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08-May-22
Minister for Education Norma Foley Visits the Ursuline
On Friday, 6 May Minister for Education, Norma Foley paid a visit to Ursuline Secondary School to survey the proposed site of the new extension announced earlier in the year. She was accompanied by Jackie Cahill TD and Michael Lowry TD and was greeted by Principal Ms Mary Butler, members of the Board of Management, members of the School Council, Deputy Principals Tríona Gleeson and Dan Kirby, the Principal of Scoil Angela Brídann Molony and Sisters from the Ursuline Community. Two very special guests from First Year, Clodagh and Lauren O’Dwyer from the same part of Kerry as the Minister were on hand to present her with a bouquet of flowers when she arrived. She was shown a flavour of the extra-curricular activities on offer in the School including an upbeat, jazzy rendition of I’ve Got Rhythm sung by Chamber Choir, one of their Cork Choral Festival winning pieces. She was introduced to Junk Kouture Grand Finalist Genevieve Keane, TY, who had stormed the stage at the 3Arena the previous night with her design ‘Acantha’ to be picked to represent Ireland at Junk Kouture World Final to be held in Abu Dhabi in June. Minister Foley also met the other Junk Kouture 2022 National Finalist ‘Green with Envy’ and the team who designed this dress, Hannah and Katie O’Mahoney and model Mary Ryan. The Southern Regional Winner of the competition in 2020 ‘Givin it Welly’ was also modelled for the Minister and she met the students who created this winning entry made from milk filter socks and old Wellington boots, Laura Hally, Emma Ryan and Cathy Hogan.
She met with the Irish Certified Angus Beef Schools Competition finalists who won five calves at this year’s National Ploughing Championship and who will rear them for the next two years with the hope of winning the overall prize. Louise Creagh, Gráinne O’Donnell, Louise Hickey and Karen Campion spoke passionately about the competition and their interest in Ag Science and the Minister was delighted to hear that it was offered as a Leaving Cert subject in the School. She was also introduced to this Ursuline team of Rebekah Smith, Evie Smyth, Kaitlyn Ryan and Gráinne Callanan who reached the National Final in Croke Park held at the beginning of April and who have also been told that they are among the top six Schools in the country that will be receiving their Angus calves in September. This is the first time in the history of the competition that the same School has won the top prize two years in a row.
The Gael Linn Debating team of Mairéad O’Brien, Ava Collins, Róisín Duffy and Jane Hennerby who placed second in this year’s All Ireland Final exchanged a few words ás gaeilge with the Minister. She spoke with the Chairperson of the Amber Flag Committee, Caoimhe Howley, who told the Minister they just got word of their fourth Amber Flag for promoting positive mental health in the School. She spoke to Natalie Gillman of the Green Schools Committee who explained the many initiatives undertaken by the group to raise awareness of environmental issues among the wider School community and she informed the Minister that they too were delighted to be awarded a ninth Green Flag recently after an assessment by An Taisce. She spoke with Chairperson of the School Council, Michelle Flanagan who explained the role of the School Council in being a voice for the student body, teasing out issues at Council meetings and that they see it as part of their agenda to support well-being and foster harmony with in the School. Co-captains of the All Ireland Junior A Camogie team, Sarah Corcoran and Dervla Naughton, showed the Minister the Corn Naomh Gobnait Cup and spoke about their pride at bringing it back to the School for the first time. She met also with some of the International students from Italy, Spain and Germany and asked them about their experience of Secondary School in Ireland. Finally, she was treated to a musical recital by Anna Grace on piano accompanied by two violinists from Senior Orchestra. Minister Foley was thankful of the warm welcome she received from the students and said she was impressed by the richness of the tradition and the excellence of educational achievement on offer in the School. She told the girls that they are enriched and emboldened by all they receive in the School and that she as Minister for Education was very proud of all that is achieved in the School every day.
Junk Kouture
Ursuline’s Genevieve Keane the young TY fashion designer is one of this year’s Junk Kouture winners. She will represent Ireland in Abu Dhabi in June at the inaugural World Final of Junk Kouture. She will compete against national winners from New York, London, Paris, Abu Dhabi and Milan and is certainly putting Tipperary and the Ursuline on the international stage. For her beautiful creation ‘Acantha’ she took St Patrick and early Celtic Christianity as her inspiration and fashioned a dress, cape and bag from used curtain fabric, Donegal yarn, sheep wool, potato sacks and discarded costume jewellery. The intricate, stunning design and attention to detail wowed the judges and the audience in the 3Arena on Thursday, 5 May and won her a ticket to Abu Dhabi. The other Ursuline finalist ‘Green with Envy’ had a flurry of media interest on the day of the Grand Final due to its striking lime green and metallic colour scheme and strong anti-domestic violence theme. Model Mary Ryan and team-mates, sisters Hannah and Katie O’Mahoney, used two leather couches and shoe laces for the side split, bustier dress. The headpiece was made from 42 metres of briquette bailing wrap fashioned into intriguing swirls, swivelled around an embellished silver orb. The dress materials of couches and briquettes suggest home comfort and stability, things which are missing when a family lives in the shadow of domestic violence. Both teams ‘Acantha’ and ‘Green with Envy’ had a magical night in the 3Arena cheered on by the large Ursuline crowd who travelled to see the girls strut their stuff and showcase their fabulous designs on the prestigious National Junk Kouture stage. Many thanks to all the teachers involved and to Erin Hayden, past pupil, who did a magnificent job on make-up for both entries.
Kate Ryan plays for Ireland U18 in Five Nations Tournament
Congratulations to Ursuline Sixth Year student Kate Ryan who played for the Irish U18 team in Lilleshall in the Five Nations Hockey Tournament over the Easter Holidays. Kate was called up to the Irish squad on foot of her outstanding success playing Interprovincial Hockey for Munster this season. It has been an extraordinary year for Kate and it’s a credit to her work ethic both on and off the pitch that she has managed School Hockey, Munster Hockey and Irish Hockey while keeping on top of her studies and being an active member of the School Council. She is also incredibly humble about her talent and achievements and the School wish her well in what we hope will be many more years playing in the Irish team colours.
Grace Fitzpatrick Ryan Irish U16 Soccer
Grace Fitzpatrick Ryan, Ursuline TY, has had a great season playing in the green jersey of the Irish U16 Soccer team. She travelled with the Irish squad to Malta over the Easter break and played the full 90 minutes in the game against Turkey. Grace played at centre half and the Irish girls won that game 4-0. They also beat Malta 8-0 and Lebanon 4-0 to see of the development tournament in style. Well done to Grace who trains hard and shows great commitment to every School team she is a part of not just the Ursuline U17 Soccer team, but also the Gaelic Football team and the Hockey team too. Wishing her continued success in her international career as she is a fantastic ambassador for young girls in Sport and what can be achieved through discipline and commitment.
Niamh McCormack co-captain of Kilkenny Minor B Team
Congratulations to Niamh McCormack, Leaving Cert who was co-captain of the Kilkenny Minor B team who recently beat Laois to be crowned Leinster Champions in Nowlan Park.
Gael Linn National Writing Competition
Congratulations to Katie Healy, TY who came second in the TY category of the Conradh na Gaeilge National Creative Writing Competition. Her poem entitled ‘An Domhain’ is about the environment. This is a huge achievement for Katie whose entry would have been competing with written work submitted by students from Gaeltacht areas and Gaelcholaistí. Last year Róisín Astwood placed third in the same writing literature in Irish competition for her blog on her sporting hero Anna Geary. Well done to Katie on this great achievement.