Raising money for Rwanda
Almost a month ago, our class—6th class, decided we would raise money for the refugee crisis in Rawanda, so on Friday the 15th of November, we had a Fun & Games day.
Everybody wore fancy dress—many members of the Carnmore hurling team attended! We had a morning of challenging board games, followed by a soccer league and an afternoon of art—our teacher failed to recognise herself from the portraits we painted!
We raised £150 that day and hope that it will be some small help to the refugees.
Laura Gallagher, 6th class
The M.S. Readathon
The school participated in the M.S. Readathon. The aim was to raise money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland. The child would read books and get sponsored a set amount per book. The school raised an unbelievable amount of £2,218.60. Some of the classes raised up to £400. The school will get one tenth of the money for the schools libraries. We thank all the sponsors.
Maria Moran, 6th class
Down to Earth Theatre Group
The environmental theatre group, Down to Earth, visited our school on November 20th. Their show was called Bin There, Dump That. It featured Philip (Fill up) the Bin Man and Sleeping Beauty. It was all about recycling and dumping of dangerous materials. There were two shows—one for Junior classes and one for Senior classes.
As a follow-up to the visit, we are organising a recycling competition amongst all families in the school.
5th class
Cross Country
by Kathryn Day and Kiera Skelly
The Cross Country was held at the Renmore pitch in Galway. It took place on the 6th and 13th of November. Twenty-four pupils from Claregalway N.S. qualified from 4th, 5th and 6th class. There were four teams: Senior girls: Gráinne Noonan, Kathryn Day, Kiera Skelly, Michelle O’Connell and Sandra Murphy. Senior boys: Joseph Garrett, William Morris, Liam Walsh, Michael O’Connor, Ronan Mangan and Donal Cahalan. Junior girls: Alva Hession, Áine Skelly, Yvonne Grealy, Maria Long, Sharon Feeny and Elaine Harrington. Junior boys: Philip Raftery, Fergal Walsh, Trevor Casserly, Jerry Giles, Sean Foy, Thomas Walsh and Alan Cullinane. Everyone finished the course and did exceedingly well. There were four winners: Gráinne Noonan who finished 6th on the 6th November and 4th on the 13th November; Joseph Garrett who finished 8th and 5th, Michael O’Connor who finished 4th and 7th and Thomas Walsh who finished 2nd and 5th. They were all presented with beautiful trophies on the 14th of November. The school was proud of all the runners because they all finished the course brilliantly even though the weather was terrible.
4th Class visit to Lackagh Museum
The Thatched Cottage. We left the school at around ten. On the way we passed by a lot of fields. Mr. McAndrew pointed out the nine arches across the road from Dunleavy’s. When we got there, we were split into two groups of nineteen. The first nineteen went into the Battle of Knockdoe. The second nineteen went into the cottage first. I went into the cottage first. There was lots to see in the cottage. The cottage is over one hundred years old. It was first built as a bothán. The person showing us around was Mary Delaney.
There was a piece of scraw in a corner from a roof of a cottage in Liscaninane. The scraw is over three hundred years old. There were two bedrooms downstairs and one upstairs. Back then they had a ladder stuck to the wall. When you sniffed, you could smell soot and turf smoke. Bridget, Michael, Mary and Christine Carrick used to live in the cottage before it became a museum. In one of the bedrooms there was a picture of the Turloughmore team in 1884. In the museum there was a lot of gadgets and old fashioned equipment. There was a spinning wheel in a bedroom. There was a cartwheel over the fire.
We saw a cutthroart razor in a bedroom. We saw some lamps and lanterns. Back then they had no electricity. The cottage was very interesting. We saw a lot of things made out of straw. We saw a hen-laying nest and a big ciseán in the kitchen. There was a cradle with a doll in a bedroom. There was a bellows there too. Then we went to the Battle.
The Battle of Knockdoe
After the cottage, we went to the Battle of Knockdoe. First we saw a video about the Battle. We had already seen the video back at school. There were a lot of weapons there that were used in the battle. Here are some of the weapons they used in the battle: Lochabee axe, Faughard axe, Galloglagh axe, Bow and arrow, one handed Irish sword, Two handed Irish sword, Galloglagh warrior, Twin bladed axe, Chain mail, Iron Helmet, Battle shield, Battle of Knockdoe field. Some of us got to hold weapons. I got to hold a sword and wear a chain mail. Michael Farragher (he was the man showing us around) put an arrow down my back. I got some information on English wars. Here it is:
English Wars: From 1400 onward the English Kings had little time for Ireland. They were fighting a war with France, which went on for so long it became known as the Hundred Years War. This war was barely over when a civil war broke out in England. Two branches of the royal family fought each other for the throne. The struggle which lasted thirty years was called the War of the Roses.
We then went around the fields where the battle was fought. We came home at twelve thirty. The morning was very interesting.
Scientific Wonders
On Friday the 22nd of November, sixth class from Claregalway N.S. travelled to the Science Exhibition which was held in the County Library. To begin with, we visited the Planetarium. Here we were shown all the different stars and constellations such as Polaris (the north star), the Ursa Major (the Big Dipper) and the Great Square of Pegasus. Following that, we explored the science wonders that were exhibited there. There were many illusions and hidden wonders and best of all gravity projects. The Spinning Chair was the main attraction. You would be seated on a revolving chair and given two metal weights, one for each hand. You get one push and then everything becomes a blur. The weights are held by your side and to slow down you raise your arms slowly. To go faster again, you drop your hands to your side.
We had a fantastic time and discovered many new wonders, even though some didn’t feel too well from revolving faster than the earth on the Spinning Chair!
The Science Exhibition is ‘orbiting’ the country at the moment and we highly recommend it if it comes to Galway again.
Yours scientifically,
Noelle Fleming and Michelle Kirrane (6th class)
The Caravan Boy
Although John had never met Mark, he had heard all about him. Mark McNulty had just started school in Lucan N.S. The class had seen him many times before and had already passed their judgement on him.
Mark was part of the travelling community who had just parked their caravans on the side of the main road on Saturday. Many people in the Parish thought that they were dirty and they did not want them in their town.
When Mark had begun his first day at Lucan N.S. all the children had been told by their parents not to go near him. But John thought Mark was very friendly, Nearly every evening after that day John was always at Mark’s family’s caravan. Then one evening late in March, John walks up to the caravan and there lay before him graffiti on the caravan.
He rushed up to the caravan and asked John in disbelief “Who did this”? Mark answered casually that a bunch of yobboes came and did it. “We just can’t stand it anymore. We’re leaving tomorrow”. “But why?” I asked. “Because we’re always gettin’ bugged like this, now leave me alone”. The next morning John went down to the place where the caravan was parked. They were gone.
Kiera Skelly (6th class)
Winner in the Galway Library Short Story Competition.
Limericks
There once was a man named Jack
Who lived near a race track
Knew all about horses
For different courses
And always had a pound on their back.
—Terence Cunniffe
There once was a man named Jack
who was always full of craic
Tied balloons on his head
Wore pink pyjamas to bed
And scraggy pig tails on his back.
—Katie O’Connor
There once was a man named Jack
Who spent a few days in Iraq,
He flew over by plane
Met Saddam Hussein
And decided he’d better get back!
—Darragh Moran
The above entered the Limericks competition organised by Galway City Library.
Challenge Game
Oranmore B.N.S. (B) 7–4
Claregalway N.S. (B) 4–4
The start of the match was dominated by Oranmore. Claregalway had a good spell midway through the first half. At half-time Oranmore were up by about a goal and a point. At the start of the second-half Claregalway came within a point of Oranmore, but afterwards Oranmore ran away with it because of Claregalway sitting back.
Team: John Jordan (captain), Adrian Hanley, Tomás Ó Gríofa, Rory Dillon, David Clarke, Seán Foy, Arthur Moran, David O’Dea, Tomas Walsh, John Jordan, David Crowe, Padraic Quinn, Damian O’Connell, Jack Campbell, Roger Delahunty, Kenneth Murphy.
Oranmore V Claregalway
This was our first game in the Schools League. We got off to a great start when Aodhán Glynn scored a good goal. It was a close first half but Oranmore led by 1–1 to 1–0 at half-time. Consistent pressure from Oranmore saw them stretch their lead in the second half before Aodhán Glynn got his second goal and a long range shot from Joseph Garrett went over the bar. The final score was Oranmore B.N.S. 4–2, Claregalway 2–2.
Team: Joseph Garrett (Captain), Ronan Mangan, Tomas Noone, Rory Dillon, Dara Lambert McMichael, Michael O’Connor, Jerry Giles, Joseph Garrett, Philip Raftery, Aodhán Glynn, Michael Kelly, Trevor Casserly, Paul Loughlin, Paddy Moran.
Claregalway N.S. V Corrandulla N.S.
Claregalway N.S. were beaten by Corrandulla N.S. in the City League. Although the teams were evenly matched for most of the game, Corrandulla finished comfortable winners in the end. The score was Corrandulla 5–3 Claregalway 3–3. Paddy Moran had a great game and scored two goals while Aodhán Glynn got one. The two midfielders Joseph Garrett and Philip Raftery played well and Raftery got an excellent point. Trevor Casserly had a great game at left half forward and scored two outstanding points. Ronan Mangan the goalkeeper and Micheál O’Connor the full back also had good performances.
Micheál O Connor (Captain)
13-a-side Football League
Claregalway N.S. V Maree N.S.
- William Morris
- Tomas Noone
- Thomas Walsh (sub)
- Paul Loughlin
- Dara Lambert McMichael
- Micheal O’Connor
- Gerry Giles
- Joseph Garrett—1 goal and 1 point
- Ronan Mangan (Captain)
- Aodhán Glynn—1 goal
- Micheál Kelly—2 points
- Trevor Casserly—1 point
- Philip Raftery—1 goal and 1 point
- Paddy Moran—1 point
It was Claregalway’s first win in the League and it was an all round good display. William Morris in his first ever League game in goal played very well. Paddy Moran had a goal disallowed for a square ball. Ronan Mangan’s first game in midfield had a shaky start but settled down after about ten minutes or so. Joseph Garett and Philip Raftery were the top scorers, scoring one goal and one point each. Aodhán Glynn got the vital goal to get Claregalway back on track. The final score was: Claregalway 3–6, Maree 3–4.
