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St Joseph's College Lucan
Cooking Demonstration: Last week our TY Event Management and Home Economics Department collaborated in hosting a free cooking demonstration by Thermomix. It was an excellent evening with plenty of delicious food all made using the Thermomix. Thank you to everyone who attended the event. Our TY's are currently learning the importance of nutrition with our Future Leaders programme so it was great for them to get some tips on delicious nutritious meals.
North Leinster Athletics: Well done to all who participated in the North Leinster Athletic competition in Santry last week. Congratulations to our medal winners and to all who took part in the various sports. St Joseph's College was very well represented at this event. Medal winners on Monday 27th April were Julie Heynen, Anna Kilkullen, Ellen Kenny and Rachel Doyle. Medal winners on Wednesday 29th were Lucy Cassidy, Ana Jones and Holly Whelan.
Sports Day: Last Thursday the whole school made its way over to Lucan Harriers Athletics Club and Weston Hockey Club for our annual sports day. The atmosphere on the day was fantastic with students participating in a wide variety of track and field events, tag rugby, tug of war, hockey and rounders. Many thanks to Ms. Borza for organising the BBQ on the day and to the entire PE department for all the planning and hard work that goes into facilitating and organising such a big event for over 900 students.
Joeys Splashers: Seventeen TY students 'Joey's Splashers' took to the River Barrow as part of the Athy Dragon Boat Regatta, competing in the U18 Category against the Carlow Juniors and the Barrow Dragons. There were 21 Teams taking part in total and the students had a great day on the water!
Despite not setting foot in the Dragon Boat before, the students had practiced in their positions to perfect their team work and synchronised strokes! With great help from the Dragon Boat organising team, the students improved greatly from Race 1 to Race 2 and 3. They completed the 200m in 1 Min 53 seconds in Round 1 and reduced it to 1 Min 41 seconds by Round 3.
The Dragon Boat Teams come from all over Ireland. Many of the teams that take part are Breast Cancer Survivors. The students were initially due to take part in the Regatta in September but it had to be postponed until now. In September, 'Joey's Splashers' held a Bake Sale for Breast Cancer Ireland, raising €575.20 at the time!
Joey's Splashers team were delighted to come home with a Bronze Medal each for their 3rd place finish!!
Thank you to Katherine Gibbons & family for supporting the team from the sidelines.
Minor Camogie: Hard luck to our minor camogie team who were beaten in their championship final on Tuesday afternoon. They played brilliantly all throughout the year and again in the final. Despite leading at half time the team ultimately came up short in the final against Manor House, Raheny. The good news is that this is a young team and many of them are underage again next year and we are hoping that this years experience will stand to them next year. Best of luck to all our students and their clubs in the upcoming Feile competitions.
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Colaiste Phadraig
Athletics: The arrival of the warmer spring weather traditionally heralds the start of the Post-Primary Schools Athletics season, and our school has once again been making waves on the track. This year, we proudly entered a strong team of 32 students, from all the different year groups, in the West Leinster Schools Track and Field Championships, held over two exciting days last week at the National Athletics Stadium in Santry Demesne.
The highlight of the championships came in the Senior Boys 200m final, where 6th yr James Dunne delivered a superb performance to qualify for the Leinster Finals, to be held next month.
The majority of our athletes competed in track events, and each one represented the school with pride, determination, and sportsmanship. The level of competition was exceptionally high, but our students rose to the challenge and performed admirably throughout. Our relay teams narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Leinster finals.
We extend our congratulations to all athletes who took part and we wish James the very best in the Leinster Final.
Transition Year: Our TY students have been taking driving lessons in the school yard over the past few weeks. Under the patient guidance of instructors from Airport Driving School, students have been introduced to the essential skills required to drive safely and responsibly.
They learned how to carry out basic safety checks, including inspecting brake fluid, adjusting the driver's seat, fastening seatbelts, and checking mirrors. The instructors also demonstrated how to start and stop the engine, select gears, and control the car smoothly.
Once comfortable, students had the opportunity to put these skills into practice. At a very controlled and slow pace, they practiced steering, turning, braking, and even parking around the school yard.
Not only did the students enjoy the thrill of driving, but they also gained a strong awareness of road safety and responsibility.
Four new benches were professionally installed on the school grounds last week, marking a significant enhancement to the outdoor space between the main building and the modular classrooms. Overlooking the wide open GAA and soccer pitches, these benches have quickly become a popular focal point for both students and staff. In the fine spring weather, teachers have already taken the opportunity to bring their classes outdoors, making use of the seating for group work, pair activities, and more relaxed
learning experiences. The benches can accommodate up to 30 students, creating an ideal environment for collaborative work.
Building on this development, Transition Year DIY students took on the challenge this week of constructing two additional benches for the Memorial Garden. Under the guidance of Mr. Todd, students worked in small groups to assemble the benches, carefully following instructions to ensure each structure was safe and sturdy. They also sanded down the wooden surfaces, demonstrating attention to detail and pride in their work.
This hands-on project provided TY students with valuable practical skills while also giving them the satisfaction of contributing to the school environment. The newly completed benches in the Memorial Garden will offer a calm and reflective space, further enhancing this special area.
A sincere thank you to the Parents Association for funding these benches. With more developments planned, these improved outdoor spaces will continue to benefit the entire school community for years to come.
Chess: The Chess Club Finals concluded in Room 1 after months of competition, featuring four finalists: Alex Keogh, Sean O'Brien, Marshwin Thomas, and Harry Burke. Each played three matches in a tightly contested round-robin. Early wins for Alex and Sean set the tone, but Marshwin's resilience kept him in contention. A dramatic final round saw Marshwin defeat Sean, forcing a tie-break. In a high-quality decider, Marshwin's superior endgame play secured victory and the title of School Chess Grandmaster 2026. Sean finished runner-up, Alex placed third, and Harry fourth. Congratulations to all players and to Mr. Jose for organising a highly successful competition.
Lucan Community College
Chess Tournament: Well done to the school Lucan CC chess team who came runners-up in the DDLETB Inter-schools chess tournament on Friday, a great achievement competing against 10 schools from around the Dublin area.
West Leinster Track & Field: Well done to all of our students who proudly represented the school at the West Leinster Track & Field event in Santry last week. A special congratulations to Conal Fitzgerald, Ferdia McDonagh & Charlie Bermingham, who have all qualified for the Leinster's in Tullamore - a fantastic achievement! It's always a great event that our students thoroughly enjoy. Well done to everyone involved!
Chess Tournament: Congratulations to Julie, Moria, Conor and Raghad who qualified for and participated in the National Microsoft Specialist Finals at Microsoft Dreamspace last week, where they competed with students from all over Ireland. What a fantastic achievement - Well done! Thanks to Billy and Prodigy Learning for organising such a positive event.
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