was 18, she was still in primary school.  Despite this she still had big dreams – to become a doctor.  Even though she was very poor she was still such a positive person.

Next we had a guided tour around the facilities and looked at the walls which contained information such as the type of food that people in Malawi eat and also of people who got out of extreme poverty. There was also a big board that containing facts like the transport system and the houses that people live in and how the houses are built.

Finally, we were brought to a little room where we put into groups of four.  There, we found a packet under our chair and it had food and other cards. We were then given a summary of what our groups were and told that it was a game where would have to trade the cards for basic things e.g. education and transport.  It was hard trading the cards for these things. Overall I enjoyed the trip. Thanks to Ms.Sheelan and Sr.Margaret for bringing us.

Katie Dempsey TY

For more information on the work of Irish Aid, see their website: http://www.irishaid.gov.ie

TY ICE Team with teacher Ms Tooher

In first place I.C.E. Krisis kit and in second place were Mini Beats with their earphones.

Mini Beats Group with teacher, Ms Tooher

Good luck to both teams competing in the finals in March.

The team would not have done so well without the contribution of the whole panel Katie, Shauna, Rachel, Creona, Soracha, Orla, Ciara and Daire.  A huge thank you is due to Deborah Evans and Grainne Burke, two fantastic coaches.

Mr MacNamara and First Year Futsol Team

At 1 we all met again and took a class photo in the courtyard. After that we left for Phoenix Park where we watched a video about the history of Phoenix Park, looked around the building and went to the playground. We got back to school at 3:30pm. We had a lot of fun and learned a lot on the trip.

Loreto Swords Welcomes SamMaguire

The cup was accompanied by members of the Fingallians GAA club. On entering the school they were greeted with cheers and shouts of joy and encouragement. Cameras were flashing left, right and centre as everyone wanted a picture with the famous cup. The sense of pride and unity in the school on that morning was remarkable, to say the least. It was a triumph for Dublin, an outstanding match and a well-deserved victory over all. Up the Dubs!

Ms Furlongs’ 3rd Year Irish class wrote an account of the match, read their commentary below:

Áth Cliath 1-12 Ciarraí 1-11
le Rang 3 Iníon Furlong

Sixth Year Leadership Team with Sam Maguire

Lá iontach a bhí ann. Bhí cluiche ceannais na hÉireann ar siúl i bPáirc an Chrócaigh. Thug fir Átha Cliath aghaidh ar pheileadóirí na Ríochta. Tháinig slua mhór ó Ciarraí ach bhí i bhfad níos mó gorm le feicieáil timpeall na cathrach agus go háirithe i nDroim Conrach. Tháinig na mílte daoine chun an lá stairiúil a fheicieáil. Ní mó ná sásta a bhí formhór an slua agus iad ag dul abhaile!

Thosaigh an cluiche ar a leathuair tar éis a trí agus bhí tús lasrach ag Ciarraí. Rug Deaglán Ó Súilleabháin ar an liathróid agus le cic ollmhór bhí an céad cúilín ag fir na Ríochta. Thóg sé tamaill ar fir na Ard Cathrach socrú isteach ar an gcluiche  agus tháinig an céad scór dóibh tar éis deich nóiméad.

Thrádáil an dá fhoireann scóranna don gcuid eile den leath. Bhí Áth Cliath chun tosaigh le cúilín amháin ag leath ama. Bhí gach duine sa stáid néirbhíseach ach bhí atmaisféar leictreach le braith ann. Le sin, tháinig an grian amach agus bhí dara leath den scoth againn. Bhí an cuid is mó den imirt ag Ciarraí sa dara leath agus d’éirigh leo dul chun tosaigh le ceithre cúilín.

Rinne Pat Gilroy ionad ionsporáideach. Tháinig Kevin McEnemon chun páirce. Thosaigh sé ag rith ag cúlaithe/cosantóirí Ciarraí. D’éirigh leis cúl a fháil nuair a bhí BÁC ceithre cúilín chun deiridh. Thug an cúl ionsporáid don fhoireann. Chuaigh siad cúilín amháin chun tosaigh le cúig nóiméad le dul sa chluiche. Fuair Kieran Donaghy cúilín ionsporáideach dá chuid féin go gairid ina dhiadh sin. Thug sé sin dóchas do lucht tacaíochta na Ríochta. Bhí an slua ar fad ar tinneall!

Mrs Veronica McDermott and Mr Michael Behan with Sam Maguire

Rith Kevin McMenamon ag cúlaithe Ciarraí arís agus tharraing sé cic saor uathu. Shéid an réiteoir a fheadóg. Bhí muintir Átha Cliath ar bís. Ní raibh ach nóiméad le dul. Le misneach ollmhór, thaisteal an cúl báire Stephen Cluxton fad na páirce chun an cic saor a thógáil. Ní raibh gíog ná míog le cloisteáil. Go tobann, léim gach duine dá gcuid suíocháin le háthas. D’éirigh leis an sprioc a aimsiú. Is fearr mall ná  go brách! Tar éis sé bliana déag, ba iad Áth Cliath seaimpíní uile Éireann. Tá Corn Sam Mhic Uidhir sa bhaile arís.

Two Students, Katie Lynch and Meabh Grogan addressed the school at the opening year mass, relaying their experiences of partaking in the Loreto group at World Youth Day, last August in Madrid.  Here’s what they said:

Irish Loreto Group at WYD

We were privileged to have travelled to Madrid for World Youth Day in August of this year along with six fellow students and other Loreto students from around Ireland including Loreto Kilkenny, Beaufort and Bray. For those who may not know what World Youth Day is, it is a gathering of millions of young people from all over the world to celebrate our faith. World Youth Day was started by Pope John Paul II in 1985 and is celebrated at a week-long international level every two to three years at different locations throughout the world. It was celebrated in Sydney Australia in 2008, Madrid 2011 and in 2013 it will be celebrated in Rio de Janero in Brazil.

Workshops

The atmosphere on the streets of Madrid and indeed the Loreto School was incredible and none of us will ever forget the feeling. The singing, cheering, dancing everywhere we turned, the crowded trains full of excited pilgrims dancing and singing. We even had
sing-offs with other groups of pilgrims on the trains!! The joy that radiated from each person there was spectacular. We speak on behalf of all the girls when we say it was the most influential and most positive experience we have ever had in our young lives.

Although we were there for nearly two weeks the main WYD celebrations spread over a 4 day programme beginning with an opening mass by the Pope in the centre of Madrid. During these 4 days we stayed in a Loreto school in El Soto with Loreto boys and girls from Spain and England. Each day we attended work shops which included video making, the life and teachings of Mary ward, Justice and Peace, equality issues and music and dance. In our works shops we worked along side many different cultures which was definitely one of the highlights! In the evening we would travel into Madrid for the main celebrations with the Pope. These included Stations of the Cross through the streets of Madrid and the all night vigil with the Pope. This was an amazing and unique experience. Especially when the sheer force of the hurricane winds blew the Pope’s hat off and a spectacular thunder and lightning storm made the night sky light up in a way none of us had seen before. At that time we saw the force, the complexity and the beauty of Gods world right before us. It was definitely an experience we will never forget. People danced and sang all night long and we had a chance to meet some amazing and interesting people that you would never have had an opportunity to meet before. We also saw the Pope drive by us on a few occasions which was a surreal experience.The streets of Madrid

Cultural Days Out!