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Further School Closure Tuesday 17th October 2017

nce again, in the interest of health and safety the Department of Education and Skills has closed all schools and tomorrow, Tuesday 17th October. School will re-open as usual on Wednesday. We hope you are all safe and well.

 

 School Closure Monday 16th October 2017

The Department of Education and Skills has closed all schools and colleges on Monday 16th October in the interest of the health and safety of pupils, parents and staff. This is due to the nationwide status red weather warning as Storm Ophelia passes over Ireland. The Parents' Association meeting scheduled for Monday evening has been cancelled. Information on the new date for this meeting will be provided once it has been re-arranged. School will re-open as usual on Tuesday. In the meantime we wish everyone well and hope that you all keep safe.

 

 Welcome Back! 

We are delighted to welcome all our pupils back to school for another busy year at Dernakesh. Our school is now 181 years old! We especially welcome the Junior Infant class of 2017! We know that they will soon feel at home here because we are blessed with wonderful pupils and parents who all strive to make our school the best it can be. Thank you and good luck to you all!

 School Attendance Awards 2017 

Regular attendance at school is vital if children are to sustain a good level of social, personal and educational progress. We are delighted in Dernakesh School to record a 96% attendance record for the year 2016/2017. It is important that we celebrate the achievements of those with very high attendance rates.

Gold award winners for 100% Attendance

Silver award winners for only 1 or 2 days absence

Bronze winners for 3, 4 or 5 days absence

 Graduaton Class 2017! 

 

A Graduation Ceremony for the children of 6^th class has been held in our school for over 20 years! On Wednesday 21^st June the graduation class enjoyed a lovely evening with a mass, presentation of certificates and light refreshments. It was a warm gathering of pupils, parents, family, B.O.M. members and teachers. We wish our sixth class the best of success, health and happiness in their new school in September. We are sincerely grateful that the children received yet another beautiful cake from the Parents’ Association. 

 Parents' Association Sponsored Walk 

Over 120 parents, pupils, teachers and friends participated in our annual walk recently. We enjoyed great fun and exercise outside on a lovely evening. The weather held out until we returned to school for a welcome cup of tea and a biscuit. Míle buíochas arís to our wonderfully supportive Parents’ Association for their hard work in organising and marshalling the walk as well as providing the refreshments in school. Thank you all so much!

 School Summer Leagues! 

 School Tours 2017! 

Junior Infants, Senior Infants and First Class visited GR8 in Castleblaney and had a wonderful time.

Mr Foster’s class spent the day in Tayto Park. They enjoyed a guided tour of the animal sanctuary and the factory before being let loose with a stamp on their hand that allowed them free access to all the rides in the park. Even the rain couldn’t dampen their high spirits and every ride was tested out!

Mrs Lee’s and Mr McCaffrey’s classes went for a day of outdoor adventure to Carlingford Adventure Centre. Much fun and excitement was had both high in the air and in the water! The children learned how to climb and zip wire in the Sky Park. They also took to the water by pier jumping. 

     

On Monday of this week Mr McCaffrey and his class took a walking tour to Drumgoon Graveyard. They were delighted to be joined there by a local historian, none other than our own school principal, Aogán Ó Fearghail. The weather was fabulous and the children were delighted to learn about their ancestors who are buried there. Míle buíochas to Aogán for taking the time out of his very busy schedule to ensure that the children had a most informative presentation.

We take great pride in mentioning the very many complimentary comments made by tour guides and the general public when the children of Dernakesh are on tour. People remark on how well mannered, polite and respectful the children are as well as how friendly and supportive they are of each other. This is a huge validation that our school’s ethos is living and thriving in all children wherever they may go. It is also a great compliment to you, their parents, that the respect you have instilled in your children is valued and promoted by the children themselves. Thank you!

 

 'Everyone's a Winnner!' 

Congratulations Euan! Well done to Euan on competing in football trials and being selected to represent Cavan and Monaghan schools in the half-time mini-games of the Ulster Senior Football Championship. We know you’ll be amazing. Euan is pictured being presented with his medal by our very own Principal and Uachtaran Cumann Lúthchleas Gael, Aogán O’Fearghail in Breffni Park.

We also congratulate Hannah Morris who has been selected to referee one of the mini-games during the half-time of the All Ireland Football Semi-Finals in Croke Park on Sunday 27^th August. We wish her the very best of luck – no better person for the job Hannah! Well done!

     

Relay Races in Clones: On the 7^th June, Doire Na Ceise relay teams travelled to the running track in Clones for the Cavan County Relay finals. Teams of junior boys, junior girls, senior boys and senior girls represented our school.

We congratulate the junior girls’ team who placed third in the finals. We thank all team members who each participated very well with enthusiasm and true sportsmanship.

     

Hurling:-The boys of 5^th and 6^th class took part in the Cumann na mBunscoil hurling tournament and reached the finals in Breffni Park. They received great support from families and friends and although they were runners up a great speech by team captain Oisín Pepper lifted everyone’s spirits and we all left in an upbeat mood. Well done lads and thanks Oisín for your ‘inspirational’ speech!

The children also took part in other Cumann na mBunscoile tournaments for football and camogie. Despite not progressing to the finals the level of competition was extremely high and all represented the school with their usual flair, enthusiasm and excellent sportsmanship.

      

Community Games Art Competition: Once again a great number of children took part in the Community Games Art Competition in St. Aidan's School. They each represented our school very well. We are pleased and proud to announce that we had seven winners from our school. We had three gold medal winners, Grace Geoghegan, Mia Brennan and Ben Brennan. Róisín Bannon won a silver medal and Caoimhe O’Brien, Rose Geoghegan and Sarah Lee each won a bronze medal. Well done to you all! We wish those going forward to the County Competition the very best of luck! We also express our sincere gratitude once again to Mairéad Ward who came in especially to present the children with their awards - on her day off! Go raibh míle maith agat Mairéad!

      

Community Games Athletics: Many children also took part in the Community Games Athletics competitions. Once again our pupils achieved great success across the range of activities which included sprints, distance runs and ball throwing.

Grace Geoghegan, Ciarán Clerkin, Sarah Reynolds, Mairéad Markey, Rose Geoghegan, Eva O’Grady and Orlaith Markey each won gold medals in their events.

Silver medals were won by Lucy Morris, Mairéad Markey, Rose Geoghegan, Hannah Morris, Orlaith Markey and Eva O’Grady. Bronze medal winners were Lucy Morris, Emma Carroll, Sarah Reynolds and Mairéad Markey.

We congratulate all children who took part and we thank all parents for the support they give to the children by encouraging them to take part.

 First Holy Communion 2017 

Congratulations to the children of Second Class who made their First Holy Communion on Saturday 27th May. You certainly worked very hard preparing for your big day and the ceremony was a huge success thanks to your cool, calm and collected attitude! We owe a deep gratitude to lots of people, to Fr. Michael who worked so kindly and patiently with us, to the choir and musicians who enhanced our ceremony, to our parents for your love and support and finally to our Parents' Association, and all parents who came to help, for providing the communion cake and refreshments in the school. Míle buíochas go léir! 

 

Míle buíochas do Dhroim Dhúin Éire Óg! 

We would like to express how grateful we are to Droim Dhúin Éire Óg for their kind donation of new balls for football training in school. Rest assured they will be put to very good use over the remaining weeks of the school term.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh a chairde!

 

 Received with Grateful Thanks! 

We were delighted to receive a visit on Tuesday from David Cosgrove and Sandra Sherlock of ‘Cootehill Community Transformation Committee’ who came to school to present us with a cheque for €300 towards school funds. This generous donation will be spent on extending the range of P.E. equipment in the school.

The committee are a voluntary group who share the belief that as a community we can get together and exercise in a fun way. They run a six week programme which is open to people of all fitness levels – and none! It costs €50.00 and includes an induction night which comprises of a weigh in, fitness test and introduction to the programme.

Members can choose to participate in any or all of the following: circuits, ‘Couch to 5Km’, Zumba, Boxercise, Yoga, family fun fitness, happy feet walking and Parkrun. Perhaps you might be interested in joining them for next year’s programme – they always love to have new people on board. 

 

 Sixth Class Irish Aid Project 

*A BETTER LIFE FOR EVERONE*

 Over the past few weeks the 6^th class have been working on Our World, in cooperation with Irish Aid. We have learned about hunger, poverty, climate change, endangered animals and education rights. It is a lot worse than we thought. We are doing this to inform people how bad things are in and out of this country. We have made a poster with lots of facts and we are very proud of the outcome of our work!!

WRITTEN BY Orlaith, Eva and Laura