TY News
Fourth Year Italy Tour: Our Day in Venice
The day was Valentine’s Day and we got up early to get a coach which would bring us to a water taxi which in turn would bring us to St. Marks Square. There, we went to Mass which was lovely to watch, even if we did not understand Italian. Following on from Mass we had some free time to explore Venice, have some lunch and do some shopping. We then went on a most enjoyable walking tour of Venice. That evening, we met at the Rialto and strolled from there across the city to a restaurant where we had a delicious meal. This was followed by a visit to a church where our teachers had very kindly organised for us to attend a classical concert.
Having heard Sunday Mass in St. Mark’s earlier in the day, it was by no means certain that we would be eager to take to the pews for another service that same day. But, (Loreto Religion Department please note) we were all actually up for it.
Well, the evening ‘service’ was of the musical variety, featuring the concert ensemble Interpreti Veneziani and took place in the beautifully lit church of San Vidal. The acoustic in this church was excellent, the ideal venue for some Baroque.
Given their name Interpreti Veneziani it was no surprise that the evening’s six pieces of music were by Vivaldi, Vivaldi, Vivaldi, Bottesini, Vivaldi and Paganini and they were all very well done. Even the ensemble’s own literature applauds its reputation for “ …youthful exuberance and all Italian brio…”
There was no Four Seasons amongst the Vivaldi, but perhaps the programme was all the better for that as (through no fault of its own) it is heard all too often. The Vivaldi we did get were four concerti that allowed each of the string instruments some moments in the limelight: solo violin, double violin, cello and bass. Ironically it was the supposedly minor pieces “Tarantella” from Bottesini and Paganini’s “La Campanella”, which were more generally recognised and thereby just as much enjoyed.
Meanwhile, it became increasingly apparent that the cellist (a tall, dark-haired youth with the usual swarthy complexion), was taking advantage of our proximity (we were in good seats) and giving us girls a bit of his own Italian brio. And why would he not, we being as good-looking a bunch of young Cailini as you would find anywhere? And whenever his bow was at rest his eyes were on us, the cello went on pirouettes and the smiles were melting!
On the bus after the concert it occurred to me that Antonio Vivaldi (known as “the Red Priest”) had spent the best years of his life teaching violin to polite, refined young ladies in one of Venice’s top private girls schools and as a consequence, much of the music was composed as study material for the school’s 30 to 40 member seriously advanced string orchestra. So, how appropriate that three whole centuries later 30 of Dublin’s seriously polite and refined young ladies should string along to the beautiful church of San Vidal and honour him by studying the material which now inhabits his beautiful city.
Bravo Bravo, che il bell’ispent di San Valentino in Venezia!
Frankie Pegg 4T
WORK EXPERIENCE
By Aifric Gallagher 4T
Radio Na Life 1st – 5th February
Monday
Today, I went into the studio and met everyone. I was shown around the place and shown all the equipment. I spent the day sorting CD’s into boxes and then into different music genres because RNL have a huge variety of music. I then was put to work with the email account and any press releases or interesting things I had to forward on to Donal – one of the people in charge. After lunch, Muiris, the boss put me in studio 3 and taught me how to edit pre-recorded material. I was given an interview with a musician whose Irish was a bit hesitant and who kept saying em and ehh a lot. Muiris showed me how to use the technology and by the end, the interview flowed much better.
Tuesday
I finished off my editing work and Donal gave me some work to do on the computer. RNL sent a group of reporters down to the Temple Bar Trad. Fest over the weekend, so I listened to the interviews and wrote down notes about them, renamed them and deleted any test ones. I helped Fergal – the technical guy, to install new CD players to Studio 2. Muiris told me that they were giving me my own show on Thursday and that I was to write it myself. It was live for an hour and I could talk about whatever I wanted and pick my own music. I was excited but really nervous, so I started my research straight away.
Wednesday
I spent today researching for my show, An Meanga Beag. I looked up cinema reviews, TV listings, gigs in Dublin and entertainment news. The whole show was in Irish so I got a few film reviews of the one film and translated it and summarised it. I wrote out my script and picked my music.
Thursday
I spent today practising for the show. I was really nervous, but once I got into the studio and Fergal showed me how to work everything, I was alright. The show went well and afterwards I couldn’t believe I’d actually done it! Muiris had been listening and he asked me to work in RNL. I was delighted and I can’t wait to get started.
Friday
Today it was just me and Donal. He did some editing and I helped him with some phone calls. I was really sad to leave because I had the best time ever. I learnt so much and I can’t wait to start work.
Four Courts
By Aifric Gallagher
Monday
Today I met with Nikki, the barrister I was working with. I got a bit lost but my Dad’s friend found me and bought me coffee. Nikki’s friend Jane brought me to the Richmond where the district court sits. Jane was acting for a man who had been caught with no insurance. His case was the last to be heard though, so I saw lots of different offences being heard, from minor drug charges to traffic offences. It was all a bit dramatic, with one girl bursting into tears and the judge shouting a lot. After lunch, Nikki brought me to the Supreme Court to sit and watch. There were 3 judges and they were talking about whether or not it was possible to sue yourself.
Tuesday
Today I went down to the Courts of Criminal Justice (CCJ) on the Luas to see some proper criminal trials. The first one was about a man who had come from prison to court one day and had been framed and had drugs put down his trousers by someone he didn’t know. He gave evidence of how the gangs were running the jails and of the injuries he had suffered when he came back without the drugs. He had 45 stitches in his back and 15 in his head and had to be put into solitary confinement. After lunch we went to see a personal injury case and I found that interesting. I couldn’t wait for the next day though, because we were going to a murder trial in the CCJ.
Wednesday
Today we went to the Masters Court where the master of the High Court sits. Afterwards, we went down to the CCJ and found the Clive Butcher trial. Mr. Butcher was being accused of murdering his girlfriend, Rebecca Hoban, in Ranelagh. He allegedly stabbed her 6 times after a row, but he was pleading guilty of manslaughter on the basis of self defence. It was such a good experience to watch two senior counsel barristers against each other, because they were both amazing at their job. I was sitting really near Mr. Butcher – that was cool. During the case, witnesses like gardai, forensic scientist, detectives and a doctor were called and each told their own story. We saw the two knives used, still bloodstained.
Thursday
Today, we went to the CCJ again to the Clive Butcher trial. We were shown Rebecca Hoban’s bloodstained clothes, heard about Mr. Butcher and Ms. Hoban’s drug addiction, heard texts they had sent each other and I found myself not knowing what to think.
Friday
This morning we sat in on the Clive Butcher case again. The Court and jury heard his interviews directly after the incident and his 999 call where he said “ I killed her” but he says he doesn’t remember because he was on drugs. The court was adjourned and the jury were sent home because they had a legal matter to discuss. Rebecca Conroy and I left and went back to the Four Courts. We were with a barrister called Sarah, who was lovely. She brought us to a personal injuries case where one of the witnesses was lying and kept changing her story. This one was interesting because the judge got involved. We went to a case where Dublin City Council was taking a case against a family from Finglas when the Gardai had received multiple complaints about. The entire family were in court and one of the daughters kept standing up and shouting abuse at the witnesses. They didn’t have a solicitor so they just kept talking over everyone.
I absolutely loved my placements with Nikki. This is what I’ve always wanted to do and my placement made me more sure.
Work Experience
Gabrielle Deeny 4G
Week 1: Brown Bag Films.
Mon 1-5 of Feb.
Monday:
Today was my first day of work experience. Brown Bag was nominated for an Oscar and I was very excited to be working in such a prestigious studio. I arrived at 10 on the dot. The dress in Brown Bag is casual so I wore jeans and a t-shirt. I was met by Aaron who showed me around the studio, I saw the I.T, sound and editing departments. Since the studio was in the running for an Oscar nomination, my first job was searching for any mention of Brown Bag in any of the papers, cutting them out and scanning them into the computer and then onto the website. Later that day I got to sit in and observe the editing process.
I spent the rest of the day copying DVDs into the computer and buying light bulbs.
Tuesday:
Today everyone was buzzing about the Oscar. At lunch time we watched a live stream of Oscars, everyone was saying if we got it we could clock off early and go to the pub!
But the live stream was disrupted, but fortunately a co-worker’s wife rang to tell us we got in! Everyone was screaming and jumping around! I got off at two!
Wednesday:
Today everyone was a little delicate from the night before! I started off the day refilling the photocopier and copying DVDs on to the computer. After lunch I was allowed to sit in with Derek, who draws the preliminary sketches and story boards. It was really interesting because even with all the advances in animation you still need to draw everything out.
Thursday:
Today I copied more DVDs on to the computer and I also got another run through on basic animation from Derek. Then after lunch I got to sit in with the sound effect department. Each sound effect needs around three layers, for example , when making a metallic sound for a robot it needs around 2 soft sounds and 1 loud sound.
Friday:
I finally got all the DVDs on to the computer, there was well over a hundred! I then had to sort out 3d and 2d designs and put them into folders on the computer. Then at lunch I went out and bought two cakes, just as a thank you to everyone in the office.
Everyone was really surprised and delighted. It seemed to have really made their day.
They said I could come back anytime. After lunch I got to spend the rest of the day doodling and making my own animation.
Week 2: IFI
Monday:
Today I arrived at 10am, and had to wait half an hour before anyone else showed up! When everyone arrived I was given a tour round the screens and archives. I was then put to work in the library, photocopying chapters from books and making them into info packs on surrealist cinema.
Tuesday:
Today I continued making packs on surrealist cinema and after lunch I went and bought folders for the info packs, and spent the rest of the day finishing them off.
Wednesday:
Today I got to make flyers for a film called “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time". I also got to write a short speech on the film giving it a short introduction. I spent the rest of the day franking the flyers and posting them.
Thursday:
Today I made more flyers for a German film called “The Counter Fitters”. I also got to write up a short introduction speech on it. I spent the rest of the day franking and posting letters.
Friday:
Today I finished off researching the German film and then worked in the ticket office reviewing membership card details until lunch. Then after lunch I got to watch Irish short films and write mini reviews on them. During this time I had bought cake for everyone as a way of saying thank you. By the time I was finished everything, it was five o'clock. I thanked every one for helping me and being so friendly
Work Experience
By Aoibheann Doyle 4G
For my two weeks of work experience I worked in Junior Achievement Ireland. It was a brilliant experience for me because the people I worked with were so nice and friendly. Junior Achievement Ireland encourages young people to remain in education and teaches them the skills they need to succeed in a changing world. Junior Achievement gets their funding and volunteers from businesses around Ireland. They programmes cater for senior infants right up to sixth class and they also have secondary programmes such as the company programme which is the same as the mini company programme the TY’s do in our school. During the two weeks I spent time in the Junior Achievement Office in Monkstown, and in different businesses offices and schools. I loved it because every day was different. One day I could be in a business and the next I could be in a school. I also went to training courses for the volunteers, which were very interesting as I was usually paired with a volunteer and looked over their programme kit with them. I got to see so many of the different programmes that Junior Achievement do. I also got to teach a 5th class business who were doing a ‘dragons den’ and also a 2nd class program called Our Community. The children I taught were so great and I loved teaching them. I really loved my two weeks with the Junior Achievement; I met so many different people and saw so many different types of jobs.
Work Experience
Ailbhe O’Dwyer writes ..
For one of my weeks of work experience, I was working in a designer’s office. The office was part of “The Walt Disney Company”. There are lots of divisions in the company, such as stationery, finance, home and fashion along with many more.
I was working in home and girls fashion. There are lots of sub-divisions within the main ones. All the people I worked with were designers. They look at current fashion trends and find out what is popular. They then make designs for clothes. An example would be Minnie Mouse t-shirts.
If H&M wanted to make hoodies with tinker bells on them, they would be designed by the designers. The fashion team make different designs for the hoodies and they then make a presentation to H&M, who in turn pick and choose the ones they want to sell.
During my time with this design company, I undertook a project for the week which was similar to what they do. I really enjoyed this work experience and it has triggered a great interest in this kind of work.
Cara Spelman writes...
I really enjoyed my work experience. I worked in Sony Music Ireland for the full fortnight and I found it very interesting and informative. I was allowed to sit in on each company meeting for both weeks and I was given relative tasks. I learned a lot about how the music industry works. The people who worked in the office were really easy going and nice. They loved music, so it was a relaxed environment. If you love music, I’d recommend getting experience in a record label company, such as Sony, to next year’s TY students.
TRIP TO GLENLOLA SCHOOL, NORTHERN IRELAND
Alison Stenson
We had an early start, meeting at the school at 7.15am. Back in November, some girls from Bangor came down to us
for the day and now it was our turn to go up to them. It was a long three hour trip, but we had good
fun on the bus. We got a little bit lost
in Bangor town
but their teacher drove out to meet us. Their school was called Glenlola, and when we arrived I realised how big
it was. It was absolutely massive and
very recently built. The students
themselves described it as a ship in a bottle shape and this was quite apparent
to us. We only saw a small part of the
inside of the school – the floors were lined with carpet and the classrooms
were large with square grouped tables. It was a lot different than our school. Each teacher had their set classrooms. Their bathrooms were bigger and the sound of their bell sounded like a
fire alarm.
They kindly made cakes and buns for us and we sat around and
chatted to them. I was surprised at how
well we all remembered each others names and we started chatting straight
away. Once their Principal welcomed us,
we set off for Belfast, which is about half an
hour from Bangor. We arrived at Belfast City Hall
for a guided tour – the building was really big with an old Renaissance style
even though it was built in1906. The
City Hall is where the City Council meets on the first working day of every
month. The great hall, banquet hall and
reception hall are also used as function rooms for charity events etc. Each room is beautifully decorated.
We then went shopping with the girls for an hour or so. We socialised and we went to Victoria Square and visited as many shops as we could in the time that we had. People were really helpful with directions. We ate in McDonalds and chatted about music and other topics. They are a year younger than us and are studying for their G.C.S.E.
Following lunch, we went to the Odyssey arena, where we
bowled in teams of six. It was great fun and I had not bowled in a long time.
We all need to practise our bowling. Outside the bowling arena, we took photographs, exchanged numbers and
said goodbye. Promises were made to stay
in touch by phone, text and Facebook.
I really enjoyed the day and I think the exchange is a really great part of transition year. It gives us all a chance to see the other’s school life, surrounding area and to join in social activities together. We met new friends and learned some history about each other’s culture – we visited the Yeats exhibition in the National Library in Dublin in November when they came. It is a very enjoyable day out for both students and teachers.
Without doubt it has been one of my best highlights of 4th year so far.
Visit to the Four Courts
Catherine Donnelly 4M
Every body was really looking forward to our trip to the Four Courts, especially after learning about the Irish Legal System the week before in Introduction to Law. When we arrived at the Four Courts we had to go through a security check and hand in any cameras we had. We then went into the Four Courts building where we were brought to one of the main court rooms where a court case was later on to be held. We got to see the barrister’s gown and wig and our guide explained to us what happens during a court case and he pointed out to us where everyone sits. It was very interesting to see firsthand where all the court cases are heard. We sat in the public gallery hoping to hear a court case. Fortunately we were lucky enough to see one. It was a personal injury case where a woman wanted the company she used to work for to pay her compensation for a back injury she got on their premises while working. We all found the court case really interesting. 4M would like to say thank you to Ms. Hickey, who organised the trip to the Four Courts, and to Ms. O’Reilly who brought us
Law Day
Frankie Pegg 4T
4M and 4T spent the school day in Teresa Ball House where we enjoyed a presentation and workshop given by two lady barristers.
The morning was devoted to learning about the basics of the Irish Legal system, in particular: the differences between solicitors and barristers, the order of events in the different types of courts and the different stages involved in getting a case to court.
After lunch we watched several scenes from the film “A Time to Kill”. Essentially this is a Hollywood court room drama about a rape case and the Ku Klux Klan-inspired prejudice felt by many white Americans towards their black compatriots. As such it seemed to contain no direct relevance to Irish law, yet in the end the parallels were quite obvious and the lesson came across extremely well. Watching this trial unfold was an eye opener for me, showing that no matter where in the world you come from, how very hard it is to be believed as innocent if nearly everyone (especially the jury) prejudges that you are guilty.
We also acted out a ‘real’ court case. Each one of us represented a different party in a case concerning the murder of a law student called Sam. This was a good experience, not unlike speaking in a debate though with a lot more importance (life and death, even) resting on the outcome. I felt honoured at being asked to play the barrister for the prosecution and thoroughly enjoyed myself.
Law Day has made me realise that I would really like to pursue a career in the legal profession and if so, have the opportunity in years to come of returning to Teresa Ball house with a colleague to deliver my own presentation and workshop.
Log on, Learn
Keelin McAleese, 4M
For the past six weeks I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of the ‘Transition Year Log On, Learn’ programme. This programme, sponsored by Intel, Microsoft and an Post, involves the participating Transition Year students to teach an elderly person how to use the computer. When I first heard about this initiative I knew that I wanted to be a part of it and signed up immediately! A lot of people also applied for this and so names were chosen at random. I was extremely relieved to be selected!
Once the ‘student tutors’ were selected we had two training sessions in
which we received a large folder of everything we would cover with our
‘buddies’. I think we were all a bit shocked at how much material there was,
but having read through it all, I realised that it was all extremely
manageable. We were also told about the format of the programme and how
everything would work and then we were ready to give our first lesson. There
were to be eight weeks in total, but due to school closures we ended up only
having six weeks together.
At the beginning of the first week we were introduced to our Buddies. I think it’s safe to say that everyone, student tutors and adult learners alike, was pretty apprehensive about who they would be paired up with! My Buddy’s name was Jean Walsh. From the outset we got on really well together and by the end of the first lesson I knew everything about her: from her family to her hobbies and even how she spent her childhood. I have to say it was a relief that Jean was so easy to get along with, although it turned out that all of the participants were really lovely and there was a really nice atmosphere in the room throughout each session. During the length of the course Jean learnt pretty much all there is to know about computers, including the basic components of the computer, how to use Microsoft Word, how to surf the net, how to use email and how to shop online. Although Jean knew virtually nothing about computers at the beginning and was slightly overwhelmed by this whole new world she was being introduced to, I was amazed at how fast a learner she was, and it wasn’t long before she was typing up letters, sending emails and buying patterns for her favourite pastime, pergamena (card making).Each week Jean told me how shocked she was at all she could learn in so little time and I really enjoyed helping her realise this!
We finished up every lesson with a cup of tea/coffee in the canteen. This was my chance to get to know Jean a bit more, as well as all of the other adult participants. This was my favourite part of the day as it was always really relaxed and we all had a lot of laughs and of interesting conversations! We, as teenagers, really enjoyed hearing the stories they were able to tell us about life in Ireland long before we were born!
At the end of the very last lesson we all went down to the conference room where student tutors and adult learners alike received certificates of participation and some photos were taken. Then it was down to the canteen for one final tea and coffee. Some of us made special cakes to mark the occasion and we all enjoyed having one last chat and laughs with our Buddies. We then exchanged ‘Good Luck’ and ‘Thank You’ cards and said goodbye to our wonderful new friends and goodbye to a fantastic and thoroughly enjoyable experience!
Skincare
Finola Kane 4M
On January 28th 2010 for our Thursday activity, a beautician, Loraine came in and showed us how to apply our makeup and how to keep our skin in good condition.
Firstly she started telling about how important hygiene is. Our hands are our main source of infection. She gave us lots of tips on hygiene. For example; wash your hands before applying your makeup. She showed us how to cleanse, tone and moisturise our skin.
Cleanser is used to prevent the build up of dirt and impurities on the skins surface. Moisturiser helps keep the skin soft and smooth.
She chose Rebecca to demonstrate on because it was her birthday. She removed all of her makeup and reapplied it. Lorraine brought three different foundation colours with her. We all followed her instructions throughout our makeover. She showed us how to do daytime makeup and night-time makeup. This will be very handy for us next week because we are on work experience. Lorraine finished a very informative afternoon by giving us all a handout outlining all of her advice. We all agreed it was an afternoon well spent!
Samba Drumming
Stacey Memery 4T
We had Samba Drumming with Dave McFarlane for two weeks of activities on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. We all had different parts and instruments to get used to and after a lot of practice we got it right!
On the second week we went over the previous week’s work and then we moved on to doing our own song, which will be performed on TY graduation night. Everybody in Transition Year really enjoyed the Samba Drumming classes and we all had great fun. We learnt a huge amount about music and beats, and most people loved creating their own songs. These were unique to our own year group which was great. We would definitely do Samba Drumming again.
Co-Operation North, Bangor Trip
Ailbhe O’Dwyer 4T
On 27th January, the Transition Year Northern Ireland class went on a day trip to Bangor, Co. Down to meet up with a class of girls from Glenlola Collegiate School. We had to get up really early because our bus was leaving at around 7.15am from Hume St.
We arrived in Glenlola at 11.00am where we met the girls and their teachers. Their Principal very kindly spoke to us and welcomed us to Bangor. Having had some refreshments in Glenlola we the got on the bus and headed for Belfast and the City Hall. We got a tour of City Hall which was really interesting. Our tour guide told us all about the history of the building and the various mayors of Belfast and their political parties.
Following our visit to City Hall, we went shopping and to have lunch. We split into groups with our friends and we were accompanied by a group of Bangor girls. After lunch we all met up again with our teachers and we went to the Odyssy, a big leisure centre, where we went bowling and had some fun.
It really was a great day. Thank you to Mr.Griffin and Ms.O’Reilly for accompanying us
Skiing in Kilternan
Lauren Daly (4T)
For activities in November the transition year classes went skiing to Kilternan. I was a beginner and I found it really enjoyable. The instructors taught us how to snow plough and to turn, and we gradually progressed higher up the slope. At the beginning I was a bit apprehensive about skiing as I had no previous experience, but after four weeks I became quite confident that I would be able to go skiing with all the basic knowledge needed. The ski instructors were very reassuring and patient while we were learning and this made it easier for us to progress and they were all good fun and friendly. Skiing was a wonderful experience and I would definitely go back.
Skiing by Niamh Boyle (4T)
For our activities for the month of November the transition years went skiing in Kilternan. I am speaking on behalf of the more advanced skiers. We found the four weeks very enjoyable and even though we were quite experienced, we learned a lot more. The skiing instructors were very helpful and we also had great fun with them.
Debating
Jane Drew (4G)
So as the winter term comes to an end, the 4G’s will fondly remember their Thursday morning debating class as we move on to Aerobics for the remainder of the year. The class, which quickly became many people’s favourite, was taught by Mr. Mulligan and took place in the Assembly Hall.
After a term of Debating, I can safely say that most people are now more confident with public speaking, have discovered how to write a good debate and what layout to follow when preparing it and learnt general debating rules about things like points of information and how long to speak for. We began the term by learning what makes a good debate and how long to speak for and what to speak about. The lesson also entailed a brilliant example of how to debate by Mr. Mulligan and left us all amazed by how well he was able to speak with no preparation. The announcement that everyone would have to participate in a debate left some people a bit worried but six weeks later everyone was glad they had done it. The five different debates were chosen and everyone was given one at random.
A debate took place each week from then on and each week a brilliant debate unfolded. Whether it was a more serious topic (such as reintroducing fees for third level education) or the more entertaining ones (legalizing prostitution), everyone always thoroughly enjoyed the class. So on behalf of 4G, I’d just like to thank Mr. Mulligan for putting so much effort into the classes and fingers crossed that we’ll enjoy Aerobics as much as Debating.
Home Economics
Eleanor Buggy (4M)
So far, everyone is enjoying Home Ec this year and all that is entailed. We have managed not to burn anyone or anything! For those of us who haven’t done Home Ec before this was as big an achievement as taking out the completed cake.
Last week, we received an icing demonstration from Anne Joy from Kitchen Compliments on Dawson St. We were all touched by this very cute granny baking miniature penguins and Santa’s! We all observed how lucky her grandchildren are.
Between herself and her assistant Mary (she advised us all to get our own “Mary” as she comes in handy with helping out!), we were shown how to cover the Christmas cake with icing. We were shown the different techniques of various styles of decoration at the bottom of the cake but what we remember is the constructing of the little figurines from icing. The detail given to all these tiny models was unbelievable; you’d want to be very passionate about that work to do it for so long! She rolled, squashed, handled, stretched, mashed and molded the icing as if it was play dough. With the occasional “awww-ing” and “oh’s” from her audience it was as if she was performing magic. For each class she demonstrated for, she made a cake with different designs featuring on them. These ranged from a family of snow men around a Christmas tree, 3D snowflakes and holly designs. We were all very impressed.
Among various plans to make our Christmas cake as extreme as our wedding cake, we realized the patient and steady hand required while making these very adorable cakes. Now we will start preparing our own 4 inch Christmas cake in our classes and bring them home for the holidays. There will be many happy mothers glad to not have to bake this Christmas! But the amount of sugar used in the cakes will have the dentist and doctor’s waiting rooms filled from tummy and tooth aches!
On behalf of the Transition Years in Loreto College, St. Stephens Green, we would like to say thank you to Anne and Mary who came in to do the demonstration for us and who gave up their time for us. We would also like to thank the teachers involved in organizing it for us.
Self-Defence/ Martial Arts
Sara ElNimr (4T)
As part of our Transition Year Programme we have to undertake different activities each term, once a week. In our first term we did Martial Arts. Of all of the sports I have taken part in, in Loreto I definitely found this one the most physical and active, IT WAS AMAZING! I have never felt so much power overcome my body. Martial Arts is a fun, active, and useful skill to be able to develop and experience. The teacher we had was very skilful and helpful. He demonstrated to us how to defend ourselves in the event of being assaulted or attacked by a person. On our last week we were allowed to defend ourselves from him using all the methods demonstrated during the previous weeks. He assumed the role of an attacker and allowed us to defend ourselves against him, using the techniques he taught us.
A Community Care Experience
Sara Oodit 4G
For my 4th year community care, I worked in the Barrett Cheshire Home, a residential care home for the physically disabled. Once I’d organized my placement, I put it to the back of my head, as I didn’t want to think about it until the time came, because I was afraid that I wouldn’t be up to the challenge.
So, when 10.30am finally came around on the morning of the 12th of October, I was more than a little nervous as I walked up to the big red door of the Home. I rang the bell and was buzzed in. I had been told where to go, so up the stairs I went to the third floor. Waiting there for me was a lady called Mary. She was one of the thirteen residents of the home and she was very welcoming. I helped her with her testing, reading and sending e-mails. After that it was my lunchtime, which was at 1.00pm every day, and I went out for some fresh air. When I came back I did some movement exercises with the ladies from the home; this was to strengthen their upper bodies as all of them were in wheel chairs. I left at 4.00pm and as I did so, I felt a sense of achievement and understanding of what was expected of me over the coming weeks.
Over the course of the two-week placement, I adapted to the running of the Home. I knew where to be and who to be with, at a particular time. Most of the activities I did with the residents were writing, reading, board games, painting, computers, making the residents tea- because they really loved a cuppa or two or three throughout the day- and keeping them company when they really needed someone to talk to. I helped them with things they couldn’t do on their own. I was also given a particular task in week one which was, that one of the residents wanted me to type out the names of all of her CD albums on her PC as she was trying to get them in order. Now, you may be thinking “Oh that doesn’t sound so bad” but, unfortunately for me, she had 715 albums! As you can imagine, I was quite glad to finish that task off near the end of week two!
A lot of the residents were quite independent and I bonded with everyone including the staff. On one of these days we had a party for one of the women who worked in the Home, and to see the generosity and thought the residents put into it was heart-warming.
For me the whole experience was humbling, as it never dawned on me just how many obstacles disabled people face in a world that favours able-bodies people. I learned that you should never judge a book by its cover, because even though the disabled are not as physically mobile, they are streets ahead of us able-bodied people in their ingenuity in finding solutions to the daily challenges they face in living in our able-bodied world. Most of the residents loved a good laugh, were always in good form and never seemed to grumble about their lot- such positive energy was uplifting.
On a practical level, I learned the responsibilities of being on time, being well-presented for the workplace (even though it wasn’t a real job) and how to communicate with people of all ages and types. I learned to do whatever was required of me, even if the going was tough. My confidence increased as a result of my two weeks in the Barrett Cheshire Home. Most of all, I met some really nice people and made some new friends who I will definitely pop in to visit- and who I know I will always receive a special welcome from.
Gaisce- the President’s Award
Niamh O’Brien (4M)
To contribute to the development of all young people through the achievement of personal challenges
Gaisce- the President’s Award is Ireland’s National Challenge award, the country’s most prestigious and respected individuals award programme. It works on the basis of a personal challenge set by the individual; this person will set the challenge with the help of a President’s Award Leader (PAL). It doesn’t involve competing, as the challenge is individual… so the only person you will be competing with is yourself!
There are three different types of award that you can earn - bronze, silver and gold. This year’s transition year students will hope to achieve the bronze award. The minimum age for this award is 15 and the minimum time is 26 weeks.
To receive the award you must participate in 4 different challenge areas, you may decide to build on an activity you’ve tried in the past. Each participant must participate in at least one new activity to earn an award. The 4 challenge areas are; community involvement, personal skill, physical recreation, and an adventure journey. The participant must participate in the first three activities for a minimum of 1 hour a week for 13 weeks. There is also an additional activity of 13 weeks in any section of your choice.
This year approximately 50 T.Y students are undertaking the 4 challenge areas, participating in their activities of choice which for some are turning out to be more challenging than expected! Signing up for Gaisce is an easy first step, but as many students have found, keeping commitments is not so easy. It requires not just participation and commitment to activities but organisation of forms and meetings as well as co-operating with your PAL. Many of the activities that the students chose were related to the school; basketball, hockey, the Green committee, and St. Vincent de Paul, just to name a few! 4th year participation is essential to these activities within the school, and 4th years can also include their Gaisce certificate in their portfolio at the end of the year. Overall the Gaisce award is an experience that many people benefit from and enjoy, hopefully this year will not be an exception!
The Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind
My TY Community Care experience
By Helen McCormack
For my first week of community care, I helped out with the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind. All I can say is it was fantastic! I have always loved dogs, and always longed to learn more about the Irish Guide Dogs- it sounded so interesting to me even when I was a child. How do they train them? What help are they? Through my experience I found the answers to these questions and more.
On the first day I nervously arrived at St. Pat’s School. The Guide Dogs have an administrative office in the grounds of the school. There I met Mr. Paddy Coyle, the head of fundraising for the Guide Dogs. He told me the whole history of the guide dogs- and on my third day I even got to meet the second guide dog owner in Ireland- and the first female guide dog owner, May Murphy. She even taught me Braille which wasn’t as hard as I had always thought.
Through the week I did lots! I went to a talk in St Joseph’s school in Marino about the guide dogs, and I got to learn even more about the organization there. I also got to meet a puppy walker, Ms. O’Conner, who showed me some things she has to teach her dog. (A puppy walker is a guide dog trainer!). They are trained before they are given to their blind owners. It’s really cool too that they match the person and the dog specifically. The dogs learn so much- it’s amazing! They have to ignore loud noises like traffic, and ignore food on the pavement whilst working (which is something my own dog can never do!)
But what I found really fantastic is how loving the dogs are to their owners. I met two guide dog owners during the week, and the love that they had for the dogs, and indeed that the dogs had for them was really touching. One of the owners, Mr. Kerr, showed me how he uses the computer. It talked! I also got to meet his second dog, a tiny dachshund. It was really funny how his huge guide dog and the little dog competed for petting! However, I learned its not all work and no play. Because most blind people know their way around their own house, the dogs are just pets when at home. The dogs also are allowed go for a run weekly in the park, but they always look back to their owners of their own accord every few minutes to make sure they are ok.
I also learned about the organization’s new initiative. They are currently training assistance dogs for autistic children. These dogs make such a difference to the children and indeed the families’ lives. Autistic children usually do not like public places, but with the dog there, they feel safe, and Mr. Coyle told me stories of families who before never went into town, but who now can go in nearly every Sunday.
On my last day I want to a puppy training class. I was delighted when I was handed a beautiful black Labrador to train during the class as his trainers were away. He was just fantastic, and I had a really good time!
I was really sad on my last day- I learned so much and had such a brilliant time! I really enjoyed my experience and learnt how, although the people had a difficult disability, they got on with their lives and had lots of initiative to get around not being able to see. I had a brilliant experience and I hope that in the future I can help out with the charity, because it really is such a worthy cause, and there are so many lovely people involved with it!
Self Defence/ Martial Arts
By Brigitte Walsh
The first week that we were officially back from summer break was an exciting one.
We had loads of new subjects and activities to get involved in and we were excited because we were starting a new year as Senior Cycle students.
One of the activities available to us on the first week was self- defence/ Martial arts classes. We had the first class on Friday the 8th of September.
We were all looking forward to it as none of us had ever done it before. Also I think many of the students were excited to release some of the pressure from the Junior Certificate on some boxing pads!
We waited in Theresa Ball House for our trainer, Tom. At first glance, Tom looked like someone you wouldn’t want to mess with. But as we got chatting, we found that the opposite applied to him! He was very nice and funny.
We started talking about the meaning of self-defense and why it is important in dangerous situations. Tom told us the main thing is to try to not get into a dangerous situation in the first place! We were to use our brains, and for example: not go down a dark alley alone at night. We were to use common sense. This first part of the class was surprising for most of us because Tom shared some scary stories about when people didn’t use their common sense! At last, he finally announced that we would start the physical stuff! We were all pumped up and ready to kick some pads!
But first we were told to try to control the situation and be calm, because the attacker would be angry. Defending straight away would only anger him/her further. We were taught to try to talk to the person and put your hands in a non-threatening position. But if the person did attack, your hands would be up and ready to defend yourself. We were told to hit the pad (which we were told was the face of the attacker!) with our palm, to force it backwards.
After learning the basics we graduated to different types of hits. These different hits were to cause a pain in different parts of the body. For example: the “hammer” strike. This hit was when you put your hand into a fist and hit the attackers jaw with the side of your fist. The hit would cause the attackers jaw to break and this would give you a chance to get away. Over the weeks, we gradually started hitting bigger pads with our knees and out feet. A lot of us were actually really strong!
When our last class came along, we had to have an assessment to see how well we got on the past few weeks. It was really hard and required a lot of energy. We were very tired at the end of it.
The most exciting part of the whole experience was when Tom put out mats on the ground and we were allowed take our moves and put them into use! We were allowed to defend ourselves against Tom who pretended to attack us (he was wearing armor though!) and use the knowledge we had gained in the past few weeks help us escape. Most of us enjoyed that experience and it was very fulfilling, but not so much for Tom!
Overall our few weeks of doing self-defense were a great experience, plus, it may become useful in the future!
Log on Learn
Aine Dempsey (4G)
Log on Learn is an initiative run by Microsoft Ireland, where people over the age of 65 can learn computer skills from Transition year students. The initiative was launched nationally on 1st Oct 2008 by Maire Hoctor, Minister for Older People. Since then over 100 schools have signed up for the programme including Loreto College St.Stephens Green. There are 10 adult learners taking part in the current course, who each week try to learn a different module such as Microsoft Word or Email. Everything that is taught has a practical use in everyday life. My Log on Learn partner told me that not being able to use the computer is like not being able to read or write- you are at a disadvantage. I remember the first time we met our Log on Learn partners, all the transition years were standing awkwardly clutching the huge folders we were given which held all the information we needed to share. My adult learner and I instantly got on, which seemed to be the case with everyone. We share so much in common such as our love for animals (she has a lovely cat called Sheba). After each lesson we all go down to the canteen for tea and biscuits, or cupcakes which were the case on the first day, and we have a chat. It’s an opportunity to hear stories and share stories. I have found Log on Learn to be such a valuable experience and I hope to do it again sometime in the future.
First Aid
Hazel Bergin (4M)
One of our Transition Year activities this year is First Aid. We began the course with an introduction and a brief outline of what we would be learning over the next three days. The instructors were all qualified First Aiders, and one, Gary, was well known to many in our midst as he works in the (in)famous Wesley disco. He discussed the importance of First Aid and how it can help others and even save lives. The instructors used many resources including videos, diagrams, and dummies. After this talk, we were shown how to put someone in the recovery position. We were then allowed to practice putting each other in the recovery position. It was quite technical, but very rewarding and interesting.
The next day a paramedic was one of the members of the team. She told us about her line of work and reinforced the importance of First Aid. Gary then demonstrated to us how to perform CPR on an adult and a baby. We had all been looking forward to this, and set to it with extreme enthusiasm. We practiced on some very lifelike dummies! After this we listened to a talk on cuts and bandages. We were shown some very gruesome pictures, including a foot with a fork through it and some horrible wounds. We then practiced at bandaging each other up. This was great fun, and everyone enjoyed themselves.
The third and last day contained a lot of theory. We were told about epilepsy, anaphylactic shock, asthma, nosebleeds and diabetes. Everyone’s favourite topic, though, was the section on strokes. We listened to a very catchy song about how one should act ‘FAST’ if someone is having a suspected stroke. After this some volunteers were dressed and made up to look like they had been in a variety of horrible accidents. They looked very true-to-life, and everyone acted enthusiastically to bandage, heal and help them. We were then told that everyone had passed the assessment, and we were now all qualified First Aiders!
First Aid was a really worthwhile experience. We learned skills that are not only valuable, but also necessary to preserve life. All the instructors were informative and helpful. I would recommend First Aid to anyone who gets the opportunity to take a course. The power to save a life is in your hands.
Breast Cancer Awareness
Rebecca Moloney (4M)
As fourth years we are being given many different opportunities and one of those opportunities was volunteering for the Irish Breast Cancer Awareness Society. We left the school at nine thirty accompanied by Mr. Mangan and walked down to the Hard Rock Cafe as they had loaned the premises to the collectors for the day. We then made balloons and collected our boxes and the merchandise that we would sell. This entailed a pink ribbon which is the sign for supporting breast cancer, a pin with a picture of the ribbon on it and also a shopping trolley key chain with the ribbon on it. The staff were extremely helpful and explained that the ribbons were two euro, pins three and the shopping tokens four. We departed at ten a clock in pairs of two, each pair given an assigned place to collect, so as not to overwhelm passers by. My partner Catherine and I were assigned the side entrance of Marks and Spencer's, just off Grafton Street, where we would be collecting until one o' clock. It was an unforgettable experience and we found that almost everyone who purchased the items or who had just given generously, that they all had someone they knew who was affected by this disease. It really opened our eyes as to just how big breast cancer is. When our time was up, we then proceeded back to the Hard Rock Cafe where the rest of the class agreed with our observation. Each pair raised a great deal of money. These funds would go toward support lines for those who were concerned or those who were affected and needed reassurance or information leaflets . All in all as a class we thoroughly enjoyed the occasion and I’m sure we would jump at the chance to do it again especially for such a worthy cause!
Trip to Killowen Outdoor Education Centre, Rostrevor, Co. Down
Maud Gilligan, 4M
Early on the 2nd September, the latest batch of 4B and 4M students were preparing to face the wilds of Rostrevor, Co.Down. After the sleepiness of the two-hour bus journey, the two fire alarms (one on purpose, one, well, not….) jolted us awake soon enough. After getting our bearings and eating lunch, we went bouldering, also known as climbing up a small waterfall. When we reached the top, mainly in one piece, we were instructed to jump off a protruding ledge with clear instructions to watch where we landed because the rocks were ‘a wee bit pointy’. That evening we went on a hike and arrived back at the centre two hours later drenched to the skin from the steady drizzle but in great form. Over the course of the next day, we were split up into groups and went abseiling (scaling the face of a cliff), canoeing, scrambling (climbing through small tunnels made from large boulders) and zip wiring across a small river. In the evening we played trust building games involving skipping ropes, beach balls and parachutes which made us all feel about five years old again. We then had a talent show in the evening, exhibiting the year group’s talent (Aoife Brady, Sarah Lucey and Grace Higgins’ rendition of Three Blind Mice put us all to shame). Despite the lumpy pillows and the fact we had to get dressed before going to breakfast and the aching muscles, we returned home at night exhausted. The biggest trial was the loss of our phones for two whole days and the delight we felt at being reunited with them that evening was slightly worrying. On the last morning, we were blessed with a lie-in until 8.40. Each group did one last activity before it was time to go back home again. We were incredibly lucky to have such amazing instructors and everyone had a brilliant time. It really was a fantastic start to the year.
Trip to Killowen Outdoor Education Centre, Rostrevor, Co Down.
Hazel Bergin 4M
On 2nd September 2009, after only one day of school, the transition year classes of 4B and 4M were flung headlong into the school year when we departed on a two hour bus journey to spend three days in Killowen Outdoor Education Centre, Rostrevor, Co.Down. Having been told that this trip was, for many students, the highlight of the year, we were filled with trepidation as well as anticipation, as we were all completely unaware of what to expect. The bus journey itself passed by uneventfully, apart from when we got slightly lost and ended up in the wrong village!
On arrival at the Centre, Rob greeted and informed us of the rules, which, to our horror, included a ban on mobile phones. Our text-speak filled heads swam with dismay with the thought of losing our only contact with the outside world. Our protests were, however, to no avail, and despite claims that seizing our sole connection to Dublin was illegal, they were still captured, and we were left bereft. This minor disaster was soon erased from our minds when we were shown our rather miniscule rooms. Amidst arguments as to who would be on the top bunk and who got the biggest room and the one furthest away from the teachers, the mourning of our phones soon vanished from most people’s minds…..at least for a few minutes!
After our tour and the distribution of equipment, we were told we would be going bouldering, an activity of which most of us had never heard. Bouldering is when one climbs upstream a river, scrambling up waterfalls, sliding down rocks and jumping off small cliffs. We were only told afterwards that the river we were walking in was a lot stronger than usual, although admittedly this would probably not have helped! The best bit of activity for most students was jumping into the river from very high rocks, but if one had a fear of heights, they might have preferred sliding into the water on the very smooth rocks, worn down from years of people doing just this.
After we had finished bouldering, we travelled back to the Centre for showers and dinner. We were then told we would be going on a hike in the woods to see a beautiful view. In theory this sounded wonderful. In reality it was pouring rain, and the walk was definitely a lot harder than anticipated. However, we still enjoyed it, and the view of Newry from the top of the hill was spectacular, although somewhat obscured by the rain and mist. The highlight of this day, however, was probably the visit to the shop, where we stocked up on sweets at the mercy of the petrol station’s dubious exchange rate, as we had all (somewhat arrogantly) brought euro!
After being woken up at eight o’clock in the morning by Ms. Prendergast’s dulcet tones, we went to breakfast where we were informed that two groups would be ‘scrambling’, one group abseiling and another canoeing. Each group really enjoyed their morning activities. The canoeing was done, rather than in individual kayaks or canoes with one person paddling, in two large canoes attached together. This really helped us to work as a team, and the serenity of the river was beautiful. Although the scrambling groups came back tired and not a little muddy, they really enjoyed themselves, and were full of praise for the activity. The abseilers had also had an excellent time, many of them actually choosing to abseil down the rocks twice. Their activity was considerably brightened up by the discovery of the skeleton of a fox, which was picked and proudly displayed by Niamh Quinn. After returning from our various activities we had a few hours to chill out, but despite our pleas, our phones were still kept hostage.
The afternoon activities, however, did much to brighten our spirits, as one group went rope traversing (also known as zip-lining) across a very muddy river. The other group went canoeing, and a good time was had by all.
On returning to the centre, we were informed that in order to earn back our phones, we would all have to participate in a talent show! This was greeted by groans, shouts of blackmail more claims of illegality on the teacher’s part; however we all racked our brains to drag up any talent, however miniscule, we had, to earn back our precious phones.
Expertly hosted by the wonderful Rebecca Griffin, the 4B and 4T talent show was an homage to the wonderful array of talents that exist in our year group. It was opened by Keelin McAleese who displayed her brilliant towel folding skills to produce a headless chicken. She was accompanied by the magnificent dancers of Room 6 and 8 who performed the ‘birdie dance’ in the background. There were also many songs including ‘Ben’ and ‘Raglan Road’ sung by Leah McInerney, ‘Wonderful Day’ by Isobel McCullough, ‘3 Blind Mice’ by Sarah Lucey, Aoife Brady and Grace Higgins and ‘Apologise’ sung by Tara Kenny, Hannah Kelly, Izzy Jones and others. A dance was performed, a poem recited and two Tae Kwon Do patterns displayed. And we did indeed earn back our phones, if only for five minutes!
The next day, Friday was our last, and we were rudely awakened by aloud bell, the teachers having “let us oversleep” as a special treat. It was the other group’s turn for scrambling today, while the rest went rope-traversing. Scrambling, a combination of rock-climbing and caving, was brilliant fun. Squeezing you body through tiny gaps in rocks halfway up a mountain may not sound appealing, but in my opinion this was the best bit of the trip. Unfortunately we had to finish early to head back to the Centre, but the experience was greatly enjoyed.
On leaving Rostrevor covered in blisters, scratches and all longing for our own beds and showers, it would be wrong to say we were looking forward to going home. But we had all enjoyed the trip and the activities we had participated in. We had really bonded as a class and I don’t think that anyone would refuse another trip up to the wilds of Co. Down. It was a great experience, and one fully enjoyed by every single person on the trip.
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