School of Sanctuary
On Wednesday, 17th April representatives from our Sanctuary committee were invited to speak at the CEIST Student Leadership Conference in DCU. Wiktoria, Weronika, Pierce and Joseph represented our school. They spoke about our journey to becoming a Champion School of Sanctuary. They also got the opportunity to partake in workshops with other schools. It was a great experience.
Picnic Benches
Some of our First Year girls, pictured in the sun on April 16th, enjoying our recently installed picnic benches!
Third Year Home Economics Cooking Exam
Congratulations to our Third Year Home Economics students on completing their 50% Cookery exam on the week ending Friday, April 12th. Some fantastic skills were on show. Well done!
Wear Red Day
On Friday, 22nd March, our school participated in the national 'Wear Red Day'. This is an initiative, organised by the Immigrant Council of Ireland and the Football Association of Ireland. The slogan of the initiative is 'Show Racism the Red Card'. Students wore red to show their support and they donated to the Immigrant Council of Ireland. In total 760 Euro was raised. Thank you to the School of Sanctuary committee, who organised the event and thank you to all who took park and donated.
Seachtain na Gaeilge
Bhí seachtain iontach ar scoil an tseachtain seo caite agus Seachtain na Gaeilge á cheiliúradh againn!
Students got to experience all aspects of Irish culture from damhsa to amhránaíocht to ceol traidisiúnta. Students tested their knowledge in a Tráth na gCeist. Leaving students got to practice for their upcoming oral exams with a maidin chaifé. The whole school got in the festive spirit of Lá Fhéile Pádraig with our Lá Glas on Friday.
Maith sibh uilig a ghlac páirt agus ná déanaigí dearmad Is fearr Gaeilge bhriste ná Béarla cliste!
Soccer
On Thursday, March 14th our First Year Boys lined out against Coláiste Mhuire, Mullingar in the League Final. The boys started very well and were perhaps unlucky to go 1-0 down just before the break. CBS started the second half brighter, scoring early and leaving our lads with little option but to open up and go chasing the game. CBS, who were an excellent side ran out 4-0 winners on the day. Despite the result our lads deserve great credit for reaching the Final and for their non stop effort on the day. To a man they never let up and there will surely be better days ahead for this team.
Soccer
Congratulations to our Senior Boys Soccer Team on their victory over Mercy Ballymahon in the Midlands League Final on March 13th. The game was won 4-3 on penalties. The scoreline stood at 3-3 at the end of normal time, with us having led 3-1 with five minutes to play thanks to a classy hattrick from Shane Corcoran. We conceded two in quick succession in the closing stages, one through playing 'ping-pong' in our box and another direct from a free kick. Despite that disappointment, the boys responded well in extra-time and still looked the stronger side. We couldn't break through, so penalties ensued. With penalties dispatched from Jake Gannon, Shane Corcoran and Cillian Rochford, and with Conor Mullins having made two saves, it fell to Jacob 'Jazzy' Browne to seal the victory. No mistake. The boys did it. The trophy was then presented to our captain Dylan Franzoni. It was a fantastic way for some of our Sixth Year boys to end their Soccer journey at Mercy Kilbeggan, having won the equivalent title way back when they were in First Year!
Team: 1. Conor Mullins; 2. Dylan Franzoni -C; 3. Arthur O'Rourke; 4. Jacob Browne; 5. Ryan Weston; 6. Jake Gannon; 7. Ben Maguire; 8. Steven Fennessy; 9. Shane Corcoran; 10. Cillian Rochford; 11. Josh Gannon. Subs used: 14. Daragh O'Brien; 13. Cian Kinnarney; 15. Neil Pierson.
Rugby
Pictured below is our MSSK First & Second Year Boys Rugby Team that played in a development blitz in Mullingar RFC on March 12th. The lads showed tremendous commitment and effort with great handling on display in tough conditions. They won all three of their games. There is lots more to come from this great squad in the future. Well done to Mr. Corrigan and the boys.
Pocket Forests Visit to our School
On Thursday the 14th of March, as part of our school’s journey to receive its Biodiversity flag, our Green-Schools committee were visited by Pocket Forests and KMK Metals Recycling Kilbeggan. The students planted different species of trees and fauna, all of which are local to Kilbeggan.
A Week of Words 2024
Well done to all of the students and staff who took part in our very successful 'A Week of Words'. This was a fantastic week which celebrated all aspects of literacy through a range of events, such as poetry competitions, talks, library visits and creative writing workshops. A massive thank you to everyone who took part and to the English Department for organising. We are already looking forward to next year.
Junior Boys Football
Commiserations to our Junior Boys Football Team who were defeated in the NL Final on Friday, March 8th at Kinnegad GAA Grounds. Our boys put in a good display but narrowly lost out to Boyne C.S. on a score line of 4-09 to 3-07. Well done to Mr. Egan, Mr. Henson and Mr. Coffey for the work they have put in throughout the year with the squad.
World Book Day
On Thursday, 7th March we had a very enjoyable day celebrating World Book Day. The main event was a whole school DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) class for all students, which allowed them to read a book of their choosing for the duration of their 10am class. Well done to all students and staff for taking part. Also, a massive well done to our English teachers who dressed up as characters from famous books. It really added to the day and helped the students get into the spirit of the day. We're already looking forward to next year .
Trad Groups
Westmeath Enterprise Awards
Certified Irish Angus Schools Competition
FINALISTS FLY TO BELGIUM FOR STUDY TOUR WITH CERTIFIED IRISH ANGUS
28 pupils and their teachers from 5 schools who are participating in the Certified Irish Angus Schools Competition are flying out to Belgium this week for a farm to fork study tour. The four-day trip is part of a skills development experience for the finalists in the 2023 competition which is organised by the Certified Irish Angus Producer Group, ABP and Kepak.
The tour commences in Dublin with a visit to Tesco Ireland and then travel across to Bord Bia HQ to learn about the sale and promotion of Irish Angus beef. The teenagers will then get back to the farming side of the trip in Teagasc Grange before moving to onto what is one of the most highly regarded centres for breeding Angus cattle and thoroughbred horses, Gigginstown House Stud and Farm.
In Belgium the pupils will be staying at the Irish College, Leuven. Their trip will be action packed with the students’ making presentations in the European Parliament to Irish political and farming representatives about the projects they are working on as finalists.
On the final day the pupils head to Bruges where they will visit Ter Groene Poorte school which is a training institute for nutrition-oriented studies. The school offers training for butchers, bakeries, large kitchens, and restaurants studies for pupils that would be a similar age to the Irish students.
Charles Smith, General Manager, Certified Irish Angus Producer Group said, “One of the highlights of the Certified Irish Angus Schools Competition for the students is undoubtedly this annual study trip. It provides them with the opportunity to meet some of the leaders in Irish and European Agriculture and we are very grateful to people like Michael O’Leary, the Irish M.E.P.’s and our supplier partners who make time to interact with these students who are going to be the future of Irish Agriculture.
The trip also takes the students full circle, from their own experience rearing the calves as part of the competition to the marketing of a premium product on a global scale. At Tesco Ireland they will learn about what it takes for a product to become one of the exclusive Tesco Finest* brands and the importance of provenance and consistency of quality for the retailer.”
Eoin Robinson, Jack Larkin and Shane King are the students who represented our school and partook in the trip!
First Year Boys Soccer
Sustainability Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) Workshop
Transition Year Forensic Science Workshop
Irish Guide Dogs Association Visit
German
FIRST® LEGO® League
Every year, FIRST® LEGO® League releases a new Challenge based on a real-world, scientific theme. This year’s theme was, MASTERPIECE. Students are introduced to the fundamentals of STEM while working together to solve fun challenges and building models using LEGO® DUPLO® bricks. They take their background knowledge of STEM and put it into practice as they work in teams to design and build robots using the LEGO® Education SPIKE Essential. Once they are ready to move into a competitive setting, they join Challenge and apply their STEM skills combined with critical thinking to work with a team, build a robot, and compete in an exciting, mission-based robotics game.Luke Sinnamon, Isabel Scally, Robert O'Sullivan, Oisín Marshall, Cillian Farrell, Freya O'Reilly, Sean Rabbitte, Tomás O'Connor, Emma Fennessy and Daniel Ryan were our team of TY students that entered into the FIRST LEGO League Challenge. This competition took place in TUS Athlone on Thursday, 8th February. Our students had to present their innovation project and robotic design to a panel of judges. They also had to complete three robotic missions. For the missions, there were various challenges their robot had to complete to help add to their score from their interview. When the three rounds were completed, the highest scoring round was added to their interview points.
Our students won the prize for highest scoring team in the robotic missions’ challenge.
La Chandeleur
First & Second Year Boys Hurling Squad 2023-2024
Athletics
Pictured below is our Athletics Team at an event in the Phoenix Park on Friday, January 26th. Well done to all participants.
Girls Rugby
Pictured below is our Senior Girls Rugby Team. They partook in a Blitz on Thursday, January 25th. It was the first time for sisters Georgia (Sixth Year) and Charlotte Young (TY) to play a competitive game together!
Face The Phoenix Competition 2024
Congratulations to TY student Marie Claire Maxwell who won the Student Enterprise competition 'Face the Phoenix' run by Tullamore Credit Union on January 24th. Her business 'Rudai Deasa' was the stand out business on the day. Well done to our other groups who also participated on the day which led to our school winning 'The Most Enterprising School'.
Concern Debating
Sixth Year LCVP - Information Morning for TYs
Sixth Year LCVP
First Year Boys Soccer
Our First Year Boys Soccer team started their league campaign against Coláiste Mhuire Mullingar on Wednesday, January 17th. Though the lads were defeated 3-1 on the day, they put on an excellent display. There is lots to build on going forward. Well done boys!
Certified Irish Angus Schools Competition 2024
Four of our students, Caoimhe Geraghty, Charlotte Young, Emma McMahon and Jane Colton were at Rockfield House in Kells as part of the Certified Irish Angus Schools Competition. The girls are the third group from our school to be in the competition and they have made it to Stage 2 - Interviews. At Rockfield House they were interviewed by industry experts from the Irish Angus Group, Kepak and ABP on their project ‘Women in Agriculture’.
If they are successful, they will be moving on to stage 3 of the competition which will take place in Croke Park in March.
Basketball
History was made on Thursday, January 11th as we hosted our first ever Home Basketball Game at our new school. Our U16 Boys welcomed Beaufort College in the Leinster QF. In what was a thrilling encounter, where our boys found themselves 10 points adrift at the start of the 4th quarter, we turned the tide in the closing stages and powered home - winning 35-30. Congratulations to the entire squad and to Mr. Dempsey and Mr. Duffy.
Concern Debating
Congratulations to the Concern Debating Team of Cadhla-Rose O’Reilly, Rachael Omoyayi, Shane King and Lilia O’Brien who recently defeated Elphin Community College from Co Roscommon in the third round of the Concern League phase. They successfully opposed the motion that “Big Business is indifferent to the SDG’s”. This is their third victory since September. Thus far they have tackled topics such as “Africa will regret its reliance on China” against Gallen Community School, in Ferbane; the topical “African Nations must be allowed to develop their fossil fuel resources” against St Mogue’s College, Bawnboy, Cavan before taking on the latest motion on Big Business and the Sustainable Development Goals. They have won 13 points and are looking forward to participating in the next round. We are most fortunate to have a panel of very talented and committed speakers, comprising of Rose O’Brien, Lily Norigeon-Grehan, Sara Delaney, Lilia O’Brien, Cadhla-Rose O’Reilly; Rachael Omoyayi;Shane King and Megan Quinn.
Debating is a very beneficial activity, allowing students to hone their argumentative, research and critical thinking skills, not just in their Senior Cycle studies, but also as a life skill going forward. The topics also allow students to empathise with those less fortunate and to gain an insight into life in the Developing World. Best of luck to the debaters in the new year. L to R: Shane King, Rachael Omoyayi, Sara Delaney, Lilia O’Brien, Cadhla - Rose O’Reilly, Rose O’Brien.
Girls Soccer
Our Senior Girls Soccer Team welcomed Clara to Gainstown on December 19th. Our girls proved too strong for their opponents on the day running out 9-2 winners. The whole team as well as the substitutes that came on were excellent. Danielle O'Neill scored 5 goals, Laoise Quinn scored 2, Molly Russel and Rachael Omoyayi scored 1 each. Next stop... Semi final!
Our Choir, Orchestra & Trad Group Performed in Golden Island, Athlone on 18/12/23
Christmas Market 2023 - Well Done to all Involved
Multicultural Day
On Tuesday, 12th December, the School of Sanctuary committee organised Multicultural Day. The various nationalities, cultures, heritages and languages of our school community were represented. Students from Poland, Brazil, Sudan, Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Ukraine, Lithuania, India, Latvia, Nigeria, France and Romania presented their displays. Thank you to our international students and their families for all the work put in for Multicultural Day.
Champions! - U16 Midlands Boys Basketball 2023. Well Done Boys, Mr. Dempsey & Mr. Duffy
Nikolaustag
Greenschools
Transition Year Languages Trip
Library Club
Thursday, the 23rd of November marked the first day of our newly formed Library Club. The club meets at lunchtime and all students are invited to use the library for some quiet reading time. It was a fantastic start and we are looking forward to seeing it grow over the coming weeks.
Geography Week Photography Competition Winner - Josh Hynes
School Library
Our new school library is now fully stocked and ready for use. This is a fantastic resource for our students and we are delighted to be able to offer a diverse range of books to encourage reading. A massive thank you to the English Department for their work in completing the library and also to those TY students who were very involved in helping get the library ready. Finally, a massive thank you to our Art and Woodwork Departments for ably assisting us in decorating the library.
Concern Debating
Our Concern Debates Panel are busy this term with 2 debates under their belts already. In October, they took on Gallen Community School Ferbane, Co Offaly and successfully opposed the motion that China is good for Africa. This past week (ending Friday 17th November) they debated against St Mogue's College in Bawnboy, Co Cavan. They proposed the motion that African Nations should be allowed to develop fossil fuels to help lift their people out of poverty. Debates take place on Zoom and adjudications can take up to 2 weeks. So fingers crossed for this motion! Next month they take on Elphin Community College and debate if Big Business is Indifferent to the SDGs.
Student Council 2023-2024
10th Nov: TY Engineering Workshop with Cian Farrell, a Lecturer in Structural Engineering
Junior Girls Football
Our Junior Girls Football Team move to two wins from two games after defeating St Mary’s Edenderry on November 8th. The score was 4-05 to 2-04. The girls previously defeated Mountmellick C.C. 5-19 to 1-05.
Lego League
Pictured are some of our TY students as they compete to be the team that represents our school in the FIRST LEGO League. This is a global STEM challenge for teams of young people, to encourage an interest in real world themes and develop key skills that are crucial for their future careers. The challenge consists of a number of elements including: designing and coding a robot to perform a series of tasks in a robot game (relevant to the 2023/2024 MASTERPIECE theme), an innovation project, and demonstration of core values.
Freaky Friday on Friday October 27th
Junior Certificate Results 2023
Congratulations to all of our students who received their results and a huge thank you to all the hardworking teachers and SNAs for their great work with this group.
Cross Country Running on October 18th
Junior Camogie
Well done to our Junior Camogie team who had a super performance in their win over Colaiste Clavin, Longwood on October 18th. The final score was 4-6 to 1-4. The girls wait to see if they make it out of the group after winning one and losing one.
A Link to TYC's Class Blog, Where They Write About School Trips and Other Interests
https://padlet.com/daltons5/keeping-up-with-the-t-ys-slizug1t0g9xxoi2
Fifth Year Music
Our Fifth Year Choir Class experienced a most enjoyable day of music at SINGOUT in Esker Theatre, Tullamore on the 12th October. The students took part in a Barbershop Workshop led by American Musician and Singer Melody Hine.
It concluded with a wonderful Barbershop Performance of A Million Dreams from The Greatest Showman and Treat People With Kindness by Harry Styles.
Senior School Golf in Esker Hills on 12th October 2023, where Tadhg Connell, Conor Mullins, Adam Cassidy & Ríona Egan Teed It Up and represented our School. Well done!
TY Hiking Trip - Stairway to Heaven, Fermanagh. Wednesday Oct 11th 2023
Showjumping
Our school Showjumpers had a great day out recently in Mullingar Equestrian Centre with some of our riders placing in the top 4 in their classes. Well done to all who took part. Everyone had an enjoyable day and the sun shone on all rounds of jumping.
Junior Boys Hurling Panel 2023
First Year Archaeology
First Year Bonding Trip
On Friday September, 29th our First Year students travelled to Flynn Adventure Park in Dublin for a Bonding Trip. Here students got to partake in and enjoy, team games, archery and an Inflatable Aqua Park. A great day was had in the lovely sunshine, a fitting way to mark the beginning of their journey in Mercy Kilbeggan.
School of Sanctuary
On Friday September 22nd, our School of Sanctuary committee attended an Awards Ceremony in TUS Athlone. We were one of three schools in the country to receive the prestigious 'Champion School of Sanctuary' award. This is in recognition of the work that our committee does, in order to promote linguistic and cultural inclusivity, and create a welcoming, safe space for all pupils in our school. As part of the ceremony, some of our students did a presentation about our School of Sanctuary. The award was presented by TUS Vice President; Frances O'Connell and Places of Sanctuary Ireland Board Member; Mavis Ramanzi. Also present at the ceremony were Programme Manager of Schools of Sanctuary Ireland; Karen Dervane, Board Member of Places of Sanctuary Ireland; Tonye Benson Olatunde, TUS Access Officer; Jenny Burke and Project Coordinator for the Moylish Campus; Mona Khan. We also listened to the stories of University of Sanctuary scholarship recipients, which were very inspiring. We are the first school in the Midlands to receive this award and one of only eighteen schools in Ireland. We look forward to continuing our work this year. Please watch our video on our YouTube channel, created by fifth Year student Shane King, to learn more about our School of Sanctuary.
Camogie 2023/24 begins. Well done to all players for completing their first training session.
Transition Year Bonding Trip
On Friday September 22nd, our TY students travelled to Lilliput for a bonding trip.
National Ploughing Championships 2023
Transition Year and Fifth Year Ag. Science Classes visited the ploughing championships this year. They went to support Eoin Robinson, Jack Larkin and Shane King who were presented with their 5 Irish Angus calves. These students will be rearing the calves and will be doing a project for the Certified Irish Angus competition. They will be competing against 4 other schools in Ireland for the title of overall winner in the Certified Irish Angus competition in 2025.
Chloe Mc Dermott, Mary Colton and Trasa and Sinead Bracken from Sixth Year also came to support the Fifth Year students. They received their calves at the Ploughing championships last year. They are in the final stage of the competition and will be heading to Croke Park in March 2024.
Certified Irish Angus 2023 Schools Competition Finalists
Pictured below at the National Ploughing Championships 2023 are Fifth Year students Eoin Robinson, Jack Larkin and Shane King.
A New Era at Mercy Secondary School Kilbeggan!
Wood Technology
2023's Junior Cycle Wood Technology projects, completed by students in the classes of Mr. Cox and Mr. Burke. The quality of work this year was exceptional.
Whole School Photo 2023