5 February 2021

School News

Great credit is due to the many Transition Year students who have written accounts of activities that they have undertaken in the current school year. Despite all the restrictions that currently govern our daily lives, their accounts – available in the TY section of our website – point to a very active and enjoyable year so far. We thank the co-ordinating team of teachers – Ms. Zimmermann, Ms. Martin and Ms. Smyth – for working so well with their colleagues to provide such a good TY experience for all 150 students.

Any items from members of the school community for inclusion on or website can be emailed directly to Mr. O’ Shea – principal@loretowexford.com

John Paul II Newsletter

Please click here for this week’s edition of the John Paul 2 Newsletter.

Sincere thanks to all involved in its publication. It has gone from strength to strength and proven to be both informative and most uplifting over the past few weeks.

School Closure

A letter to families continues to be issued each Friday during the current school closure to keep all members of the Loreto community up-to-date on developments. This week’s letter may be viewed by clicking here.

How to Grow Produce from Home – article by Avril Rochford and Eabha Crosbie (Green Schools Committee)

While at home, you may have some extra time on your hands. A great way to use this time would be growing some fresh produce. Growing your own food can be really rewarding. It is also better for the environment as you’re decreasing harmful emissions that would be released from transporting vehicles. One great thing to grow from scratch are tomatoes!

Firstly, you will need to start with rich, fertile soil for your plant. Additionally, you will need to water the plant regularly. As well, you will need to locate your plant in a sunny sheltered spot.

It is important to know if your plant is determinate (bush) or interdeterminate (cordon). Bushes are usually planted in pots or hanging baskets. Cordon types will grow tall and should be supported by a stake, for example, a bamboo stick or a cane. It could be a good idea to start with bush tomatoes if you are a beginner as they are easy to care for.

If you are planning to grow your tomatoes from a seed, you should sow from late January to March. You should plant it in a larger pot around May or June and harvest from July to October.