Kilkenny College, Castlecomer Road, Kilkenny, Ireland

Congratulations to Cheryl Stanley and Hazel Potterton for organizing the Tractor Run recently which raised €4,000 for the Leprosy Mission.

Congratulations also to Yann Donnelly and Aaron McStay , both transition year students who recently took part in the Young Social Innovators competition at the RDS in Dublin. Their topic ‘Investigating Special Needs Education’ was in the ‘Making our world more inclusive’ section. They convinced the panel about the potential of their project and that they could invest time or resources into making some aspect of it happen. They received a €500 prize to further their project

The Real Food Class trip to Cork had been a great success. Click here for photopage

The College was recently entertained by the Garda Band and several of the pupils became temporary members of the band! Click here for photos.

This important event took place in St Canice’s Cathedral on Sunday 20th April when Bishop Burrows confirmed the following candidates from Kilkenny College: Hannah Allison, Jonathan Atkinson, Julie Baker, Trevor Clare, Alice Coppen, Jessica D'Alton, Ross Deacon, Jordan Donald, Sarah Dowley, Jeremy Duncan, Alison Eager, Ivan Fennell, Robin Foot, Patrick Furnell, Sally Goodbody, Timothy Graham, Rachel Hardman, Henry Hatton, Charles Hogg, Aimee Kerr, Hayden Lalor, Dylan Leybourne, Sam Morrow, Richard Nicholls, Paul Rothwell, Joseph Smyth, Jason Smyth, Ian Stanley, Natasha Sterling, Robert Tector, Hugh Tulloch, Matthew Wallace, Jamie Walshe, David Whiterord Dunne, Lisa Worrell.

COUNTY ENTERPRISE AWARDS:
Congratulations to Dominic Furnell who won a prize for the most innovative company, George Smyth and Killian O’Neill who were placed 3rd overall in Co. Kilkenny, and all pupils who had participated in the County Enterprise Awards.

Congratulations to Secretary Joan Costigan on completing 25 years serivce to the College, pictured here receiving a presentation from the headmaster and Joan's colleagues:

Bishop Burrows took Assembly to coincide with Ascension Thursday. The Bishop talked about Ascension Day and also about the Senior Bishop’s Medal Essay competition and announced the results. The winner was Marianne Murphy, who received €200 cheque and the Bishop’s Medal. Henry Burrows was 2nd, David Gilmartin, Frances O’Morchoe and Rachael Atkinson were awarded 3rd prizes. Dean Gordon Wynne from Old Leighlin also attended and gave an excellent critique of the competition essays.

Fashion Show
The Headmaster thanked Ms. McNiece and Mr. Tector and all the staff who had worked behind the scenes and participated on the night to make the Fashion Show such an outstanding success. The Headmaster thanked the Transition Year pupils for their involvement and commitment, and also thanked the audience for being so appreciative. The Headmaster said that Fashion Show images were available to view and purchase online from www.hotshotzphotography.ie <http://www.hotshotzphotography.ie/> using the client login FASHIONSHOW08.

Power of 1 Project
Congartulations to the Transition Year Future Boosters team of Katherine Cooke, Laura Taylor, Laurie Dool, Wendy Michael, Aine Murray and Nadia Mahfoud, and their teachers Ms. Chapple and Ms. McNiece. The team was selected to compete in the final of the Power of 1 project at Croke Park on 30th April.

At the recent opening of the Heritage Centre, formely the Bishop's Palace Kilkenny, the President Mary MacAleese plants a commemorative tree observed by distinguished guests including members of the Starrett family. Photo Dylan Vaughan.

The College’s new archives service run by Andrew Whiteside has been in operation since 2007. A specially-designed strong room is fitted with archival shelving and work has begun to collect material for the archives. The archivist is keen to hear from past pupils, former staff and families with connections to the College (and/or Celbridge and Pococke schools) who have papers, memorabilia or photographs that can be added to the archives. Alongside the strong room is the Barton Room, which in time will be used by staff and pupils for research. The development of the archives area was funded in memory of past pupil William I. Barton.

The need for a new archives service arose during the preparation of a history of Kilkenny College by historians Lesley Whiteside and her son Andrew. The book, which will include sections covering Celbridge and Pococke schools, will be published in 2009.

For more information, please contact Andrew Whiteside (archivist@kilkennycollege.ie)

The oral and practical examinations for the Leaving and Junior Certificate will be starting on 7th April: Irish, Music, Japanese, JC Home Economics, French, German and Spanish.

Bishop Burrows gave an address which was followed by the Chamber Choir singing their winning entry at the recent Wesley Feis, ‘Christus factus est’ by Anton Bruckner.

Ms Sonja Lanigan, Chairperson; Ms Elinor Mountain, Trustee; and Ms Maeve Butler, PRO. He also welcomed Ms Catriona Hanley from the Kilkenny Voice. He thanked the whole school community for their generosity and commitment to fund-raising for the Appeal. He referred to the energy and enthusiasm of both pupils and staff in organizing the various fund-raising events, and thanked pupils and staff involved in the ‘X’ factor event especially Mr Chaney and his committee, Ms Rothwell for organizing the sale of candy canes, and Hazel Potterton for organizing the Coffee Morning.

A cheque for €10,000 was presented which represented the funds raised from the ‘X’ factor event, the Coffee Morning, a donation from the Board of Directors and two anonymous donors, the Carol Service, a non-uniform day, and the sale of candy canes.

The Headmaster concluded by thanking the pupils for all their fund-raising efforts which also included €6,000 raised for the Barbara Gill Memorial Fund.

Ten KCK pupils have returned from French Exchange and who had been in St. Louis, Saumur. 16 more French pupils will be shortly arriving from St. Louis. The itinerary for the French exchange week would include the visitors being in classes on the morning of Monday 10th and all day Thursday 13th and Friday 14th March. Trips were being organized for the visitors to Kilkenny Castle, Dublin, The National Stud and Glendalough. They would be going home with their Irish families on 20th March.

Bishop Seamus Freeman attended Assembly. Bishop Freeman, who succeeds Bishop Laurence Forristal (1981-2007), is the 94th Bishop of Ossory and is from Callan. Bishop Freeman spent most of his priestly life in Rome, where he was Rector General of his own religious society, the Pallottine Fathers, for 12 years. Since 2004, he has been parish priest of a large parish in Rome, thus acquiring much practical pastoral experience. Bishop Freeman has visited 42 countries.

SCHOOL TRIPS/WORK EXPERIENCE:
Half-term saw school trips to New York, Moscow and St Petersburg, and on the Skiing trip. Transition pupils have gone on Work Experience after half-term.

The Barbara Gill Memorial fund is helping to build a school in Southern Eritrea. Over the last few months the following events, Non uniform day, part of carol service collection, Sale of the Quill, bag packing in supermarket, and a coffee morning run by Hazel Potterton has raised 6,000 euro.
Photo shows Mr and Mrs Gill being given the cheque in Kilkenny College by Mrs Sandra Arnopp

Emily Murtagh and Form 3V class [Along with their teacher Ms.O’Keeffe] who are prize winners in the Mc Donagh Junction Time Capsule Competition. They are burying a capsule on Friday 29th February. Emily will be reading her poem which will be inserted into the capsule. The Mayor will be in attendance.

VINTAGE ROAD RUN
Emma Power-Slattery (5A) and Rachael Atkinson (5A) travelled with a group from Youth for Christ during the holidays. The group was building houses for families suffering from leprosy.
Four Form 5 girls, Cheryl Stanley, Hazel Potterton, Melissa Kearney and Emma Slattery, are part of a group which are holding a Vintage Road Run in Carlow/Tullow on Sat the 10thMay. It is aid of the Leprosy Mission Ireland. The girls need a lot of volunteers and funds. If you would like to help, contact one of the girls. There will also be a letter sent out with the school reports at Easter informing parents of the event.

SAILING
Georgina Corbett (Form 1) has been selected to represent Ireland at a world sailing event in Braassemermeer in Holland over Easter. (Details can be seen on the World Optimist Sailing Site. www.optiworld.org <http://www.optiworld.org/> under Calendar of Events, plus other information from the Braassemermeer Yacht Club site.

There were two assemblies; the first was for Forms 1, 3 and 5, and the second was for Forms 2, 4 and 6. Bishop Burrows attended and was assisted by Dean Norman Lynas,
Rev. Elaine Murray, Rev. Ann Wallace, Mrs. Maureen Lanigan, Mr. Trevor Garrett,
Miss Frances Bradley and Miss Sophie Shirley. Holy Communion was available for the whole school.

Gaelscoil Scholarship
Congratulations to Lizzy Aarnes-Olsen (2R) who has won the Diocesan Board of Education Gaelscoil Scholarship to visit Dingle for 3 weeks this summer.

French Exchange
This had been a great success and that the French students had returned home on Wednesday 6th February. The group had integrated extremely well and had got involved in many of the extra-curricular activities.

The annual Memorial Assembly was held on Wednesday 30th January. The Revd Elaine Murray, Mr Trervor Garrett and Ms Claver Ryan participated in the service. The Chamber Choir sang “The Souls of the Righteous” by Stanley Marchant.
The following were remembered in the prayers:
The late Conor O’Brien (pupil); Mr Julian Charles, father of Sunny; Mr Jim Foley, father of Mr. Lar Foley; Jenny Lalor, sister of William and Thomas, daughter of Bill and Patricia; George Pearson (former pupil); Susie Long, mother of Fergus and Aine, wife of Conor MacLiam; Mr Dick Hennessy, father of Michael and Richard and younger brother Jack;Mrs. Monica Farrell mother of Ms. Claire Keogh; Lilian Langrell – Ms Valda Langrell’s aunt.
Mr Marshall Parkhill, father of Mrs Valerie Duncan; Mr Brian Corrie, former Board member, husband of Mrs Jean Corrie; Ms. Barbara Gill; William Fitzgerald, father of Patricia Butler, Administration; Eileen O’Donnell, member of the Household Staff.
RIP

This fund-raising event took place on Thursday 24th January and was in aid of the Susie Long Hospice Fund. The organisers of this fund hope to raise €500,000 towards a hospice in the region. €35,000 was collected before Christmas.

The X Factor event took place in the Willoughby Hall and comprised of a number of acts with staff and pupils performing together. Those taking part included Mr Rob Clancy (and Johnny Cash!), Ms Niamh Sheehan (and Dusty Springfield!), Mr Paul Cuddihy (and Phil Coulter!), Ms Nicola Mahoney, Mr David Milne (and The Dansettes!), Ms Claire Rothwell, Mr Matt Berry and Ms Grainne O'Connor (with prize-winning FAME!) all accompanied by their cohorts of pupils. MCs for the night were Messrs Ben McKenna and Adam Tucker. Winners and monies raised will follow.

Congratulations to those who appeared in the production of Peter Pan in the Watergate Theatre: Jamie O’Brien, Chloe Edwards, Louise O’Connor, Christian Murphy, and Miss Mahoney who was also involved.

The Headmaster announced that Patrick O’Driscoll had been placed 2nd nationally in his Woodwork Junior Certificate and would be receiving an award.

Congratulations to the following pupils on their success in the PRISM Maths problem solving competition:

Congratulations to Emma Power-Slattery and Rachael Atkinson on their fund-raising for Youth in Christ and for their efforts during the Christmas holiday in building houses for families with leprosy in India.

140 Transition Year pupils are being released into the work force for their work experience

4 speakers spoke to Form 6 recently – Chris Pim (franchise of McDonalds Kilkenny), Brian Cody, Olivia Goodwillie (Board member, Biologist, Director of Lavistown Foods) and Roderic O’Gorman (Law lecturer and Green Party member)

Sympathy:
We extend our sympathies to the Lalor family on the death of their daughter Jennifer, pupil 1997-2003 and sister of William and Thomas. She is remembered for her many achievements in school – in the Choir, Art Room and on many equestrian teams. Jenny was at UCD and represented them in the National Equestrian Inter Varsity Championships with great success. She will be sadly missed.

Bishop’s Visit:
Bishop Burrows will be conducting a service on Ash Wednesday February 6th and Holy Communion will be available for the whole school at School Assembly.
Scholarship Exam:

The Scholarship Exam will take place on Wednesday 12th March. We have now completed our intake for Form 1 for 2008/09.

Parish Readers:
We congratulate Ms Frances Bradley and Ms Sophie Shirley who have commissioned as parish readers.
Confirmation:

Confirmation classes have started. Confirmation Day is Sunday April 20th at 4.00 pm

The annual Past Pupils’ AGM was held on Tuesday 6th November. Mr Douglas Bel-Maguire was re-elected Chairman, Mrs Deirdre Dyer as Secretary and Mrs Pamela Hamilton as Treasurer. Mr John Lonergan, Governor of Mountjoy Prison gave an excellent talk on parenting.

Rhyme Rag:
Fiona Rothwell, Form 6, has had her poem entitled “Granddad’s Seat” published in Rhyme Rag, Volume 3. Fiona’s poem is one of 23 selected from 264! This poetry publication featuring the work of young Kilkenny writers will be launched by Kilkenny County Council on Wednesday, 28th November at 5 p.m.

The Rotary Club of Kilkenny are pleased to announce that David Gilmartin of Kilkenny College is the local Club winner of this year's Youth Leadership and Development competition. This annual competition is sponsored by Rotary and the European Parliament office within schools and youth organisations to help develop leadership and communication skills of young people.
Kieran Carroll , President of Rotary Club of Kilkenny says, "This is the 15th year we have organised this event. The judges were impressed with the continuing high standard of young people representing their schools and Ossory Youth. We hope that participating in this event will be of help to the students in their future careers. This will help the whole community which is one of the primary objectives of the Rotary Movement". Rotary members are also involved in helping schools with "mock interviews".
The Kilkenny winners at local Club level have been very successful in the last two years. Adrian O'Higgins (2005) and John Campion (2006), both of Kilkenny CBS went on to qualify from the Regional Finals and traveled to the Paris and the European Parliament in Strasbourg to participate in the Euroscola programme. Rotary has sent an All Ireland group to this event every year since 1990.
The Rotary Club of Kilkenny wish David all the best for the Regional Final which is being held in Thurles on Monday 19 November.

Congratulations to Alyssa Kidd, Emma Rothwell and Joanna Younghusband who have been thus awarded.

Anna Phelan and Clair Hamilton- senior Competion got through their round of debating in Trinity bieng the youngest both in age and in class years as they are only in 4th year and this is a seniors’ competition and all the other competitors were either from 5th or 6th. Their motion was ‘that size zero should be banned’ and they were both informative and entertaining in their approach. Yann Donnelly and Keith Harper also did really well

Adam Schmidt and Bethany Harte got through as single speakers while Andrew Burrows and Tom Mc Intyre will also be going through as single speakers, but in another part of the competition

It is with great pride that Kilkenny College reports the opening of The Jonathan Swift Building on Friday, 21 September 2007 at 11.15 a.m.

On behalf of the Kilkenny College Board of Directors, the Chairman, Don Brown, will welcome Mary Hanafin, TD, Minister for Education and Science, local TD, John McGuinness, Minister of State for Trade and Commerce, members of the Incorporated Society, Marie Fitzpatrick, Mayor of Kilkenny, and all the guests to this most special occasion. The staff and pupils will join the Headmaster, Philip Gray, at the opening ceremony. The Minister will formally open the building, which will then be dedicated by the Rt Revd Michael Burrows, Bishop of Cashel and Ossory.

Kilkenny College acknowledges a great debt of gratitude to all the parents, past pupils and other benefactors who have contributed to its fund-raising efforts. As no public funds were used in the construction of this building, the Headmaster will take the opportunity to thank everyone who has given financial support. The generosity of these friends of the College has enabled the completion of theJonathan Swift Building in time for the new academic year, which has just begun.

The completion of the Jonathan Swift Building brings the total number of major projects at the College to seven in the last eight years. From 1999, new boarding accommodation has been provided in Wolfe House (the senior boys’ dormitory) and Yates House (the senior girls’ dormitory). While good boarding facilities are essential to Kilkenny College, which is the largest boarding school in the country, the upgrading of teaching and ancillary facilities is vital, as the College now numbers some 800 pupils. To that end, new classrooms have been provided in The Colton Building, The McClure Building (technology and art classrooms), The Corrie Building (career guidance rooms) a new astro-turf pitch, and now The Jonathan Swift Building.

The Building was constructed by Duggan Lynch Construction, Kilkenny, following a design by another local firm Falconer & Associates. The building offers 13 new classrooms including two science laboratories, a staff room and a Quiet Room. Kilkenny College has become increasingly aware of its ‘carbon footprint’ and with this in mind the building boasts a biomass heating system and energy-saving systems which benefit the entire school community.

Congratulations to all those who sat the Junior Certificate. The results which were published recently saw Laura Ridgeway top the poll with 10 As and Nadia Mahfoud, Mary Rimbi with 9 As, David Glynn, Yann Donnelly and Mark Elmes all with over 6. Those with 5 As were Tom Deane, Catherine Costigan, Julie Watchorn, Kate Sheppard, Amy Lawrence, Linda Harrington, Elizabeth Sterling and Rachel Lett.

Congratulations to Rory Fleck-Byrne to has been accepted to the prestigious RADA the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in England. Rory who completed his Leaving Certificate in June was a member of the College Chamber Choir and who won the 2005 Thomas Moore Young Singers Competition and received scholarships for training at the DIT Conservatory of Music In Rathmines which he attended on the Saturdays of the last academic year. Locally in Kilkenny he has a member of the Young Film Makers and the Barnstorm Theatre so with all that experience behind him we wish Rory success in what we hope will be a glittering stage career.

The number of pupils taking music as a subject continues to rise, as does the number of students having piano, singing or instrumental lessons.
The Chamber Choir, Senior Choir, Junior Choir and Orchestra have already started rehearsing for a number of forthcoming events.
The opening ceremonies of the Jonathan Swift Building (21st September); Prize Day ( 19th October);
A concert in St John the Evangelist, Monasterevin (15th November); The Thomas Morre Competition (1st December); The Lions Club Christmas Concert in St Canice's Cathedral (6th December); The School Carol Service (18th December).

Congratulations to Suzy Richardson and Marianne Murphy. They were chosen out of 2,300 poetry works to have their poems published. They attended the launch, on 8th Septembe, in Donegal. Suzy was placed 7th and Marianne was placed 10th. Book is entitled ‘Wordflight’

These important Wednesday morning get togethers when the Sports Hall is full to capacity have already had significant impact this term and which have been taken by Bishop Burrows, Dean Lynas and Mr. Garrett.

Kilkenny College saw an historic visit by Blackrock College on Wednesday, 12th September. Both teams played extremely well but in the end the score was 22 – 6 to Blackrock College.

All rugby teams up and running – Form 1 participated in Blitz with Castleknock on Wednesday, 12 September.

Plans are already in hand for matches and trips to Midleton, Ashton and Kings’ Hospital. The seniors will be making serious preparations for the all-Ireland championships which this year tales place in Dublin.

This year the Senior Girls’ Captain is Kylie Deverell with Vice Captain Cheryl Stanley.

The modern Pentathlon association of Ireland hosted its national championships recently in the Aer Lingus pool and track and Killossery Lodge Equestrian Centre Dublin. Edward Healy (Form 4) took the overall trophy in his age group, he also took gold in the swim, run, ride and fence. Christine Healy (Form 3) won the swim in the same competition. Edward also competed in The British Youth Pentathlon Championships which took place in Millfield School, Street, Somerset, England. He competed as part of a 15 man Irish team, and came 3 overall in the competition, he also won the run and came 3rd in the swim..

Also in July he travelled with the Irish team to Grand Canaria where he competed in the European modern pentathlon championships.

Bernie Holohan on of our art teachers and who is part of the Wexford squad who are All Ireland Champions, beating Cork on Sunday, 9th September in Croke Park. Final score 2-7 to 1-8.

In less than 36 hours the Church of Ireland Bishop of Cashel & Ossory, the Rt Revd Michael Burrows has raised over €38,000 for the “Railway Children” project in Tanzania through the Church of Ireland Bishops’ Appeal.

Over the two days of Wednesday and Thursday 19th / 30th August 2007 he travelled the length and breadth of his united six dioceses of Cashel. Ossory, Waterford, Leighlin, Lismore and Ferns - all by scheduled train service – the only diocese in the island by which it is possible to circumnavigate by train. His stop at each station (24 in all and over 350 miles covered) was advertised in advance to all adjacent parishes and which had representative groups at each station to present the gifts of their fund-raising.

He was greeted at Kilkenny station by a group of our pupils with Ms Sandra Arnopp and a presentation was made to him for the cause.

We congratulate all the candidates and all involved in an excellent accumulation of points: 25 pupils achieved over 500 points, 39% got over 450 points, 83% over 300 points.
Congratulations in particular to Frazer Rath, Tim Dukelow and Sarah Gethings our top three candidates. Students were very happy with their results on the day and we wish them all well for future.

The Jonathan Swift Building has been completed and is ready for the pupils when they return. It will be officially opened on Friday 21st September by Ms Mary Hanafin, Minister for Education, assisted by Mr John Mc Guinness, Minister of State at the Department for Trade and Commerce. Bishop Michael Burrows will dedicate the building. The school is very grateful to all the parents and past pupils who have contributed financially to the building of this excellent new facility. Parents are invited to visit the new building on Tuesday 28th August [7 p.m. – 9 p.m.] and hope many of you will be able to attend the official opening on Friday 21st September at 11.30 a.m. Pupils will be free to go home that weekend at 12.30 pm.

DEVELOPMENTS OVER THE SUMMER:
Over the holiday the Girls’ Garden Dorms were refurbished and new heaters installed. All the windows in Junior Boys’ House have been double-glazed. Under the Department of Education and Science Summer work Scheme, a large portion of the roof on the original buildings has been refurbished. Room 81 has been converted into a computerized aided drawing room for the technical subjects with 24 work-stations. Work will commence shortly on transforming some of the prefabs into a new art room and our new Archives Room [Barton Archives] is almost complete.

STAFF CHANGES:

We welcome back Mr George Wallace, Ms Niamh Sheehan and Mrs Laura Berry to Kilkenny College. We would like to extend a warm welcome to all new staff members: Ms Kathy Crampton (who replaces Mrs Moynan as Head of Girls’ Boarding), Mr John Farrelly (who replaces Mr Ashmore as Head of Boys’ Boarding), Ms Denise O’Hara and Ms Caroline Reade and hope they enjoy their time in Kilkenny College. Ms Grainne Butler replaces Mrs Jane Williams and we are grateful for her excellent contribution to Kilkenny College during the last year.

CHANGES IN GIRLS’ AND BOYS’ RESIDENCES:

Our new Heads of our Boarding houses, Ms Kathy Crampton and Mr John Farrelly who come to Kilkenny College from The King’s Hospital and St. Columba’s College respectively, are the key people in our boarder pupils’ pastoral care system. Please note that the Junior Boys’ Dorms are to be renamed ‘Butler House’

THE PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION:

The Parents’ Association continues their support, enthusiasm and interest in everything that goes on in the school. Next term the Parents’ Association take on a new initiative when they organize a Careers Evening for Form 6. Parents who feel they can contribute to the evening to please get in touch with Douglas Bel Maguire or Deirdre Dyer.
Sincere thanks to Mrs Carmel Chadwick, Mrs Anne Ryder, Mrs Barbara Van der Puil, Mrs Linda O’Neill for the usual efficiently running our second-hand uniform sale in June.

PRIZE DAY 2007:

Prize Day will be held on Friday 19th October and all prize winners will be notified in advance of Prize Day. Bishop Burrows will be the special guest speaker.

SCHOOL CHAPLAIN

The Board of Directors have sanctioned the appointment of a full time school chaplain. We will shortly be advertising for this position and hope to make an appointment later this term.