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Our Lady’s College Greenhills Newsletter May 2020
We are coming to the end of a very Well done to everyone for taking part in the quizzes, acts
different school year, one that we could of kindness and virtual walk organised during the first
not have predicted in our wildest dreams. I week in May.
remember hearing about Covid-19
I want to congratulate the parents’ council for their work
breaking out in China, but I didn’t expect it
throughout the year. They meet monthly and provide
to turn into a disease that would have such
great support to the school in trying to make school a
an impact on the whole world. Every day
better place for all students. The 5km memorial run in
we hear about more people becoming infected and more
November had the biggest turn out to date and provided
people dying as a result of the disease. It is so important
and fantastic community event everyone could enjoy.
that we remember all those who have been affected and
care and support the families left bereft. It puts our own The spirit of community is an important part of all our
challenges into perspective. lives and our students have been involved in helping local
and international communities with their fundraising
On March 12th the school closed its doors to students and
efforts in the badminton marathon, shoe box appeal,
staff. At the time many of us thought it would be for a few
hampers at Christmas for St Vincent dePaul,
weeks. Now we know differently. Our students and
environmental awareness projects, cake sales and more.
teachers have had to learn a whole new way of working. I
want to say well done to everyone for stepping up to the I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to
mark and continuing the education of our young people. I everyone for their hard work, commitment and dedication
want to commend parents for their ongoing support of during the year. Thank you to the teachers who work
the girls and their teachers during this term. I’m sure it above and beyond the call of duty. Thanks to the office,
has not been easy trying to get the girls up and working catering and cleaning staff who ensure the smooth
“as normal” during the school day. I want to congratulate running of the school. I also want to thank the Parents’
all those students who have managed to be present at Council which meets on the first Wednesday of every
their online classes and keep working and learning all month for their continued support in all that we do here.
along. These are skills that will help throughout your They help enormously to keep us all energised and
whole life. working together for the benefit of all the students. The
Parents Council is open to all parents and I would
Our exam students got an even bigger surprise, I’m sure,
encourage you all to come along and get involved.
when first the Junior Cycle exams and then the Leaving
Cert exams were cancelled. I’m sure many were relieved I want to wish Mr John Loughran and Ms Anne Byrne the
and disappointed simultaneously. It’s a bit disconcerting very best in their retirement. Both teachers have
when the exams you have been working towards for years contributed enormously to the school and have been
suddenly don’t happen. I hope you can find a way to dedicated and committed to the education and
accept the change that has happened and make it work development of their students.
for you. Best wishes to all as we approach the end of the school
All the activities that make the school more than a year. Remember we can only do our best and no more. So
building of classrooms have had to stop following our just do your best and be proud of what you have
closure, but the earlier part of the year was incredibly achieved.
busy. Successes in basketball, football and athletics have Enjoy the summer. Take care of yourselves and each other
brought great delight to all students, coaches and and come back next year safe and ready for another great
supporters throughout the year. The students involved in year.
debating have met with great challenges and equally
amazing successes. Well done to the girls and their Geraldine Mulvihill
teachers. Even since school closed the positive mental Principal
health committee have been working hard to make sure
we are still caring for the students in all ways possible, not
just academically.
ourladys.ie olcdrogheda @olcdrogheda _olcdrogheda office@ourladys.ie
Sinead Maguire, a beautiful, vibrant excited to see me. I moved from South Africa in December
classmate and friend sadly passed of 2014.
away earlier this year.
Before I started school, I had a very difficult time adjusting
Sinead had a presence that could to my new surroundings and I felt like a reject by the Irish
light up any room. Her kind and society and naturally enough I thought that would be
caring nature made her a friend to reflected once I got to school. But for the first time in
the world. those first couple of weeks in Ireland, my first day of
With a smile for everyone she met, school was the first time I smiled, laughed and got a
Sinead left a huge mark on our chance to be myself and it's something that I will forever
school community. In her love for cherish.
music her memory is carried on. Reflecting on my journey in Greenhills, I often compare
my first-year self, who was constantly nervous and home
sick to my current self who is outspoken and not shy to be
This song was written by Hannah myself and eventually become head girl. But this personal
Horan in honour of the years of love growth wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t for the
and friendship Sinead had given to our phenomenal teachers and year group, I was blessed with
6th year group. It is a privilege to have for the past five years. It's safe to say that they have
had many years of memories here, in helped me grow into the young woman that I am today.
Greenhills with Sinead. This year especially has been a difficult one with the loss
of a friend and classmate Sinead Maguire, to the world
The lyrics are: being hit with a pandemic, to a very abrupt ending to
When I first heard the news, I didn't know what to say. school year and the cancellation of the exams. But with
I had just spoke to you yesterday, the teachers and a year group we carried each other
Your heart was too big for this cruel world, through these tough times with such strength and grace, I
In a world of dark coal, you were a pearl. don’t know what I would have done without them.
You were gone too soon, Now more than ever I miss school so much, and I’m
Too soon for me to understand, finding it difficult to come to terms that the last day of
Your life was cut so short, school was on the 12th of March and none of us knew it. I
So short no one could comprehend, would have loved to say this in front of everyone during
I hope you see that you are so loved, prize giving and anxiously wait for the announcement for
I know you're smiling down from above, the next head girl.
Because you're forever young.
But my parting advice for each student in Greenhill's is
I just don't know why he needed you now,
please cherish each other, be kind to each other, be
All that's left is weeds from the garden you once had,
grateful of each other, listen to each other, laugh with
I'll take your seeds with me wherever I go,
each other and mostly uplift and be there for one
And I'll plant your legacy for the whole world to know
another.
You were gone too soon,
Too soon for me to understand, One major lesson I have learnt this year is that the people
Your life was cut so short, around you are there for a reason and that could be to
So short no one could comprehend, either challenge you to become a better person or help
I hope you see that you are so loved, you overcome barriers further helping you to become a
I know you're smiling down from above, resilient individual. I just want to remind you that you
Because you're forever young. have purpose, you belong, to never give up, to reach for
the stars and live life to the fullest (after quarantine of
course).
Head Girl Thank you for having me as your Head girl for 2020, it has
Joella Dhlamini been a privilege and honour and I hope I did a fine job
I remember my first day so vividly, it was granted the time I was given.
the day of Women’s Christmas in 2015.I
walked into the main entrance and was Yours truly
met by Mr. Fennelly and he said,
‘Welcome to Our Lady's College’, we are Joella
so excited to have you with us.
I would never forget those words because he was the first
person who wasn’t a relative and was genuinely happy or
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Deputy Head Girl together. Nothing will compare to the day we got up, left
Caoimhe Doherty school and headed Downtown to support what we believe
in, together.
What a year! In more normal
As we move on to college, jobs, gap years or whatever lies
circumstances, we would be sitting in the
ahead, we will always treasure the years we have spent
gym counting down the seconds to
together. Thank you to all our teachers for supporting us
summer. In any case, here we are at home
no matter what and putting up with our quirks and our
avoiding assignments and dealing with bad Wi-Fi. I hope
craziness.
you all are coping okay at home. These are rough times
we are experiencing but, gladly the finishing line is finally Our school experience wouldn’t have been the same
coming into sight. Not long now until we can leave our without you. Especially Mr. Coone telling us to “get to
boxes of boredom which we call home. It has been a real class” with ten minutes to spare. We Are All in This
privilege to be your deputy head girl for 2019-2020. Together, remember that you can change your hair or
your clothes, but you will always find your way back home
It has to be said that putting together what I want to say
because, “Once a Greenhills Girl always, a Greenhills
has proved one of the hardest things I have had to do. I
Girl”. (excuse the cringe)
believe it is because I’m not quite ready to write the final
chapter of the most amazing book. The last six years in The final thing to say is good luck to everyone. I am truly
Greenhills have certainly been a roller coaster. There so proud to say that I am a member of this uniquely
have been many ups and downs, not to mention the ones special year group.
that apply to our skirts and socks! First year now is a
distant memory of unfilled eyebrows, peace signs and the Yours
fear of standing on the grass – sounds like more of a
present memory if I’m honest. Caoimhe
It is crazy to think that once, we were lost little sheep
trying to find the assembly hall in what we thought was a
massive building. Now we know the codes to doors, have
ventured into the photo copying room and seen the
teachers’ cave, there is no corner we haven’t explored.
Greenhills has become a familiar place to us all now, that
will remain embedded in our minds forever.
I would proudly say that our year group is known as a
resilient one. There have been tough times, but above
everything, we have always made the most fun out of
everything that has been thrown our way. The rest of the The Art Department have experienced a year like no other
world may call us snowflakes, but they’re just jealous we year but by no means any less creative and exciting as any
cheated the system. other year.
Now though, I hope we are remembered for the right The students have embraced the situation we were all put
reasons- not as the group of the predicted grades, but as in by this virus and in many ways exceeded themselves
the group with the most amazing year spirit, a group with the level of creativity and commitment. They should
always up for a laugh, a group that sticks together and is be all very proud of themselves.
there for one another as we have clearly shown during
Many students continued to work from home with the
our time here. Saying this, sadly, we remember how we
limited array of material. Some students were at home
are one less at the end of our journey. Sinead Maguire
without even their colouring materials.
will always hold a special place in all of our hearts and she
will never be forgotten. She is a massive part of our time With this in mind we turned towards what we had,
together, one that is treasured more deeply than any household materials, food, found objects, outdoor
other. objects, nature and of course our trusted phones/ IT
equipment etc.
So how do we measure our time at Greenhills? At the
start, we measured it class by class, day by day counting
down until the holidays. We’ve measured it in terms and
in years as we have grown up from being little girls into
young women. But I know, that as I write this today, I will
measure my time here in a different way. I will measure it
in terms of the lifelong friendships I’ve made, the
unforgettable memories and the times we have shared The following pages are samples of work submitted
while students worked at home.
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Our Lady’s College Greenhills welcomed the new First
Years to the school on Friday August 23rd to begin what
would be a school year that would be remembered for
many different reasons. It was however on Monday,
August 12th that the school year began for our girls in the
Choir and Orchestra along with our dancers.
While many were still enjoying the last few weeks of
summer our Music Department were hard at work putting
the final touches on their performance that would see
them raise the roof off the Fleadh Concert Dome as the
Fleadh returned to Drogheda for a second year.
For the second year in a row the school played host to the
Irish Dancing, Set Dancing, Piano, Story Telling. Harp,
Trios, Duos and Céilí Band Competitions that took place
over the week of the Fleadh. As all this was happening at
various locations around the school, the teachers, the 65
members of the Orchestra and 40 members of the choir
along with our amazing dancers were upstairs in the
music room fine tuning their performance for what was
going to be their biggest gig of the year.
The students would be the opening act for an Irish
1955 2020 American band called ‘Cherish the Ladies’. Little did
‘Cherish the Ladies’ know that their opening act would be
so hard to follow!
Three 1st year students Amelie Conlon ,
Zoe Jaszemski and Abi Mc Ardle Hogan On Wednesday August 14th, the students and teachers
under the guidance of Ms. Murray entered arrived at the Concert Dome at 4 o’clock for a sound
the Texaco Art Competition this year. check. With their backstage passes and VIP dressing
rooms the girls were now on the professional stage, about
The competition is in its 66th year. to perform not only to a 2000 seater Concert Dome, but
Over 25,500 artworks were submitted to to the world! ‘Cherish the Ladies’ had special guest
the Texaco competition. Nathan Carter performing with them on the night.
Nathan managed to get a few pictures with some of our
The judges commented that the
students back stage, but the girls had a bigger focus and
standard of artwork was particularly
had to tell him maybe next time!
high this year.
As the school ensemble walked on stage, the atmosphere
Due to current restrictions, the
was electric. You could sense the excitement from the
competition is on hold until further
families and friends who had come to support the girls.
notice.
There was also sense the anticipation from those in the
The art department would like to thank all audience who had yet to experience what Greenhills had
students who submitted work for the to offer.
competition.
Ellie Riggs (TY), Julie Walshe and Hannah Horan (6th Year)
Have a great Summer and see you all in led the charges with the opening song in their rendition of
the Art room in the coming school year. Glen Hansard’s ‘Falling Slowly’. Rachel Woods (6th Year)
The school would also like to thank Ms. Carolan and Ms. then took over MC duties as she introduced honorary
Murray for all their work with various projects in the Choir and Orchestra members, Dr Dónal Lunny and Zoë
school this year. Conway to the stage.
It was in the Dome last year where third year student
5
Clodagh King was inspired by Zoë Conway with her could relax while taking an audience seat for a change.
rendition of ‘The Curra Road’. Clodagh then introduced
the song to the Music Department which in turn led her
down her own road that would see her now performing
beside Zoë Conway on the same stage where she had he
heard the song the year before.
To finish, the Orchestra performed their version of
Riverdance with Rebecca Walshe (5th Year) and Caoilinn
Davern (6th year) on lead vocals and Lynn Victory (6th Year)
playing lead Violin alongside Zoë. With the fusion of
contemporary and Irish dance, along with the full sound
of the Orchestra and Choir, the girls blew the roof off the
Dome.
When Riverdance was first performed as the interval act
at the 1994 Eurovision Song contest it got a standing
ovation which was unheard of for an interval act. The
same will be said in years to come of this opening act,
who received the same standing ovation with rapturous
applause as they exited the stage. This was a very proud
moment for all the staff, students, families, past students
and the extended members of the Greenhills Community.
If that wasn’t enough the girls also played in Scotch Hall
the following day on the ‘Local Talent Stage’. Many What would normally be the first gig of the year the choir
showed up to relive the epic show they had experienced and Amie Dyer performed a concert on the steps of St
the previous night. Peters Church in West Street on September 10 for World
Suicide Awareness Day. This has become an annual gig
for the students.
Open Night 2019 took place on Wednesday October 2nd.
As well as the many performances taking place upstairs in
the Music Room, the Choir and Orchestra performed two
shows to a packed Assembly Hall on the night, which was
followed by the TY show.
They added to their repertoire since the Fleadh and one
of the highlights being Hannah Horan’s rendition of ‘Baby
I love You’ by the Ramones.
It would have been easy for these students to sit back and
rest on their past achievements, but as the academic
school year began it was back to business as usual, both in
the classroom and with extra-curricular activities.
Mondays and Wednesdays saw the return of choir
rehearsals with a wealth of new talent joining in the foray.
Tuesdays saw the music room busy with members of staff
touching up on their ukulele skills! On Thursdays, Mr
O’Connell continued to nurture up-and-coming traditional
players with his Thursday Session and a regular Open Mic The Music Department were also very lucky to have a new
stage was organised by the 5th years for the first time this violin teacher on board this year.
year. On Fridays, the Orchestra returned to the music Ms Hannah Farrell has brought some incredible new
room to prepare for the year ahead. musicians on board. Many students surprised themselves
In September, the girls who were involved in the Fleadh having come from never holding a violin to performing at
gig were treated to a trip to Riverdance in the Gaiety this year’s Carol Service.
Theatre. A wonderful night was had by all as the girls The violin scheme has been the foundation for the
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Orchestra in Greenhills and the future is looking very
bright for many years to come.
Our annual Carol Service
took place in school this
year on Tuesday December
17th. This year we were
privileged to have
Mr Paddy Brennan and his wife Phyllis as special guests of
honour on the day. The girls performed their new
repertoire of Christmas Carols to the whole school
community in the Gym.
The event was concluded with a sing-song of some
Christmas classics. To wrap up proceedings, Paddy
Brennan thanked everyone for all the hard work that goes
in to such an event, involving many departments within
the school.
Carol Service 2019
The 6th Years Last Carol Service
After a well-earned Christmas break, the music classes
were now in preparation for the upcoming mock
practicals exams with their sights on the Leaving and
New Violin students playing in Carol Service 2019 Junior Cert exams further down the road.
The local Alzheimer’s society of Ireland were to hold a
In the lead up to Christmas, the students of the Choir and concert in May and it was requested that the Orchestra
Orchestra took on the project of recording their own and Choir would headline the show along with Zoë
original Christmas Carol. Written by Mr Reilly, ‘This Conway. Preparation got underway for this as well as the
Christmas Time’ was recorded in the school over two for the end of year showcase where we could say
nights with some additional tracks added in ‘Four Winds goodbye and thanks to our 6th years for their wonderful
Studio’ in Monasterboice. Dónal Lunny was again so giving years of service.
of his time in contributing his experience and magical
Bouzouki playing to the track. The process was a On March 12th Leo Varadkar who was on a visit to
wonderful insight for our students into what is involved in Washington DC for St Patricks Day celebrations, came on
the recording and distributing of a song. It is now air to announce the closure of schools across the country.
available on Spotify and iTunes. On short notice, we all said our goodbyes, not knowing
that we would not be returning to see out the school year
of 2020. Cancellation of music practical’s and the
eventual cancellation of the written exams were to follow.
With online classes slowly becoming the new normal, our
Orchestra and Choir stood firm in holding their place as a
solid institution in the school. The 70 plus members of
the Orchestra all met up on Zoom and decided to put
together something to close the year as we had opened it;
with a bang! The orchestra had been practicing the very
appropriate ‘Time’ by Hans Zimmer from the movie
Inception and it seemed an appropriate tune to perform.
In early December, our choir performed in Starbucks in Each student recorded their own part and Mr Reilly
the Laurence Centre where they entertained the compiled the video. The commitment and spirit of the
customers with some Christmas Carols. They were all girls in the music department was evident and they
treated to hot chocolate for their wonderful performance. showed that it was going to take more than a pandemic to
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We all look forward to returning to performing together
again.
Big thanks to Liam Reilly, Grainne Diskin and Nicola
Daniels for all their hard work throughout the year.
Hans Zimmer’s ‘Time’ Performed by
The Greenhills Orchestra
Literacy and Numeracy
This year we have had a huge amount of
interventions and developments in order to increase the
Literacy and Numeracy of all the students in Our Ladys’
College.
keep them down. The girls decided to put the video on Literacy Week was held on the week of the 2nd March.
social media and raise funds for all the front-line workers Many activities were organised for the week such as Drop
in the Lourdes Hospital. They managed to raise over Everything & Read, poem competitions, book reviews & to
€1500 for this very worthy cause. The Choir along with Ms finish off the week on the Friday students & teachers
Daniels and Ms Diskin have also put together a touching dressed up as a character from their favorite novel.
video of their rendition of ‘Fix You’ by Coldplay as a ‘thank
you’ to all those working on the front line during these
difficult times time.
A huge thank you to the many, many students who
entered the poetry competition held during Literacy
week. Spoken word poet and writer Colm Keegan
reviewed all entries and chose a winner and runner up in
both the junior and senior categories. Colm was very
impressed by the standard of all entries and it was no
easy job for him to decide on the winning entries!
A huge congratulations to the following poets:
Winning poem in the junior cycle category was 'Colours'
written by Hannah Murphy of 1A
The runner up in this category was 'untitled' written by
Kaitlin Gaddy of 3A.
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The winning poem in In this spirit we present the junior and senior winning
the senior cycle entries of Literacy Week Poetry Competition as judged by
category was ' poet Colm Keegan. Thank you to everyone who submitted
Yesterday: a bubble' entries to this competition, we were struck at not only the
written by Caelen D. volume of entries, but the quality of the
O'Neill. poems which showcased the immense talent of so many
students. Thank you all.
Junior Cycle winner:
Hannah Murphy with ‘Colours’
The runner up in this category
The green of the earth
was the poem ' She' by Tabea
Seen through crystal dew,
Moll.
The big, blue open
That surrounds me and you.
The flames of the fire
Numeracy across the
The tip of the ice,
school has benefitted
The grey of the clouds
massively from a range
Old, soft and wise.
of interventions around
the school. Students are The world's strongest power
calculating their own It’s most beautiful effect,
grades, in combination The calming darkness that surrounds us
with graphing their As we lay down to rest.
progression in a range of subjects in their journals & The brightest, loudest yellow
tracking their attendance on a daily basis. That explodes into the sky,
The entire Literacy and Numeracy team who meet The colour of happiness
regularly in order to develop these important skills for the Of hellos and goodbyes.
whole school community has done enormous work. The colours of the dark
Where we go through our pain,
But through struggles and falls
Find ourselves again.
The colours that reach out to us
And open our minds,
Pinks, yellows, green
Painted before our eyes.
Senior cycle winner:
Caelan Doyle O’ Neill with ‘Yesterday: A bubble’
Trapped in an impenetrable shield of air,
Where screams are silent, tears invisible.
Sound echoes from a never-ending party,
Yet I am stuck in the bathroom.
Only knives can pass through,
Piercing me yet not the bubble.
Poet Abby Oliveria visits Greenhills And flowers simply float atop,
Spoken word poet Poet Abby Oliveria visited Our Lady’s Never to sink in but disappear forgotten.
College in January.
The day is a blur behind bubble mix eyes,
Where colours are muted, people unrecognisable.
The role of Art and Poetry during the Pandemic
Yet there you are in the early morning,
During this unsettling and strange time people have found Waving goodbye to me from the upstairs window.
great comfort and solace in Art.
Pop.
Indeed, the appeal of Poetry as an art form committed to
telling the truth and exploring the highs and lows of the
human condition has been very prevalent on all media
platforms since the outbreak of the global pandemic.
9
The chess club this year, as All posters are displayed in Nano Nagle. We wish all our
always, welcomed over 50 exchange students all the best in the future and hope they
students as members at different got home safely and are staying safe and keeping well.
stages and from all years.
There was a lovely atmosphere
where students played against each other at lunchtimes.
Many beginners learned how to play. Others improved
their skills and some even represented the school in
matches with other schools which we all enjoyed,
especially the wins!
They loved the occasions when some teachers joined in if
only to prove that David sometimes can beat Goliath! We
hope the chess club will continue in years to come. This
will depend partly on the enthusiasm and dedication of
the students to keep this surprisingly social activity alive in
a game based on a conflict over 64 squares. It’s your move History Trip in to Italy
now. On the first day we went on a
Thanks to Mr. Loughran for all his work with Chess over walking tour of Rome. We
the years. visited many famous sites such
as the Trevi Fountain, the
Pantheon and the Spanish
1st Year Trip to W5 Steps.
Girls from Rang Iognáid enjoying their We got a chance to see the three main public squares in
Science trip to W5 the city, including Piazza Navona, which all had beautiful
water fountains in the center and unique buildings
surrounding them. On the second morning we visited the
Colosseum.
We also explored the Roman Forum, which was the center
of day-to-day life in Rome – a marketplace surrounded by
various buildings and other ruins.
On the third day we visited the Ardeatine Caves on the
outskirts of the city. It is the memorial site of a terrible
massacre that occurred during World War II in which 335
innocent people lost their lives. It was an eye-opening
experience to be able to visit somewhere something so
tragic had happened.
After that we visited ‘Fascist’ Rome, the
EUR, a part of the city that was
developed and modernised during
EXCHANGE STUDENTS
Mussolini’s reign. This was one of the
Our school welcomes students
most interesting parts of the trip as it tied
from many different countries on exchange
into what we had been studying in school. This area was a
or students who moved here full time.
lot more organised in its layout than the rest of the city,
In February Miss Mc Cann and Miss Bayly’s fifth years all built as part of Mussolini’s agenda to restore the
completed a project on their home countries. These Roman Empire – we even came across an intriguing mural
countries included Japan, Nigeria, Switzerland, Germany, that appeared to tell the story of
Pakistan, Syria, Mauritius, UAE, Lithuania, Slovakia and Rome – from Romulus and Remus all
Ireland. Students included their home country flag, map, the way down to Mussolini himself.
traditional foods, religion, famous people and lots more. In the evening we took part in table
Students brought in food from their home country for the quiz back at the hotel to celebrate our
other students to taste such as rice, chocolate, crisps and final night in Rome.
sweets.
On the last day we got the
The students were treated to the well know Irish tradition underground train to the Vatican City.
of a Tayto sandwich by Miss Mc Cann and Miss Bayly. We went to the Vatican Museums
10first, where we were overwhelmed by the amount of Rotary Youth Leadership Development Program
incredible art and statues. We got to go inside the Sistine Katie McArdle a 5th year student in Our Lady’s College
Chapel which is home to some of the most famous Greenhills won a trip to Strasbourg
paintings in the world including “The Last Judgement” and after taking part in the Rotary Youth
“The Creation of Adam” by Michelangelo. Leadership Development Program.
Katie represented the Rotary Ireland
group at Euroscola in the European
Parliament along with 23 other
participants from Ireland. In the European Parliament
they discussed and debated on issues such as Young
People and Addiction, The Future of Europe,
Environment and Renewable Energy and Human Rights.
Katie also got the chance to speak in front of 80+ people
from all over Europe on the topic of Migration &
Then we went to St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest church Integration as well as taking part in debates in the
building in the world. European Parliament.
From the top of St. Peter’s Dome you could see all of This Rotary Youth Leadership
Rome. This visit marked the end of our trip – we made our Award also included a trip to the
way back to the hotel and then to the airport and Titanic Museum, a private tour of
thankfully we made it safely home. Stormont where Katie got to meet
It certainly was a place and a trip to remember for the 5th and discuss issues with politicians,
and 6th year History students and their teachers Ms. a tour of Dublin Castle and an
McGorry, Ms. Mills and Ms. Daniels. incredible trip to the amazing
city of Strasbourg.
By Caoimhe Leech Katie “I enjoyed every minute
of it and met so many inspiring
Enterprise Competition young people who I have no
doubt will be shaping the
world around us for the better in the years to come”.
Katie would like to thank the Rotary Drogheda Club for
giving her the amazing opportunity as well as all the
volunteers involved that made this week possible.
Students participate in BOI Money Smart Quiz
Students of Our Lady’s College took part in an enterprise
competition in the Fairways Hotel Dundalk. Presentations
on the day included Gadgetsy, Bath Capsule and Snap n
Snip. All students represented the school superbly.
Well done to all involved.
11POSITIVES OUTCOMES OF THE LOCKDOWN home with people managing to make do with what they
have and getting creative. Names such as Joe Wicks have
When we look back to that day in March when everyone become a worldwide sensation with their online fitness
was glued to their phones digesting the news that school classes for kids and adults. So many sports personalities
buildings were to close and businesses were to send their have set up tutorials and challenges to keep people active
workers to work from home where possible, it feels like a and feel connected.
lifetime ago. So much has changed. It was a fearful and
bewildering time. People leaving work and school in a The huge demand for baking
daze, not sure what to do and what to take with them or products in the shops would
how this would last. It was surreal and felt like we were in suggest there is a massive
some type of war movie. To an extent we were. We have, new craze in home baking.
for the past two months been fighting a war against an Large bags of Odlums flour,
invisible enemy. An enemy, that threatens to take away appearing on shelves reminds
our loved ones. While it has been challenging time on a us of times when our
number of levels, many good things have come from it ancestors used large bags to
too. Two months on and when we reflect the bake bread for their families
overwhelming feeling is one of kindness, resilience and to live off. People have gone
love. back to basics.
We have seen communities come together all throughout Relishing the outdoors and
our country to help. The slogan #togetherapart is so true. the opportunity to simply go
We have come together as country to stay apart and keep for a walk or spend time in
each other safe. We have still found ways to be together the local park with your family
through Zoom, Whatsapp and Teams, or the many other instead of rushing out to work
apps out there. Local communities have set up volunteer or music class or swim
groups through local sports clubs to help the vulnerable lessons. We now have the
during this time. It is also heart-warming to see many time to sit together and enjoy
videos of communities coming together while staying a meal without the pressure
apart. It has shown us just how ingenious and inventive of having to be somewhere.
we can be when faced with a challenge. We have all Here too in Our Lady’s College we have seen so many
witnessed at some point the emotional, ‘drive by’ positives, with Teachers coming up with new and
birthday greetings and the celebration of the ‘nearly’ inventive ways, almost overnight, to teach remotely and
weddings and communions. While everything we have stay connected with their pupils, providing guidance and
had to do is counter intuitive to who we are, we have still advice, and offering encouragement and motivation. Our
found a way to celebrate together apart. Positive Mental Health team provided many opportunities
From a rapid fall in air pollution to curious wildlife & distractions for all students during positive mental
exploring our city streets, the coronavirus crisis is set to health week. Our Music department coordinated the
leave a notable imprint on our environment on a global school orchestra online to create an amazing piece of
scale. Since people are staying at home and factories music to support Our Lady of Lourdes frontline staff. We
across the world have grinded to a halt there have been always knew our students’ capacity for kindness and
fewer CO2 and NO2 emissions and as a result, we are resilience was strong.
inadvertently helping to fight climate change. Pollution is As we reflect on the new normal and how we have all
down as the burning of fossil fuels has dropped and adjusted to our new reality we have found what is truly
consequently air quality has improved significantly. important in our lives and learned to appreciate our
Hand hygiene has become an essential weapon in the war family, our friends and relish the small things. We have
against the coronavirus. This basic lifesaving act has discovered just how resilient we are and that we can
become so important again with people coming up with adapt to change. While we look forward to a time when
songs for handwashing in order to teach the young and we might be able to do some of things we want to do and
the not so young how long they need to wash their hands see the people we love and miss, we might not go back to
for. This has helped to lessen not only the spread of the exactly how things were. We might not take on the extra
virus but other illnesses too. pressures that we do not need in our lives. If the last two
months have taught us anything it has taught us what is
The lockdown has also created a variety of activities in the important to each and every one of us.
12LCA
Geography Room
13Language Room
Commerce 2
Commerce 1
14St. Brigids
History Room
15Positive Mental Health Week
During these times of confusion and bewilderment this year’s Positive Mental Health Week came with a difference and was
as welcome as the flowers in May, and just as timely!! This special week of positivity and kindness in Greenhills gives our
school an opportunity to come together as a community and to celebrate life in all its different shades of beauty.
Although in this extraordinary year we could not be together physically we certainly managed to defy all the odds, kick up
our heels and celebrate Mental Health awareness with a difference.
With an impossible task ahead of them, the Positive Mental Health Committee put on their thinking caps and miraculously
managed to create a virtual and dynamic experience which helped to bring everyone together at a time when such diversion
was most needed!
The week got off to a blistering start on Tuesday with an online Open Mic session which allowed students to showcase their
musical talents and flair and to catch a glimpse of a few friendly, smiling faces. On the following day we celebrated our ‘Acts
of Kindness and Gratitude Day’ with gusto as we encouraged everyone to take part in reaching out to a family member or
neighbour by showing compassion and gratitude.
When Thursday came around The Students Council felt that the girls were just about ready for a series of fun quizzes for
each year group which gave students a chance to catch up with their fellow classmates and take a break from all their study,
research and hard work. No! seriously!
Around this time the weather was glorious so there was no excuse for the next event… a Virtual Walk which invited
students, staff and anyone suffering from ‘Lockdown Syndrome’ to come together virtually and enjoy a brisk and lively walk
within their own 2km but to be connected through the schools social media accounts as they walked ‘together’. The photos
below will tell the full story!
Throughout this very busy and enjoyable week the school’s social media accounts were inundated with positive quotes,
entertaining TikTok challenges, uplifting podcasts and positive music playlists! Not to mention photos, affirmations, and
smart comments!
For the first time ever the Positive Mental Health Week of 2020 went ‘virtual’ and was a special time that certainly could not
have been possible without the help of the Positive Mental Health Committee, the Students Council, all staff, students and
the wider Greenhills community. A heartfelt thank you to all and well done on a hugely successful week.
Thanks to Ms. Diskin, Mr. O Connell, Ms. Olohan, Mr. Reilly, Ms. Madden, Mr. O Sullivan, Mr. Hill, Ms. Morgan, Ms. McCann,
Ms. Savage, Ms. Kerrisk, Mr. Kane, Ms. Connell and Ms. Conway for all their work in organising Positive Mental Health Week.
Same again next year?
Virtual Walk.
On Friday 8th May, almost 100 people from the
Greenhills community took part in a Virtual
walk . Ciara Olohan and Mary Morgan led the
walk by going live on Instagram sharing their
gratitude for the fabulous weather and
health. All participants received a certificate
which will be a lovely memento of this different
period in our lives.
We hope you all enjoyed it as much as we did.
16Wellbeing? What’s it all about?
Although Wellbeing is a relatively new subject area within the Junior Cycle it is something that we all should be conscious of
in our lives, particularly in times of uncertainty and change. In this Newsletter we hope to give an understanding of what
Wellbeing is and how we can actively improve our own wellbeing.
The Junior Cycle Wellbeing programme began with 300 hours of timetabled engagement in 2017 and is being built up to 400
hours timetabled engagement over three years from 2020 in line with department guidelines.
Aim of Wellbeing:
Wellbeing will be achieved when students realise their abilities,
take care of their physical wellbeing, can cope with the normal
stresses of life, and have a sense of purpose and belonging to a
wider community.
The Junior Cycle Framework has 8 Key skills one of which is
staying well.
In developing this skill, there are 6 wellbeing indicators that
students develop, as follows:
Students learn to develop their wellbeing when they study
SPHE, CSPE, PE and Pastoral Care but they also develop these
indicators when engaging in the many different extracurricular
activities and events throughout the school year. Greenhills is
very passionate about the promotion of wellbeing and all of
these activities are carried out on a voluntary basis by our
fantastic teachers.
This year students engaged in many
activities in mindfulness such as
mindfulness colouring, meditation,
breathing techniques and journaling,
along with numerous extra-curricular
activities and events, all of which have
contributed to the development of their
wellbeing.
Students also engaged in Positive Mental
Health Week Activities with Quizzes,
podcasts and walking and Headstrong
Activities such as the TikTok challenge.
Form teachers and year heads have been
in contact with and available to all
students especially those who needed to
reach out during this difficult time.
Over these past few weeks, students have
shown their understanding of the
importance of taking care of themselves
and their wellbeing.
17They have stayed CONNECTED to one
another and their teachers by taking part
in online classes and online
extracurricular activities.
They have kept ACTIVE by going on walks
with family members. Students took
RESPONSIBILITY for their learning
ensuring to submit online assignments.
Students displayed their ability to be
AWARE by doing meditations and
reflecting on how they were coping with
life in lockdown.
Above all we are incredibly proud of the
RESPECT & RESILIENCE our students have
shown while engaging in distance
learning.
Wellbeing Challenge:
Over the next few weeks, keep a journal of the following:
One thing I’m grateful for ……………………………………….
One thing that made me happy today……………………..
One positive thing I will do tomorrow is……………………. Be aware of the world around you and what you are
feeling. Be Curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Notice the
These are helpful tips for improving our wellbeing from changing seasons. Savour the moment whether you are
Mental Health Ireland walking to work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Pay
attention to the present moment – to your thoughts,
feelings and to the world around you.
Make time each day to Connect. Connect with the people
around you. With family, friends, colleagues and
neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for
community. By staying connected and nurturing these that course. Cook a new recipe. Take on a new
relationships we feel happier and more secure, giving us a responsibility. Setting yourself a new challenge and
better sense of purpose. learning a new skill will increase your confidence which
can improve your mental health and wellbeing.
Look for ways to be active everyday. Go for a walk or a
run. Step outside. Cycle, play a game, garden or Giving to others is good for you. Do something nice for
dance. Discover a physical activity you enjoy which suits someone else. Thank someone. Volunteer your time or
your lifestyle and level of mobility and fitness. Research join a community group. See yourself and your happiness
has shown being physically active can improve your linked to the wider community can be incredibly
mental health and wellbeing. rewarding and create connectedness with the people
around you.
18Stay Safe everyone, who had informative talks and training about the work the
committee would do in schools. Once they returned to
the school they set up the committee with 16 other
mind yourselves and Transition and 5th Year students and their work began in
earnest. The committee held events with a different
each other theme each month, anxiety, bullying and self-esteem
were just some of the themes the committee dealt with
this year.
Supports for young people In January the committee had the opportunity to attend
ChildlineFree helpline: 1800 666 666 Cycle Against Suicide’s Student Leaders Congress where
Online Chat: www.childline.ie Teentxt service: text the over 5,000 students from around the country gathered to
word "Talk" to 50101Childline provides a free and hear inspirational stories from a wide range of people,
confidential listening service to children and young people with some music acts in between which prompted some
up to the age of 18. The Childline helpline is open every dancing from the girls, namely the Macarena.
day, 24 hours a day and Childline Online Chat is open
One of the more successful events was when the
every day 10am - 10pm.
Committee invited Gary Cunningham in to speak to
Transition and 5th Year students. Gary is an inspirational
Jigsaw Find Jigsaw projects: www.jigsaw.ie Jigsaw is a
speaker and author of ‘I am Enough! Words to Live By’
network of programmes across Ireland designed to make
which is written for students to help them navigate the
sure every young person has somewhere to turn to and
challenges of growing up in today’s society.
someone to talk to. There are Jigsaw projects in 10
communities including Clondalkin, Donegal, Dublin 15, The Headstrong Committee first heard Gary speak at the
Galway, Kerry, Meath, North Fingal, Offaly, Roscommon Student Leaders Congress and when he had finished they
and Tallaght. decided to invite him to our school. Gary had an
incredible impact on the girls and although a few tears
ReachOut.com: ReachOut.com helps young people get were shed, he had every girl in attendance feeling that
through tough times. By providing quality mental health they were enough by the end of the talk and created such
information and covering issues that can impact our a positive atmosphere in our school that is still felt today.
mental health, ReachOut.com takes the mystery out of Despite many challenges this year the Headstrong
mental health. Committee has been fully committed to spreading Cycle
Against Suicide’s message and spreading positivity in not
SpunOut.ie: The website, SpunOut.ie, carries a range of only our school but to the wider community. They are
health information for young people, including mental extremely active on Instagram (olc_headstrong) where
health, sexual health, exam stress and general lifestyle they post positive affirmations, videos, the odd recipe and
information. SpunOut also has an extensive online TikTok challenges in there too, all because they are
directory allowing site visitors to search for supports and passionate about promoting Positive Mental Health and
services in their area. Wellbeing in our school.
HEADSTRONG Thanks to Ms. Mary Morgan for all her work with the
This month saw the creation of a brand new committee in Headstrong Team this year.
our school tackling the issue of Mental Health and
Wellbeing. Headstrong is a committee of students for
students who for the last year have been working on
breaking down the stigma associate with mental health in
schools.
The committee was created as part of the Cycle Against
Suicide HEADSTRONG Programme for schools which
issues an award to schools upon completion of a number
of events throughout the school year.
Cycle Against Suicide has a long history of working with
schools to let young people know that “It’s ok not to be
ok and it’s absolutely ok to ask for help”.
The students had many exciting opportunities this year
and attended two events run by Cycle Against Suicide. The
Summit held in Dublin Castle was attended by Ellie Riggs
and Ava Carolan, the committee’s two student leaders,
19This talk highlighted excellence in vocational education
and training (VET), showing that VET can be as good a
route to a quality career and life as any other learning
pathway.
Catholic Schools Week 2020 was celebrated from January
26th to February 1st.
This week provided us an opportunity to collectively
reflect on the Catholic ethos of our school. We began this
week by gathering in prayer to remember the words of
our foundress Nano Nagle with a short prayer service over
the school’s intercom. Students participating in the John
Paul II award met to reflect on what Claire Ryan of CEIST
refers to as being ‘consciously Catholic’ and what
this might mean for our school.
From this meeting it was decided that this group would
begin a project to renovate and update our school’s
Prayer Room. An important step of this project was to ask
teachers and students for their suggestions
and ideas. From this engagement we learned that a desire
for a more interfaith space celebrating the religious
diversity of our school community was apparent. Raising
awareness of the importance of having such a space in
our school was a significant part of our celebration of
Catholic Schools Week.
Sadly, we all became more aware of the significance of
this space following the tragic and untimely death of our
beloved sixth-year student Sinead Maguire. Following
Sinead’s death our school’s Prayer Room became a
dedicated space for her friends to gather and remember
Sinead in and to pray for her and her family. May she rest
in peace.
The team working on updating the Prayer Room look We would like to thank Margaret for talking to the
forward to recommencing their work in the hope that by students.
Catholic Schools Week 2021 we will have a newly
renovated interfaith space that will help to nurture the Our Lady’s College JCPA Awards
spirituality of all the members of our school community. (Junior Cycle Profile Achievement)
3rd Year students (2018-2019)
Vocational Educational Skills Week received their Junior Cycle
As part of VET (Vocational Educational Skills Week) awards in January.
Margaret Reilly from Grand Designs Kitchens &
The results and achievements
Bedrooms spoke to students in Our Lady’s College.
were excellent.
Margaret runs her own company and is the Irish
Well done to the girls who
Ambassador for apprenticeships.
achieved both in the classroom
and outside the classroom.
20French Teachers Visit Greenhills The module included working on
th
On Monday 10 February a group of 12 young, qualified students’ ICT skills including Microsoft
teachers arrived in Our Lady’s College Greenhills. Word and PowerPoint; Students
completed operation oracy where
students worked on their oral
presentation skills and stood up in
front of their peers and made oral
presentations integrating word and
powerpoint. Students have created a
CV, cover letter on word and researched a career of their
choice. Students looked at healthy living, nutrition;
exercise, balancing study and stress (students researched
and did presentations on powerpoint and presented
them). Students have done
vocabulary enrichment such as
using word maps, mind maps,
They observed many lessons, taught through the medium looking at words in different
of English throughout the day. They stated that it was contexts. This enhanced
“great to get the feel for the Irish way of teaching and the vocabulary by choosing more
Irish education system in general”. complex vocabulary, which will
hopefully improve their skills
Thanks to Ms. Somers for organising the event. across academic subjects.
Leaving Certificate Chemistry Students on their Day trip Students also looked at
to NUI Maynooth essay skills, which included: planning, structuring, editing
and referencing.
Students also worked on their debating skills by watching
a variety of documentaries.
A major highlight of the life skills module occurred
in January, where students went to Dundalk Institute of
Technology with Mr. Carroll and Ms. Bayly.
This was an exciting opportunity to experience a day in
the life as a third level student what may ahead them.
Students received a tour of the campus, where they got to
explore sound, media editing and design rooms, the
nurses building and engineering
buildings.
Students were excited to see the
catering kitchen in full swing,
where they got to try out a variety
of food and also experience a
brief music lecture.
Students also got to experience a
tour of the library and visit some seminars such as how to
Life Skills write a third level essay and how to reference.
This year, students who took
Overall, it was a worthwhile day out and students got a
religion as an examination
flavour of what may await them down the line!
subject also did a “life skills”
module for three periods a
TY Craft Work
week. This module explored a
Craft class continued as a module in TY this year with the
number of different topics,
girls opting to learn the traditional crafts of either knitting
which hopefully will hold
or crochet. Initially students found the skills difficult and
students in good stead as they
sometimes frustrating but after a short time and some
negotiate the twenty-first
practice everyone had mastered the basics. Each student
century world post-school.
made an item of their choice.
21These included crochet throws, snoods, scarves, hats, 1st Year Home Economics Students Make Masks
and a Christmas stocking. for Covid-19.
It took more than a Covid closure of the school to dampen
the spirits of 1st year Home Economics students.
They immediately got busy hand sewing/machining face
masks to show their creative skills. The quality of their
work is so high that some of them could be future
candidates for ‘The Sewing Bee’ on TV.
Afterwards a
display was held in Here’s just a small sample of their work.
the foyer which
was much
admired.
Well done girls.
Thanks to Ms. Anne Byrne for all her
work with the craft club.
LEAVING CERT APPLIED
The Leaving Cert Applied Hotel, Catering
and Tourism pupils have taken part in many
activities. They visited The D Hotel.
As part of their course the pupils had to
interview a receptionist.
The pupils got the opportunity to ask the ladies about the
roles and responsibilities of a receptionist.
The girls gained an insight into the many different areas
within the hospitality sector. BAKING
Just because the Skeiligs are
Throughout this year the girls were preparing for their
closed for tours, doesn’t mean
external cookery exam. They prepared , cooked and
that one can not have the ‘Star
evaluated a range of dishes. Well done to all the girls and
Wars Experience!’ Katie Dyas,
a big thanks to Ms. Lenagh for organising the event.
5th year, produced this amazing
work of art -three layers of
chocolate Madeira with Oreo
buttercream filling, and
everything you see is edible, as
all the decorations are made
out of fondant.
Cute little Yoda cupcakes also!
Drogheda Inter Schools Cupcake Competition 2020
In February, thirty two students, who worked in pairs,
took part in the Drogheda Inter schools Cupcake
Competition, hosted this year by Our Lady’s College with
the help of the home economics teachers, Ms. Anne
Byrne, Ms. Noirin O’ Sullivan and Ms. Eimear Lenagh.
Students arrived from various schools in the Drogheda
area including St. Mary’s, Colaiste na Hinse and
The Sacred Heart.
22Each school previously held their own in-school Thanks to Ms. Noirin O Sullivan, Ms. Anne Byrne and Ms.
competition to determine who would go through to the Eimear Lenagh for all their work with the cupcake
inter schools competition. competition.
On the morning the bakers found their work stations and
began preparing for the competition. After half an
hour everyone was ready and the clock
started. The boys and girls were given an hour and a half
to bake and decorate a minimum of 6
cupcakes. Silence descended over the two kitchens and
concentration levels were high. Great detail was put into
rolling and moulding fondant and preparing buttercream, GREENSCHOOLS OUR LADY’S COLLEGE
as a watchful eye was kept on the cupcakes sitting in the
oven. Soon time was up and the bakers set out
their wonderful creations beside each other, displaying With students’ more aware of the
them to their liking. Then everyone was ushered out of consequences of certain human
the kitchen for refreshments and the judging began. The activities on our environment through
judge, Bernadette Black, from Coulter and Black Cake the actions of Greta Thunberg or
Design judged the flavour, texture and decoration of the involvement in the Global Climate
cupcakes. She chose eight pairs to go through to the final Strike, the Green-Schools Committee
the next day. Everyone who took part in the competition decided to do our bit in an effort to
was awarded a Certificate of Participation. make Greenhills go Green.
The following day the bakers, eight pairs, returned This involved meeting every Tuesday
to Our Lady’s College for the final. Hours of practice came lunchtime to work on our 2020 Action Plan.
down to these two hours. The students went through the
Our focus this year was on
same meticulous tasks of piping and moulding with extra
‘Waste’. Our Action Plan,
attention to detail, as one dodgy cupcake could loose
which you may have seen on
them the competition! After the judging had finished
our noticeboard, includes a
everyone crowded into the kitchen, anxiously anticipating
checklist of what we wanted
the results. Ms. Bernadette Black commended the
to achieve by the end of 2020.
contestants on their meticulous work and announced the
winners. In first place were Sarah Fox and Ellen
Over the past few months we were able to check off many
Mathews from Greenhills. Their prize was a €100 One4All
items from our list including putting recycling bins on the
gift card. Greenhills also came second with
main corridors, getting an organic wheelie-bin for the
Amy Bellew and Emily McGreal, awarded a €50 One4All
school, an organic caddy for the staff room, plastic bottle
card. The Sacred Heart won third place and received a €30
bin in every classroom, remove the water bottle
One4All gift card.
machines from the school, promote the use of
reusable water bottles, promote the sale of
A special ‘thank you’ to Coulter and Black Cake Design and
reusable cups in Tea & Toast, and the use of
Eurospar Drogheda for sponsoring the event.
compostable packaging on items sold in the
school cafeteria.
23You can also read
