The Young Scientist 

last Thursday the TYS and the 2nd years went to the BT young scientist exhibition in the RDS in Dublin. We went as part of our science program and we had 2 projects in the show from our school, which was really amazing because hundreds of people enter the competition but only the best get through. We all went into school on the Thursdays morning and at 9 o'clock we all went down to the hall and we were put on the buses and set off on this rather scientific day.When we got to the RDS we had to wait for what felt like a million years to get our tickets, after the wait we finally and then we went into the exhibition. We were able to go around to see whatever we wanted. we looked at lots of projects from people all over the country and there were so many different types of projects and so many topics covered. After i 
looked at the projects i went to get some lunch with people in ,y class, after we looked at all the different companies and businesses that had stands there. The day was way to long for us and it was so so so so busy so some of us just found a quite little corner and just sat here and had the chats for a good hour,this part of the day was very much needed because  we were all tired and scienced out at this stage. After we gained back our energy we went back to look some more projects. It was then time for us to back home so we all met up again and drove home. The bus journey on the way home was much more calm on the way back to say the least because everyone was just so tired and we just chillin and taking naps really. All in all it was a really great day and i learnt lots.

 AMBER FLAG DAY!!!!!!!!!!

On Friday 4th of December our Ty group organised a truly amazing day full of really fun and positive events. We organised this day because this year we are working to get the amber flag in our school. The amber flag is a flag that is awarded to schools that promote and work for positive mental health in schools. The school must complete a series of  different events and actions with in the schools throughout the year. 
Our first event took place last Friday, we called this "Amber flag day". We had been preparing the day for a few weeks before the actual day. We had loads of posters all over the school to promote the day, we made the positivity boards, we made loads of amber bracelets, for everyone in ty, the staff in the school and the first years to wear on the day. We also hung up orange balloons around the school and gave a positivity quote to everyone in the school.
The day went really well. The TYs got to wear amber clothes on the day ty show that we were taking part in the days events. We all baked the night before and brought everything into school because we had a bake sale a lunch time, the money we made went to both  Pieata house and suicide awareness. We raided about 400 euro!!!!
Through out the day all the TYs were in the library, we had the launch of the amber flag website and the local newspaper came to see it, we all wrote down things in our lives that we were grateful for and different things we do when we get stressed and down in ourselves to make us feel better. We then hung them all up around the reception.We then set up the bake sale, got the buskers ready and got all the positity boards and got ready for the lunch time. 
At lunch loads for people went to the bake sale and bought stuff, there was music being played around the school and people got there pictures taken. It was very very busy but it was all worth it because everyone had a really good day and we made an really good and positive difference. For the rest of the day we relaxed and put everything back. 
I really really enjoyed the day and taught that everyone did a really amazing

this means business!!!!!
   
so in T.Y one of the things we do is set up a company, this program is called mini company is run the length and breath of the  country. This program is all about getting young people getting involved in business and enterprises,  taking responsibility, coming up with ideas and putting these  ideas into practice and making them a reality. With in our classes we chose our groups and for a few weeks we brain storm, plan and finally come up with a product that we can make and sell. There was a lot to do before we even could started making and selling the products. Our idea was to make Santa sledges out of chocolate and sweets. The idea was really good but we now had to make it happen. The first step was to do the  marked research, pricing and see how much we would all have to give in to get the company stared. Then we went to a whole salers and bought all the produce.  After that we had to start production. Now although this may seems like a rather easy job you would be very wrong to believe that!!!! In our mini company class we put together the first stages of the sledges and we made about 40 and we all taught  were doing great and that it would take no time at all to put the finishing touches on HOWEVER  we taught very very very wrong as it took hours to finish them off. But we got the first patch finished and we were very relived. We then had to ask permission from our principal to sell in the school on Fridays and to put up the posters around the school. So far we have gotten loads of orders from people and we can barley keep up with all the orders we have. We are all very excited to be selling and to have the business up and running. 

green poppys????

In our history class these last few weeks we have been learning about the first world war and the Irish influence in the war. on the few years leading up to the war Ireland was seeking home rule from England and things looked promising for the Irish however in July 1941 not only England attention but the worlds attention turned to the war in Europe.This meant that Ireland was pushed to the side for the time being. The politician John Redmond gave many speeches that convinced that Irish men should go and fight in the war for the British, as they believed it would strengthen ties between England and Ireland. Around 200,000 Irish men joined the British army and fought during the war. However the rising in Dublin in 1916 over shadowed the Irish mens efforts and after the rising and executions many Irish people saw the soldiers as traitors and shunned them. 
We feel that the courage and bravery of these men is very often over looked and forgotten about. The poppys we made is our small way of remembering these men. We chose the poppy as it not only is the flower that is used to remember soldiers but the poppy was the only flower that grew in no mans land. It is colored green to represent the irish.  This week we went around to all the classes in our school, spoke to then about whu we made these poppys and asked them that if they wanted to wear them on the 11th of November to wear them to remember all those irish men who fought and died i the war because it was on the 11th of november at 11 o'clock 1918 that the first world war was called to a stop.
 

FUN WALK 2015 

as usual the fun walk was a great success again. The fun walk is the schools way of bonding classes with there new tutors, each other and to promote friendship. The week leading up to the fun walk was very busy as classes schemed away with there tutors in top secret, so that nobody would know what to expect on the day. Now by nature the fun walk is always a rather colorful day because every year was given a certain colour. first years pink, second years purple, third years green, T.ys yellow, fifth years blue and sixth years black and white. On the day the sun came out to greet us and we were all very happy to see it. The day started the same as any other. We had some time to perfect our dances with our tutors and have a bit of a prep talk before we headed out to the tennis court for the big showcase. Some of the schools prefects set up all the music, talked at it and got everyone in the humor. We started with the amazing tys. both dances we great and competition was tight. We then went over to the first years. Some were a bit nervous at first but  they were all supper!!!!!! we then went from second years to third years fifth years and to finish off the dancing the sixth years. Every class did absolutely amazing. At this stage the tys had gone to there points to mark where the walk would go. The sixth years started the walk then followed by the rest of the school. A sea of color flowed down the road, we walk down to one of the estates, walked through it and then back to the school. At this point it was time to go home. It was a really great day and everybody gave it their all and did fantastically. Thank you to everbody who took part, the teachers for doing some crazzzy things and to the prefects for running it.

Kilkenny ART TRIP 
This week in our art class we were talking about self-portraits and are fantastic art teacher ms. Carpenter decided to take us on an adventure to the south east - Kilkenny to be exact. We all had to meet at the school at 8:30 in the morning and all 60 of us accompanied by both Ms.Carpenter and Ms.Brogan bundled onto the bus and set of. The journey down was about an hour and a half  and for a girl who has a very short attention span and gets bored easily this was a rather long bus ride. However when we did arrive in Kilkenny the sun was shinning and we were all excited to get the day started. All 60 of us walked through the streets of Kilkenny to the cinema where we watched the Irish movie "song of the sea". The movie was really interesting and i thoroughly enjoyed  it . When the film was ended we all made our way down to Kilkenny castle, where we were divided into two groups. The first group stayed out on the grounds of the castle while the other group was brought into the castle to a really interesting exhibition about the making and animation of song of the sea. I learnt loads about the making process and found it really fascinating. While the other group got the tour we got to eat lunch on the grounds of the castle and despite some wind the weather was so nice and made the day just that bit better. When we all met up again we met some lovely american tourists who were really nice and we all taught they were great. We then made the long trip back home, we were all quite tired from our day filled of artistic adventures so weren't as much of singing queens as we usually are. The day was really great, we learnt loads and all had great fun!!!!!!!!

                 carlingford!!!!!!!!

• carlingford was AMAZING. This amazing adventure started in the early hours of the 17th of September- well when i say early i mean 9 but lets face it that is early. At 9:05 all sixty of us piled onto the bus ready for an adventure. On the way there we sang every song you can think of and it was great. When we got there we were brought from the road at the coast into the village of carligford which was amazing. I didn't think somewhere so pretty and cute existed in Ireland. When we got into the building we were divided into  group A and group B. I was in group A and i loved it. The first thing we did was go on a very long walk up a rather steep hill to get to are activity. This was team building exercises and I can tell you on thing they worked. Are first task was to work as a team to get all the team across a swamp using plants and swap a barrel with one on the other side. Next we went to a wall with huge colored shapes on both sides and a grid of different objects that we were able to make with the shapes and had to guide to girls to recreate the objects. The next challenge was the best and defiantly focused on team building. we all had to work together a make our way through tunnels and steps in complete darkness and get out to the other side together in a limited amount of time. After lunch we headed out to the water however the weather REALLY not in our favor. The rain was pouring down, it was freezing cold and we were chartering BUT that would not our great attitude . WE first went pier jumping, then sailed out to a water trampoline and jumped off into the water. We spent about an hour on the water and it was so much fun, When we came back to the center we were all i good need of a hot meal. After diner we were off again up the mountain to the forest where we were all blindfolded and we had to act as  each others guides to make it through the forest. Then when we finally got back we all showered and went to the common area where we all sat around and talked while eating chips and take away. Then at 11 we had to go to be d but at that stage the party was only staring. My room  had piles and piles of sweets that we eat while talking and really getting to know each other and stayed up until 3 in the morning which we regretted when we were woken at 7 that morning!!!When we were all dressed and feed we were brought back up the mountain and went zip wiring around the trees of the fores which was VERY SCARY  for a girl who hates highest. After we were given lunch packed our bags and headed home again. We were all so sad to go because it was an amazing 2 days and i made friends i taught i never would and learnt so much about other people. I was very very tired but would go again in a heart beat.