Athletics
The Tipperary Post Primary Secondary Schools Cross Country took place on November 14. The Ursuline had four teams taking part with 35 athletes in total. The Minor girls 1200m race started off with Grace Fennelly leading for the first 600m. She was soon joined by Robyn O'Reilly and Aifric Mockler. Cara Molloy, Gráinne Daly and Olivia Lynch made up the first six home for UCT taking team gold, with Robyn winning a bronze for placing third individual. Well done to all the other Minors who donned the school singlet, Helen Renehan, Aoibhinn Fitzgibbon, Ruth McGuinness, Muireann Casey, Saoirse Dunne, Caoimhe Heaney, Kate Murphy, Lucy Meagher, Róisín Maher, Eimear Fogarty and Shona Murray.
The Junior race was equally as exciting for the Ursuline. Caoimhe Slevin was off the starting line at a very fast pace with Órla Pamplin in close pursuit. The girls were joined by Nenagh’s Sally O'Connor and this trio fought it out right to the line with Órla finishing in fine style in first and Caoimhe in third. The girls, helped by Lauren Sheehan, Leah O'Connell, Ella Maher and Sarah Kelly held off Nenagh to win the Junior title by one solitary point! The team event in X-Country is so often decided, not necessarily by the top one or two, but by the girls a little bit further down. The rest of the Junior team performed admirably on the day, so well done to Caoimhe O'Flaherty, Millie Kearney, Séana Williams, Phoebe Ryan and Tara Phelan. This was the first experience of cross country running for some on both this Junior and the previous Minor teams. There is no doubt with continued commitment to regular training there will be huge improvements from these two groups.
The Intermediate race was another exhilarating one. Here, Loreto Clonmel posed the greatest threat. Tianna O'Leary took an early and what turned out to be insurmountable lead in the race. She ran with fluidity and never looked in danger of losing pole position. She was really helped by Méadhbh Lonergan who ran a fantastic race to finish in third. Méadhbh was strongly challenged and under pressure in a group of around five runners all throughout the race. She showed great determination to sprint away from them at the end. Annie Flynn was UCT’s third scorer, and she ran a very mature race to finish in 10th spot to clinch team gold for the Intermediates. The girls were closely supported by Julie Shanahan, Éadaoin Carroll, Katheline Lynam and Aisling O'Reilly who all had excellent races.
The final team of the day was the Seniors. Alana Spillane took out the race very quickly. Her plan was to put distance between her and the rest of the field which contained the fast-finishing Emer Brennan of Pres Clonmel. This was a small but quality field and Aoibhinn Fogarty, Sixth Year, put in one of her best ever races for the school to back up Bibi Russell, who had come up from Intermediate to help out. Bibi finished in fourth with Alana finishing in silver medal position.
We have to mention the TYs who came to help out in Dr Crokes on the day. There was heaps of praise for how well they got stuck in. Special mention to Mr Corbett who has joined the School this year and who has certainly added energy to the Thursday training sessions. Please remember that all are welcome to train, no previous running experience is necessary and it’s a great way to keep fit.
Ursuline’s Welcomes Army Band
The Ursuline welcomed Company Sergeant Noel Galvin and the Band 1 Brigade based in Collins Barrack in Cork to the School on Thursday, 14 November. It was a really special concert, that will certainly be a stand out moment of the year for the staff and students of UCT. Everyone who was there felt very privileged and uplifted by the repertoire of these professional, expert musicians of brass, wind and percussion. There were also a number of TYs with the band as part of the Defence Forces School of Music TY programme. These young musicians, from all over Munster, are getting the opportunity to play with a professional brass military band as part of their work experience. Music students of the Ursuline also got the benefit of hearing individual instruments played such as the flute, oboe, trombone, saxophone, euphonium and others as understanding the sound and pitch of these is an important aspect of both the Junior Cycle and Leaving Cert syllabus. The band wowed the audience with Greatest Showman and Coldplay medleys, traditional Irish march The Dawning of the Day and some Harry Styles, Bruno Mars and George Ezra. There was also exquisite singing from trumpet player Emmet Donlon, who doubles up as a vocalist with the Army Band. His beautiful rendition of Bring Him Home from Les Mis left everyone with spine tingles. Thanks to Noel and the Army Band members for making the trip to Thurles to play for the Ursuline and for giving us an amazing, free concert that will be remembered by all who were there for a very long time to come.
Charities Committee
Thanks to everyone on the Ursuline Charities Committee, made up of Senior Cycle pupils, who coordinated the Team Hope Shoe Box appeal in the school again this year. The Team Hope van and volunteers came to collect nearly 200 shoe boxes from UCT on Monday, 11 November and these presents will be given to poor children in developing countries who otherwise would never receive a gift. Students throughout all years in the school were extremely generous, with the Sixth Year School Councillors taking the time to meet and organise filling shoe boxes with their First Year ‘Big Sis, Little Sis’ classes. Thanks to Ms Egan and Ms Stakelum for heading the shoe box campaign.
Poetry Aloud
Congratulations to Ursuline Fifth Year student Cáit Browne and First Year Ruth McGuinness who have both qualified for the All Ireland semi-final of Poetry Aloud. This will be held in the National Library of Ireland and both students will do a dramatic reading of a prescribed poem and a poem of their choice. To qualify for the Senior category Cáit recited Seamus Heaney’s A Kite for Aibhín while Ruth read The Last Peacock by Gerry Dawe. Well done girls and best of luck in the All Ireland semi-finals at the end of the month.
EU Soapbox Public Speaking Competition
There was plenty of interest from Ursuline Fifth Years and TYs in the Soapbox Public Speaking competition this year with three entries in the Senior category and seven in the Junior. The group of ten travelled to Portlaoise Library on Tuesday, 12 November to speak on ‘AI is not a threat to humanity’. There was a plenty of food for thought from the speakers and a variety of opinions on a very hot topic. Well done to Senior competitors Rosie Bradish, Lily Murphy and Rosa Ryan who was the National Soapbox Champion last year. Those entered in the U16 section included Chloe Cahill, Trudy Wilson, Isabelle O’Connor, Ava Scally, Genevieve Ní Breacháin, Isabelle Holian and Leah Banaghan. Thanks also to Libby Corcoran who made a huge contribution in her capacity as researcher and Ms Quinn for promoting the event and travelling with the students to Portlaoise.
Concern Debating
Round Two of Concern Debating took place online last week. The Ursuline team, which includes TYs Bibi Russell, Ruth Maher, Trudy Wilson, Robyn Lee and Fifth Years Rosie Bradish, Cáit Browne and Lily Murphy, opposed the motion ‘Feeding the World is increasing beyond Humanity’s Reach,’ facing a tough side from Sacred Heart, Clonakilty. The next round will be before Christmas where they will be up against St John the Baptist Community School, Hospital. Well done to the girls and to their mentor Ms Downey.
In School Debating with Ms Quinn
The Ursuline In-School Debating Competition for Juniors is in full swing. The winning teams going forward to the next rounds includes First Years Sadie O’Connor, Caoimhe Heany, Pia Tyndall and Elizabeth Meade, Clíona Mockler and Emily Gannon. In Second Year the teams to qualify are Josephine Kennedy, Sarah Spain, Hazel Duggan and Aoibheann Durack, Kate Kelly and Róisín O’Reilly. Both First and Second Years have been given the very topical motion ‘Being Young Today is More Challenging than it was for Previous Generations.’
Camogie
The Ursuline Senior A Camogie team had a home win against St Mary’s Nenagh on Wednesday, 13 November. The final score was UCT 2-18 Nenagh 2-10. Thanks to Thurles Sarsfields for allowing the game to be played in their grounds. Congratulations to past pupil and current member of staff Ms Eimear McGrath on her All Star nomination last weekend. Its lovely to have Eimear back as a teacher of Irish and PE and everyone is very proud of inter-county camogie achievements. She was joined at the event by fellow Ursuline, county comrade and All Star nominee Eimear Loughman. Congratulations to both Eimears.
Hockey
The Ursuline Junior A team played Scoil Mhuire in an intense battle last week, narrowly missing out with a 4-3 finish. The girls left nothing on the field and have been super this season both in training and in competitive games.
The Junior Bs were also in action last week against Crescent. They delivered a strong performance, showcasing impressive skills and teamwork. Despite their best efforts the game finished in a 0-0 draw.
The Junior Cs also played Crescent and this game ended in an exciting 2-2 draw with every one of the players giving it their all for the duration of the match.
Well done to the Ursuline Minor Green Hockey team who beat Mungret last week in the league to make it two wins out of two this year.
Rugby
The Ursuline U14 Rugby team rocked the Munster 7s Blitz in Fethard on Thursday, 14 November. They won every match and put on impressive displays of skill and teamwork. Most of these UCT players are new to rugby but their courage and determination shone through on the day.
LGFA
Ursuline Senior Footballers put in an excellent performance in the Munster A Championship recently. Despite playing some incredible football, in the highest division, they were narrowly defeated by the Presentation Thurles. The talent and skill on display from both Thurles schools was exceptional. Thanks to the UCT Sixth Years who have been instrumental in lifting the school into the Munster A Championship and an inspiration to all the younger players in the school.
The Ursuline Junior footballers were in action last week against tough opposition from Templemore. The game was end to end with very little between the two sides. Emma Durkan impressed by continuously breaking forward while also covering back. Sadhbh Murray captained the side as her Thurles Sarsfields teammate Sophie Nolan finished the game with a hat trick. Other scorers included Orla Gleeson, Emma Durkan, Anna Carr, Ruth Maher, Sadhbh Murray, Olive Spillane and Hannah Hogan.
Badminton
Well done to the Ursuline Badminton players who attended competition in the Presentation Thurles on Tuesday, 12 November. There were two U14 teams that included May Skehan, Anum Rizwan, April Kearney and Abi Callahan and a second team of Lara Nugent, Anna Holinska, Tamara Yevsieieva and Meadhbh Fogarty. U16 players were Kamila Wrombel, Alicja Wrombel, Clodagh McLoughney and Robyn Carr. Representing UCT at U19 were Stella Carr, Grace Moore, Ola Grzelak and Millie Hill. The girls enjoyed competitive group games and many thanks to Ms Kearney for looking after Badminton this year.
TY
Two Ursuline TY classes had the LawEd workshop last week. Taking a full day, the Law Workshop includes how famous cases were tried, employment law and how it relates to those U18, the rights young people have under the law and how the different branches of the legal system operate. In the afternoon the students got to take part in a mock court case to better understand who are the main protagonists in an Irish courtroom. It was all very informative and interesting and a highlight of the TY calendar year.
Comhairle na nÓg
Well done to Caitlín Tierney, Éabha Cahill, Grace Eiffe and Jessica Fogarty who represented the school at Comhairle na nÓg in TUS Thurles recently. Comhairle na nÓg is a youth organisation that introduces young people to the work of local government and for those interested in how politics is organised and done at Urban District and County Council level it is a rewarding opportunity.