16 December 2016
Academic Awards Ceremony
The school’s Academic Awards Ceremony will be held in the Concert Hall on Monday, 19 December at 6.00 p.m. In the course of this ceremony, outstanding performances in the 2016 State Examinations and 2nd and 5th year Summer Examinations will be formally recognised by the school’s Academic Council. The event will be attended by award-winning students, their parents, teachers as well as representatives of the Board of Management, Students’ Council and Parents’ Council.
Christmas Week in Loreto
Christmas Week is here, one of the highlights of life in Loreto, Wexford.
The first big event is the Trade Fair that will take place on Monday, 19 December. This allows 4th year mini-companies the chance to display their goods or services to all year groups in the hope of capturing their fair share of the lucrative Christmas market.
Tuesday, 20 December will see three stagings of the 6th year show. The bar continues to be raised on this event every year when 6th year students, with no little help and mischief from staff, produce a fun-filled drama with music, song and hilarity, all in aid of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
One of the liturgical highlights of the year takes place on Wednesday afternoon, 21 December, when the entire school community assembles in Rowe Street Church for the annual Carol Service. Led by our chaplain, Fr. Jim Fegan, this event combines biblical readings, inspirational thoughts, traditional carol singing and a festive sing along to produce what is always a deeply-moving and enjoyable celebration of the real meaning of Christmas.
Thursday morning, 22 December, is reserved for Mr. Murphy’s Christmas Table Quiz when students’ general knowledge is tested by a series of challenging questions compiled by Mr. Murphy and his team of musical and not-so-musical elves!
Thursday is also a No Uniform Day with the proceeds once again going towards our adopted charity at this time of the year, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
If we survive the above, we should all be ready for a well-deserved Christmas holiday beginning at about 12.00 on Thursday.
Loreto students visit the elderly
Ms. Browne’s 2.2 CSPE class recently carried out their Junior Certificate Action Project when they decided to visit St. Mary’s Day Centre in Tagoat.
When deciding on their Action Project, the girls thought it would be a nice idea to do something for the elderly in the run up to Christmas. They brought in items to be put into a hamper and purchased some arts and crafts material that they could take with them on the day of the visit.
On Friday, 9 December the class arrived in Tagoat and met with twenty of the patrons and a number of staff. The girls spent an hour making Christmas cards, reading newspapers, painting nails and playing cards. As they said goodbye, they presented the patrons with the hamper and wished them a lovely Christmas.
The girls really enjoyed the project as they realised that the older generation can often be forgotten about.
Loreto students spring to action for homelessness
Ms. Browne’s 2.1 CSPE class recently carried out their Junior Certificate Action Project when they decided to raise much needed funds for Wexford’s Men’s Hostel, ‘Ozanam House’.
The girls were aware that homelessness is a huge concern across the country and given that Christmas is fast approaching, they thought it would be nice to try and do something to help our local hostel.
Posters were designed and intercom announcements were made in order to highlight the number of people who are not fortunate to have a roof over their heads. A dozen sleeping bags were donated by the girls and passed onto Ozanam House in an effort to provide some small comfort to any man who finds himself on the growing waiting list for a bed.
The class also decided to hold a cake sale which proved to be hugely successful. €440 was the total sum raised. This money will go towards making Christmas a little bit brighter for any man who may be in the hostel on Christmas Day.
Aideen Moran, a team leader in Ozanam House, visited the school on 14 December and spoke to the girls about the service the hostel provides. She thanked the girls sincerely for their generosity.
U16 footballers advance to Leinster final
By: Lettie Whelan
Loreto Wexford’s U16 footballers advanced to the Leinster final after an outstanding display against Rochford Bridge of Westmeath.
The game was slow to start and after ten minutes it was 0-1 apiece. Loreto got their score through Amy Cousins. Ciara O’Connor kick started a Loreto scoring spree with a goal in the eleventh minute. Eve Hession added three frees. Mollie Bates added 2-2 to the score line in three minutes before Amy Cousins blasted to the net. Amy Cousins and Niamh Dunne added points before Ciara Banville placed the ball into the right top corner of the net. Eve Hession added another free before Liadh Dwyer and Sophie Boxwell split the posts. Rochford Bridge’s centre forward scored a point just before the break to leave the score at 5-11 to 0-2.
Rochford Bridge tried hard in the second half and outscored Loreto by 0-4 to 0-1 but it was nowhere near enough to combat an excellent team performance by the Loreto girls. Loreto now await the winners of Scoil Críost Rí and Coláiste Iosaágan in the Leinster final.
Loreto: Sally Walker, Clodagh Walsh, Anna Hennessy, Caitlin Carroll, Liadh Dwyer (0-1), Emily Bates, Michelle Carty, Niamh Dunne (0-1), Ciara Banville (1-0), Ella O’Connor, Ciara O’Connor (1-0), Amy Cousins (1-2), Eve Hession (0-4 frees), Mollie Bates (2-2), Sophie Boxwell (0-1).
Subs: Sadhbh Cullinane for Eve Hession, Alanna Fusicardi Wallace for Caitlin Carroll, Anna Mulligan (0-1) for Ella O’Connor, Ellie Mernagh for Ciara O’Connor and Sarah Hobbert for Sophie Boxwell.
On behalf of the Board of Management, I wish all members of the Loreto school community a very happy Christmas and every blessing for the New Year.
We hope that by this time next year we will be in our new school building at Pembroke Hill, the construction of which continues to progress very well as evidenced by the pictures on our website.
School will re-open on Monday, 9 January 2017.
Billy O’ Shea,
Principal.
