Éacht na Scolaírí 2018

Kinsale Community School held its annual awards ceremony, Éacht na Scolaírí, on Friday 19th October 2018. Nearly 600 students, parents and staff packed into the school hall to honour the achievements of the Kinsale students in a variety of areas. Guests were treated to a variety of musical arrangements performed by the traditional Irish group and prepared by Ms Brid Kearney prior to commencement of the Awards Ceremony.

Guest of Honour for the night was Mr Pat Cox, former President of the European Parliament. In his early career he was a current affairs journalist and presenter of RTE’s Today Tonight before going onto become a TD for Cork South Central in 1992. He still continues today to play a significant part in European politics. Mr Cox expressed his joy in being able to celebrate the achievements of the students at the awards night. He stated that he could get a ‘sense of the vitality of the young people’ from the diversity of awards received on the night. During his speech, Mr Cox referred to the schools mission statement and highlighted words including ‘enabling students, fostering the development of personal responsibility, engendering the spirit of co-operation’ and ‘facilitating the professional development of staff’ and doing so in a ‘safe and caring environment’. He stated that ‘these are very powerful values’ and that they were ‘self-evident’ here in the school.

Mr Cox commended the school on the variety of achievements such as numerous BTYS awards including the overall BTYS win three times, Best School Award 2015, three European awards, a Google Award and also the recent World VEX Robotics win in Kentucky. He stated ‘It is an extraordinary level of achievement’ and commended the school in encouraging achievement. He reiterated that this level of achievement ‘shows that the energy from the bottom up is powerful and real’ and that ‘each succeeding wave of students that come here draw from the energy and example of the ones that went before’ and ‘all of these things speak to the powerful values that underlie in this school community’.

Mr Cox stated that he was impressed by the three rights of students in school - the right to be happy, the right to learn and the right to be different. He likened the right to be happy to the words quoted by Thomas Jefferson when drafting the United States Declaration of Independence - ‘We hold these truths to be sacred and undeniable, that all men (today we should add ‘all women’) are created equal and independent; that from that equal creation they derive rights inherent and inalienable among which the preservation of life, and liberty, and the pursuit of happiness’. Mr Cox urged students to ‘look out for one another’; although many students are very connected in the virtual world, they may feel isolated and alone in the real world.

In his final address to the audience, Mr Cox encouraged students to be active citizens stating ‘You need to understand the power of one; the power that you carry within yourself; the capacity you have as young people to make a difference’. He concluded his address with reference to the words of poet William Ernest Henley in the poem Invictus ‘You are the masters of your fate. You are the captains of your souls’ and urged students to ‘bring those energies to a wider service for a greater good. Let us make our country the best small country for the world’. Mr Cox’s visit to KCS was also marked with an unveiling of a plaque on the Kinsale Community School Wall of Fame.

On the night, which was MCed by Deputy Principal Ms Kathleen O’Brien, students received awards for a host of achievements and activities, ranging from Year Awards to Sporting Awards to Academic Awards. Pupils from the Leaving Certificate class of 2018 were honoured for their outstanding results with the Senior Academic Award being presented to Lorcan O’Brien and the top Leaving Certificate Applied award going to Christopher Good. The Fifth Year Award went to Niamh Murphy. The Junior Certificate Academic Award was presented to Róisín Nyhan who was recognised for her excellent Junior Certificate results.

Ms Kathleen O’Brien paid special tribute to our former colleague Mr Don O’Shea whose untimely death occurred in 2017. Mr O’Shea was an excellent teacher of Chemistry and Maths and his results always exceeded the national averages by a long way. His teaching style was thoroughly professional and delivered with great humour. He prided himself on placing students at the centre of learning at all times. His contribution to KCS was commemorated with the ‘Don O’Shea Memorial Award’ which was presented to Emmett O’Regan in recognition of his excellence in learning.

Other notable awards on the night were the O’Brien Biotech Award which went to current fifth year student Michal Niczejewski, and the Catherine O’ Byrne Memorial Award for German which was presented to Fiona Deasy. The Civic Virtue Award was presented to Darren Bolton and for his charitable and voluntary work both in the school and local community. The Kilian Ryan Memorial Award for the Arts was presented jointly to Fiona Deasy and Julie Moynihan. The Joe McGrath Memorial Award was presented to Katie Daly. The Special Achievement in Sport Award was presented to Matthew Healy (Soccer) and was accepted by his brother Christopher Healy. The Science and Technology Award was presented to Ethan Monkhouse. The Bank of Ireland Community Awards went to Cathy Hynes (accepted by her mother Helen Hynes) and John Walsh. The Kinsale Historical Society Award was presented to David Barry and the BT Young Scientist Winners Award was presented to Lily Fitzgerald, Seán Collins, Katie Reynolds, Niamh Crowley, Orla Madden, Sarah Fitzgerald and Shane Collins.

Sr Rita Twomey (Chairperson Board of Management) congratulated the students on their achievements and successes. She encouraged students to continue to develop and share these gifts and talents with the wider community. Sr Rita commended Principal Mr McCarthy, past principals Mr Seán O’Broin and Sr Mary Donovan, sponsors, parents and committed staff who collaborated with one another to achieve the beautiful and newly refurbished school. Sr Rita also highlighted the new facilities which can be enjoyed by the school community and enhance all aspects of education.

In his opening address Mr McCarthy welcomed local elected TD’s Michael Collins and Margaret Murphy O’Mahony, Cork County Councillor Gillian Coughlan, Board of Management Chairperson Sr Rita Twomey, distinguished guest Mr Pat Cox and both former and present students to the annual awards evening. He highlighted Mr Cox’s roles in life and his many prestigious positions including college lecturer, broadcaster and MEP. He also spoke of Mr Cox’s compelling vision in respect of inclusivity and advocacy in championing democracy. He stated that ‘Mr Cox represents a very modern, well-educated island and he speaks with a very authentic passionate voice in Europe and globally’. He also highlighted Mr Cox’s current work in assisting Ukraine in developing a parliamentary structure similar to Ireland.

The principal expressed his delight in acknowledging the Leaving Certificate class of 2018 at the annual awards evening. Mr McCarthy conveyed his congratulations to the class of 2018 who obtained exceptional results and also stated that they were ‘a pleasure to deal with’ and ‘not only did you exceed in your Leaving Certificate but you also exceeded in the reputation that you have amassed for yourself. You epitomise inclusivity, kindness, generosity and co-operation’. He stated that he believed that the students being celebrated were the ‘future leaders of our country and our community’ and his final message was ‘the future is being built by people like you and that instils for me great confidence in the future’.

In his final address Mr McCarthy acknowledged and thanked the parents who assisted and collaborated with the school in shaping the young people. He also welcomed Ms Anne Kelly and spoke about the initiation of the ‘Don O’Shea Award’ to commemorate our colleague Mr Don O’Shea. He also thanked Ms Kelly for commissioning and designing the award to celebrate Mr O’Shea’s contribution to the school. Mr McCarthy thanked Sr Rita Twomey (Chairpersonof the Board) and all the Board members. He also expressed thanks to Deputy Principals Kathleen O’Brien, Claire Sheehan and Gerard Hogan and all of the teaching staff. The principal also thanked the co-ordinator of the Awards evening Ms Máire Fleming and her assistants.

The Awards Ceremony concluded with a musical finale directed by Ms Brid Kearney which included Julie Moynihan on piano and Selina McCarthy on violin.

The full list of nominees and awards winners is as follows:

First Year: Ben Loughnane, Caoimhe McGuinness, Ciara Ryle, Clare Cronin, Conor Fitzpatrick, Conor O’Callaghan, Emma Casey, Eoghan Cassidy, Ferdia Hellebust, Gabriella Bowen, Harry Vincent, Jason Russell, Kevin Dempsey, Lee Collins, Maja Hermanska, Max Cronin, Maya Meade, Orla Madden, Sarah Deasy and Tara Gleasure.

The Overall Winner was Ben Loughnane.

Second Year: Anna Callanan, Anne-Marie Collins, Ben Buckley, Ben Langford, Chi Chi Nnamani, Dylan Carraher, Ellen Doyle, Emma Hurley, Eva Crowley, Ivanna Van Rensberg, Joanna Tocka, Joe Brennan, Katalin O’Regan-Leder, Leah Hurley, Matas Gudauskis, Niamh Brennan, Niamh Peet, Rachel Henderson, Sarah Carroll, Sarah Fitzgerald, Shane Collins, Sophie Madden and Tudor Albu.

The Overall Winner was Joe Brennan.

Third Year: Alex Lordan, Ava McCarthy, Bryan White, Caitlin Kelleher, Eddie Corkery, Ellie Mai Dyer, Hannah Hayes, Maebh O’Leary, Niamh Domoney, Oisín Coyle, Róisín Nyhan, Salvador Porras O’Sullivan, Sophie Cumiskey and Thomas Grennan.

The Overall Winner was Oisín Coyle.

Transition Year: Amy Murphy, Cathal Flynn, Cian Murphy, Darragh Haydon, David Gunn, Ellen Maguire, Ellie Gregg, Gabi Korcewsksa, Jack T O’Callaghan, Jenny Kelleher, John Walsh, Katie Murphy, Kellie Murphy, Niamh Gimblett, Patrick Gowran and Shauna Murphy.

The Overall Winner was Katie Murphy.

Fifth Year: Abi Allen, Andrew O’Connell, Cathy Hynes, Cian Ryan, Cornelia O’Reilly, Daniel Graham, Darragh Mangan, David Hankard, Eve Casey, Jennifer McCarthy, Kitty O’Sullivan, Lucy Kelleher, Olivia Keohane, Padraig Nyhan, Paul Wills, Sadhbh O’Brien, Sarah Moynihan, Seán O’Meara, Selena McCarthy and Siobhan McCallum.

The Overall Winner was Abi Allen.

Sixth Year: Aliesha O’Shea, Conor Desmond, Darren Bolton, David Barry, David Graham, Ellen Kelleher, Finnán McAllen, Fiona Deasy, Isabelle Fitzgerald, Jack Grainger, Julie Moynihan, Katie Daly, Marie Dempsey, Niamh Steenson, Rachel Reardon and Tracy McCarthy.

The Overall Winner was David Graham.

Junior Sport: Alex Deegan, Anna Fahy, Annemarie Collins, Aoife Hartnett, Arianna Price, Ava Coyle, Ava Mulhall, Cameron Lovell, Clare Flynn, David Looney, Elyas Eshaji, Eoin O’ Donovan, Fionn Reynolds, Gaby Bowen, Geraldine Tyner, James Murphy, Jason Russell, Kate Redmond, Louis Allman, Luke Desmond, Matthew Healy, Megan Fahy, Peter O’ Sullivan, Rachel O’ Brien, Rosemarie Buckley, Sarah Desmond and Siobhán O’Donovan.
The overall winner was Siobhán O’Donovan.

Senior Sport: Aidan O’ Donovan, Áine Cummins, Aisling Hurley, Amy Murphy, Brendan O’ Connor, Conor Desmond, Dara Tyner, Darragh Crowley, Deirdre O’ Reilly, Eoin Redmond, Faye Ahern, Fiona Keating, Jack Grainger, Jenny Murphy, Katie Daly, Kealan O’ Rourke, Luke O’ Callaghan, Rachel Reardon, Rhys Reynolds, Saoirse Mccarthy and Seán Twomey.

The overall winner was Saoirse McCarthy.

Special Achievement in Sport Award: Matthew Healy (Soccer)

Kinsale Historical Society Award: David Barry

Joe McGrath Memorial Award: Katie Daly

Bank of Ireland Awards: Cathy Hynes and John Walsh.

Civic Virtue Award: Darren Bolton

Kilian Ryan Memorial Award: Fiona Deasy and Julie Moynihan.

O’Brien Biotech Award: Michal Niczejewski

Catherine O’Byrne Memorial Award: Fiona Deasy

Science & Technology Award: Ethan Monkhouse

BT Young Scientist and Sci Fest Award: Lily Fitzgerald, Seán Collins, Katie Reynolds, Niamh Crowley, Orla Madden, Sarah Fitzgerald and Shane Collins.

Don O’Shea Memorial Award: Emmett O’Regan

Academic Awards:

Lorcan O’Brien – English, Maths, Physics, Chemistry & Biology

Sorcha Doyle – Irish, Chemistry & Biology

Niamh Twomey – Chemistry & Accounting

Juan Vazquez – Maths, Applied Maths & Physics

Fiona Deasy – Irish, History, German & Music

Emmett O’Regan – Chemistry, Engineering & DCG

Finnán McAllen – English, Art, Biology & Construction

Jasmine McShane – French, Biology & Home Economics

Chris Healy – Physics & DCG

Julie Moynihan – Chemistry & Music