Ursuline Mission Day, 2024
It was back to the 80’s for the students of the Ursuline Convent Thurles on Thursday, 26 September for the annual Mission Day organised by the Leaving Certs. Mission Day is a riot of colour and fun aimed at raising vital funds for Ursuline sister schools in Kenya. The schools in Kitui and Turkana were founded by Thurles nun Sr Clare Ursula and provide education and training to young women and girls who would not otherwise have access to such life enhancing opportunities. This year the Sixth Years and their Year Head,MsFrend, chose to resurrect the decade of the 1980’s. Everyone eagerly embraced in the spirit of era with legwarmers, scrunchies, ra-ra skirts, boom boxes, clashing neon colour schemes, shoulder pads, double denim, plastic beads, shell tracksuits, Jane Fonda workout leotards and big hair crimped and backcombed to 80’s perfection. Lots of competitions and activities were on offer to keep the school entertained throughout the morning. Each year group was treated to an 80’s themed dance workout that included Rock the Boat. Baked goods and sweets could be purchased in the food hall. A haunted house with hideous characters and horror scenes was a real scare and the face painting, 80’s style, was very popular. There was a sing-a-long of much loved classics from the decade interspersed with party games which was hugely entertaining. Everyone had a great time, thanks to the huge effort made by the Sixth Years and best of all over €5000 was raised for the worthy cause of the Ursuline Missions.
Ursuline Open Evening
On Monday, 23 September the Ursuline welcomedprospective students and their parents and guardians into the school to meet the staff and talk to the students about their experience of attending secondary school in UCT. There was a steady stream of people from 5pm – 7pm. Second Year students conducted tours,showing visitors specialist rooms like the Kitchens, Science Labs, Technology, Art, Graphics, Learning Support, the Library and the sacred space of the Prayer Room. Music students involved in Senior Orchestra and the Trad Group played for the guests and project work completed by students through curriculum subjects like Business, Geography, History and Modern Foreign Languages was also on display. The various societies that represent student voice were on hand to discuss their work such as School Council, Charities Committee, Green Schools and Amber Flag. TY endeavours, such as Gaisce, the immersion trip to Kenya, Irish Angus Beef Schools Competition, Student Enterprise, Mini Company and Junk Kouture all had stands to give students and parents a flavour of what they might expect in this hugely popular fourth year option. Principal, MsTríonaGleeson, spoke briefly during the evening, to thank people for coming and explain a little about the Ursuline philosophy of education. Two First Year students, Pia Tyndall and Aoife Moran talked about their first few weeks in secondary school and how they have settled in. It was an incredible evening with lots of positive energy throughout the school and hopefully it was a good experience for the visitors too. Thanks to students and staff for all their hard work and the preparations that went into making Open Evening 2024 a very successful event.
Ursuline retain Junior Munster 7s Camogie Title
Well done the Ursuline 7s Camogie team who retained the Munster 7s Junior title on Wednesday, 25 September. In wet and blustery conditions, the girls took on Scoil Mhuire GreenhillCarrick-on-Suir, Loreto Fermoy and Hazelwood Dromcollogher in the GAA grounds in Boherlahan. Qualifying for the final after playing each team in turn they faced fellow Tipp side Carrick-on-Suir in the title decider. They won after well executed play against a strong Carrick side. They will now represent Munster in the All Ireland 7s Final on October 16.
Transition Year Workshops
Ursuline TYs had a number of workshops last week. On Monday Tricia Kenny delivered a certified Manual Handling course on best practice in the workplace. The students learned how to lift boxes, move objects in the correct manner and help people with mobility issues to stand or sit in a safe and risk-free way.
On Wednesday, 25 September fitness and boogie bounce instructor Orla Tooher was in the Ursuline to put TYs through their paces. They had an energetic workout on mini-trampoline’s. The music was pumping as were their muscles but Orla’s bubbly encouragement made the bouncing, jumping, low impact exercise a very enjoyable keep fit class for everyone.
Learning the art of coffee making was the main objective of the Barista workshop that Ursuline TYs got to experience on Thursday, 26 September. The Dublin Barista School arrived with their machines,amid the madness of Mission Day, to teach students how to make the perfect Americanos, mochas, lattes, cappuccinos and hot chocolates. There was loads of humour, from the facilitators, blended in with hard work andcoffee beans, all the ingredients needed for a decent brew. The best thing of all was the free samples that kept energy levels up throughout the busy, activity fueled day.
First Year Basketball
Some of the Ursuline First Year Basketball players had their court debuts last week in friendly games against Presentation Thurles. It was a great opportunity for the school’s youngest basketball recruits to become more acquainted with the fast pace of the game and the rules of play while getting to know their team mates a bit better.