Tuesday the 9th of April, 2019 saw the opening of Kilkenny College’s new Library. A happy crowd of students, friends and supporters of the project attended the opening. The Library project was a culmination of a huge amount of work and fundraising by students and staff, over the past school year.
The shelves in the Library were obtained from Stone House Books on Kieran Street, Kilkenny and additional shelving was made. Then it all started; getting books that we knew students in our class, our year, the entire student body would enjoy. We went out on Wednesdays, week after week, book hunting; looking for books of every genre, telling many different and unique stories. Whether fact or fictional, comical or a novel, serious and full of interesting facts or humorous and light hearted, we wanted a book that would suit everyone in our school library. We also did a great amount of recycling. Parents and past students donated books to our cause.
Our Library was then officially opened by our Principal, Mr. Simon Thompson who informed our guests of the work that had been happening behind the scenes. The collecting of books, the sorting out of those books and labeling all the books in the library. He also mentioned the people who kept the dream of our school library alive, Mr. Paul Cuddihy and Mrs. Sandra Arnopp. The Library was then blessed by Dean Daniel MacDonnell, there were also many true and touching speeches given by students representing our Library Committee.
As a student who has been with and seen the project for quite a while the dream of our Library has finally come to life. There are currently 4000 books in our library and counting. At the moment 170 books have been borrowed to date, but our school library can only grow.
People have always asked ‘when did talks of re-opening the school library begin? now it’s no longer ‘when it all started; it’s how it will continue’
Written by Melissa Okoye, 3rd Year.
- Category: Academic
Kilkenny College’s senior debating team has won the war of words at the 2019 All-Ireland final of the Gael Linn debating competition, Comórtas an Phiarsaigh.
Students Molly Parmeter, Iseult Ní Chathail and Rachel Ní Chaomhánaigh were yesterday declared winners over teams from St Gerald’s College, Castlebar, Laurel Hill Secondary School, Limerick and Eureka Secondary School, Kells.
The event took place in the Lucan Spa Hotel, and was the culmination of this year’s competition, organised annually by Gael Linn, and funded by Foras na Gaeilge, for second-level schools nationwide, in which over 150 schools have taken part since October last.
The high standard of debating on the night posed a considerable challenge to the five adjudicators, Seán Mac Labhraí, Máirín Uí Mhuirí, Áine Máire Ní Ghioballáin, Fergus Ó Conghaile and Antóin Delap, in their task of selecting the winners.
The motion up for debate was particularly appropriate for the age group — ‘Ba cheart an aois vótála in Éirinn a ísliú ó 18 go 16 (The voting age in Ireland should be reduced from 18 to 16).
- Category: Academic
Kilkenny College Senior Girls 7's Squad emerged victorious from the Leinster 7's Tournament held in the Energia Stadium, Donnybrook. The tournament got under way with a series of matches in a pool of 4 teams. Kilkenny College was set against Sacred Heart Tullamore. The squad began with Melanie Griffith as scrum half, Alex MacNeill, Lilly Onilenla, Grace Jackson, Sadie Hyland, Abby Bennett and Lynda Watchorn. With a 5-point lead at half time, substitutions were made; Robyn Hutchinson, Ciara Orr, Doireann Doyle, Maria Cairns, Wren Higgins, Holly Talbot and Mary Adewuyi. By full time the team had claimed the win and were well and truly set into the tournament. The next match was against Temple Carraig Secondary School. The squad, following the same team tactics, led by coaches Ms. Sue Shirley and Mr. Jeff Carter, once again climbed up the table with a final score of 20-10. The last team to beat in the pool was Eureka Secondary School and after a tough 14-minute game Kilkenny College were into the semi-finals.
The team fought hard against Dundalk coming to an even score at half time. However, with a series of trys from winger Lily Onilenla and scrum half Melanie Griffith the team won 20-10 and made it into the final.
Kilkenny College faced Eureka Secondary School once again. The final began with a try from Kilkenny College however Eureka made a quick come back before half time levelling the score. However, thanks to the determination of the team two more trys had them back in the lead. The team managed to keep a defensive line until the final whistle with a final score of 15-5. Kilkenny College had won the Cup and are now Leinster 7's Cup Champions.
Try Scorers: Melanie Griffith Mary Adewuyi Grace Jackson Lily Onilenla Wren Higgins Abby Bailey Alex McNeill Holly Talbot.
- Category: Rugby
Applications to perform at the 2019 Kilkenny College Musicale can now be submitted at that link below.
- Category: News
Comórtas diospóireachta an Phiarsaigh
- Category: Academic
The Seismology in Schools programme , begun in 2007 as an educational Outreach Initiative run by the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies.
More than seventy schools, colleges, universities and geoparks throughout Ireland participate in the seismic programme of monitoring strong earthquake activity from around the world. Recently Kilkenny College joined this programme and currently the seismometer is fully operational in the college. The seismometer will record and display large earthquake events from the other side of the world which the students will be able to see in real time.
- Category: Academic