13 January 2017

Gaelic games update 

All-Ireland schools’ inter-provincial competition

The All-Ireland schools’ inter-provincial football competition is coming up on Saturday, 21 January  in Westmeath where players from each province get to play against the best schools players from around the county.  Loreto Wexford has been well represented in recent years and the 2017 competition is no different. Three of our current senior players have made the Leinster panel and have been training over the Christmas period in preparation for the competition. School captain, Clare O’Gorman, (Taghmon-Camross), full forward Cathy O’Connor (Kilmore) and centre forward Julia Dempsey (Volunteers) were called up following some excellent displays representing the school in the senior championship, which resulted in a Leinster ‘A’ semi-final defeat v Coláiste Iosagáin before the Christmas break. We wish the three girls and the Leinster panel and management team all the best in next week’s competition.

Junior ‘A’ and ‘D’ Leinster Championship

The schools u-16 B football teams’ preparations continue this week ahead of their eagerly anticipated Leinster quarter-final against Carnew on Thursday, 19 January at 12:45pm in Carnew GAA Grounds. The girls topped their group earlier in the year with comprehensive victories over Bridgetown V.C. and Creagh College. They now enter the knock out stages and hope to go one better than last year’s heart breaking Leinster final defeat by a single point.

Finally, the u-16 ‘A’ team (picture above) have followed on from last season’s winning of the Junior B football championship by reaching the Junior A final at the first time of asking. The panel of 26 players now looks forward to a Leinster show down with Scoil Chríost Rí, Portlaoise on Thursday, 2 February at 12pm (venue Carlow tbc). Both teams will continue their preparations with training next Tuesday after school.
We wish all the teams, their players and management the best over the coming weeks!

Random Acts of Kindness Week
By Beth Powell, 4.3, Students’ Council

The Students’ Council held “Random Acts of Kindness Week” for the students during the first week of December last.
During the week, different events and proceedings were carried out by the Students’ Council to improve the overall morale and daily lives of the students. The week was planned to promote kindness and happiness throughout the school.
Every morning music was played in the foyer as students walked in and two members from Students’ Council were there giving out sweets. This was to give a positive element to everyone’s morning. Each student in the school was given a name of someone in their class who was to be their secret friend for the week. The idea is to do nice things for your secret friend like leaving them a note, buying them something from the vending machines, complimenting them and then at the end of the week everyone tells each other who their secret friend is. Every day we had announcements over the intercom with suggestions of what you could do for your secret friend.
On Tuesday, meditation was led at lunch by a 6th year member of Students’ Council, Eva Larkin. This was to promote wellbeing and relaxation during what can be a stressful month for some students.
On Wednesday, Loreto Bingo, a school favourite, was run by one of our head girls, Maria Cullen. Great prizes were won by various lucky students.
On Friday, we showed an episode of Friends at lunch and gave lollipops out to everyone that attended. This was a great success to end an enjoyable week.
Overall, it was a fun week for the whole school community. All the feedback given by the students and staff was very positive and everyone seemed to enjoy the week thoroughly. Students’ Council had lots of fun planning the week and treating everyone, especially as it was the week after the dreaded Christmas exams! We hope everyone enjoyed “Random Acts of Kindness Week” and are looking forward to our ideas for 2017! Keep an eye on the Students’ Council Board for what we are planning next!

Logon Learning

Our 6 week Logon Learning programme came to an end on 15 December. A special thank you to Ava Grant, our LOL group leader and all the girls for their time, patience and good humour. The girls have been incredible tutors and made technology accessible in the lives of their students.

Carol Service Reflection 2016

We publish here the reflection read to students and staff at the Carol Service in Rowe Street Church on 21 December last. It inspired a lot of people!
Christmas for many of us is the happiest time of the year when we get together with our families and friends to share food, stories, memories and exchange gifts. We come together to celebrate the birth of Jesus into the Holy Family. Jesus’ family had great love for each other and this helped them to overcome great trials and sufferings. There are many children in families in Ireland and all over the world this Christmas who are facing trials and sufferings in terms of unemployment, illness, tension or conflict. On Christmas Eve many doors were closed to Jesus’ family apart from one tiny stable door. As it states in Revelations 3:20: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in. This Christmas we must ensure that we do not close the door on our own family or other families who need our help.
As it states in Luke’s Gospel 11:9: Knock and the door will be open to you. In our school this year we certainly have not closed the door. This year alone we have raised; €4,000 for Wexford Hospice, €990 for Goal, €6,136.75 for Loreto Rumbek, 280 shoeboxes for Team Hope, €1,496.40 for Concern, €440 for the Men’s Homeless Shelter and €2,337.22 for Saint Vincent de Paul. This is a grand total of €15,400.37 that we have raised for charity as a school community this year. As Anne Frank once said “Nobody has ever become poor from giving”. Many students this year pooled pocket money together to make one shoebox for Team Hope and many students who did not have money to give to these charities gave their time and attention to help promote these causes and we acknowledge that spirit of giving.

As the Christmas story reminds us in the Gospel of Luke 2:10 the birth of Jesus will bring “news of great joy for all of the people” The generosity of the Loreto students is certainly news of great joy. Our prayer, this Christmas is that we all remember that the true meaning of Christmas is not found wrapped in a box under the Christmas tree but in the love and joy that we bring to our families and all of those around us this Christmas. Remember, do not close the door, the door of your hearts and minds.