Dear Parents, Colleagues and Members of the Board of Management,

School Tours
Over the past eight days, all of our school tours for 2026 have taken place. Pupils travelled to Middleton, Cobh, Kilkenny and Limerick, and we hope they enjoyed the experience and will have many lasting memories of the occasion. Sincere thanks to everyone who helped in any way with organising the tours and ensuring that the children travelled safely to and from each venue. We also acknowledge the parents and guardians whose support made these excursions possible.

Open Afternoon
Last Wednesday, our incoming pupils and their parents visited the school, met their future classmates and were introduced to their teachers. This is our largest intake since before the Covid period, and we look forward to welcoming all of the new pupils officially on Wednesday, 26^th August next.

Parents’ Association Collection
Thank you to everyone who contributed to last weekend’s Parents’ Association Church Gate collections at both the Nire and Fourmilewater churches. The P.A. is currently assisting with a number of end-of-year events and is also organising a school uniform exchange in July. Further information to follow.

New Class Update
An architect has now been appointed and a classroom identified as our new class. Works are scheduled to begin over the summer, and, all going well, we are hopeful that the class will be ready to open on 26^th August. Some external works may need to continue after that date.

Traffic Calming Update
We are awaiting plans from Waterford City & County Council regarding the proposed redesign of the R671 adjacent to the school. Once the design is finalised, it will be placed on public display, after which submissions may be made and the planning process will proceed. Realistically, we do not expect any construction work to commence before autumn 2026.

Visitors to the School
Over the past week, our Rg 6 pupils, who will complete their primary education in a fortnight’s time, benefited from a number of valuable visits. Parent and paramedic Alan Walsh introduced the pupils to CPR and essential lifesaving skills. Today, as part of our RSE programme, Edel Burke facilitated sessions on relationships and sexuality education, an important element of the SPHE curriculum and pupil wellbeing. We also thank Fr Michael, who recently hosted an “Ask Father” session in the church for pupils who received the Sacrament of Confirmation in March.

Primary School Survey
The Department of Education and Youth has begun sharing the results of the recent Primary School Survey with schools nationwide. The survey addressed issues such as patronage, language medium and the educational status of schools. We hope to circulate our school’s results to parents and guardians with next week’s newsletter. Thanks to all who participated.

School Reports
Annual standardised testing is now almost complete, and teachers are finalising individual pupil reports. We will provide an update next week regarding their obtainability online through Aladdin Connect.

FMW Hurling Club

Best wishes to our local hurling Club who will unveil their newly commissioned centenary jersey at a special event in the Community Centre on Tuesday next at 6:30 pm. This marks the first of a series of events by the club to celebrate 100 years in existence. Teas and coffee served and all are welcome.

Is mise,

Michael J. O’ Ryan
Principal

Dear Parents, Colleagues, and Members of the Board of Management,

Sympathies

We extend our deepest sympathies to Miss Kellie Roche (SET) on the death of her grandmother, Margaret Roche, Ballyknock, Carrick-on-Suir, who passed away during the week and was buried today in Clonea Power. Ar dheis Dé go raibh sí.

First Holy Communion

Congratulations to the boys and girls from Rang 2 who received their First Holy Communion last weekend in fantastic May sunshine. It was a very special occasion for all involved.

Our sincere thanks to Fr. Michael who officiated; to Mrs. Coffey and Miss O’Keeffe, class teachers; to Mrs. Byrne and Miss Duggan; and to members of our school choir and the Nire Church choir who helped with the music. Thanks also to all members of staff who helped in any way, including our SNAs and Rose. We also thank Nora and Brendan, our local sacristans; our altar servers in FMW on Saturday; and Alexandra, our photographer.

We hope all the children and their families had a tremendous day of celebration.

Medal Presentation

We held an assembly yesterday to present our Cumann na mBunscol Camogie medals. We congratulate the girls on winning the Plate double, including our first camogie silverware, and compliment the boys on reaching the hurling final, narrowly missing out on victory.

We hope our Rang 6 pupils will continue to represent their new schools proudly from September onwards and that our Rang 4 pupils will step up to continue the strong tradition established by those who have represented our school before them.

School Tours

The first of our school tours is taking place today, with the remaining tours scheduled for next week. Cash payments are accepted, and Aladdin Connect remains open for online payments. Please refer to last week’s emails for details and prices. Teachers will send reminder emails this weekend in advance of next week’s tours.

Please note that all tours, except the infant tour, will depart from Ballymacarbry Community Centre. Please also ensure that you have given permission for your child/children to attend via Aladdin Connect.

Hot School Meals

While we completed an in-school meals survey before Easter, the Department of Social Protection is currently carrying out an independent nationwide evaluation of the Hot School Meals Programme in primary schools.

As part of this review, surveys will be issued to principals, teachers, parents/guardians, pupils, and suppliers to gather feedback on the programme and help inform future improvements. Participation is voluntary, and all responses will remain anonymous.

We would appreciate your support should you be invited to participate. Further information will follow as it becomes available.

Open Afternoon

Our Open Afternoon for new pupils and their parents will take place on Wednesday, 3rd June, from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm.

June Calendar – Selected Dates

• Swimming Rang 3 & 5 – 2nd, 9th, 16th & 18th June
• Wed, 3rd June – Rang 3/4 School Tour & Open Afternoon for New Entrants, 1:00 pm
• Thurs, 4th June – Junior & Senior Infant School Tour
• Thurs, 4th June – CPR Familiarisation Session with First Responder Alan Walsh
• Fri, 5th June – Rang 1/2 School Tour
• Fri, 5th June – RSE Day for Rang 6
• Thurs, 11th June – Deirdre O’Ryan Memorial Tournament, Newcastle N.S.
• Mon, 15th June – School reports issued via Aladdin Connect this week
• Mon, 15th June – Active Week throughout the school (full programme to issue)
• Wed, 17th June – Rang 5 visit to SETU
• Thurs, 18th June – Rang 6 Graduation Night & Inflatables Day
• Fri, 19th June – Sports Day for all & final day for Rang 6
• Tues, 23rd June – Summer holidays begin at 12:30 pm
• Other dates/events – TBC

PE Uniform

Pupils are permitted to wear their PE uniform on all school days for the remainder of the term.

PE uniforms should also be worn on all upcoming school tours. This consists of the school polo shirt and knee-length unbranded navy shorts/trousers.

RSE Packs

Our Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) Day for Rang 6 pupils will take place on Friday next, 5th June. Thanks to all for returning the information packs.

Rose of Tralee Selection Competition

Best wishes to our Junior Infant teacher, Miss Kayleigh Condon, as she participates in the selection heats to become the Tipperary Rose in this summer’s Rose of Tralee Festival.

Bank Holiday Weekend

We wish everyone an enjoyable June Bank Holiday weekend. School will reopen on Tuesday, 2nd June.

Is mise,
Michael J. O’ Ryan
Principal

Dear Parents, Colleagues, and Members of the Board of Management,

Holy Communion

Best wishes to our Rang 2 pupils who will make their First Holy Communion this weekend in both Fourmilewater and the Nire. A great deal of preparation has gone into rehearsals, and we thank the class teachers, Mrs Coffey and Ms O’Keeffe, Fr Michael, and the sacristans for all of their help and support. We wish all concerned a lovely day and weekend of celebration. A letter for all those receiving the sacrament is included with this newsletter.

Nature All Around Us

There was great excitement in the school this week as 13 eggs hatched successfully. It has been a tremendous learning experience, and the pupils thoroughly enjoyed following the progress from egg to chick over the past three weeks. The chicks are now active, eating and drinking well, and Sarah has taken them home to Ballinamult. Our sincere thanks to Sarah, the pupils from Senior Infants, and Kay, who coordinated and oversaw the project.

Biodiversity Week

Today, we welcomed Ivor and Mary from ACRES to Rang 4 to help raise awareness and understanding of the importance of heritage, biodiversity, and agriculture in our local area. They delivered an interactive in-class presentation covering a range of topics, including wildlife, biodiversity, the importance of water quality, and farming in rural areas such as the foothills of the Comeragh Mountains and the valley of the River Nire. We thank them sincerely for a very informative and enjoyable presentation.

Swimming

Swimming lessons continue for Rang 3 and Rang 5 over the next four Tuesday mornings. An additional session will take place on Thursday, 11th June, at the usual time.

Cumann na mBunscol Hurling and Camogie Finals

Well done to our girls, who had a fantastic win against Cappoquin in the Roinn A Shield Final. It was a very close game, with the girls finishing strongly to secure the victory. Hard luck to our boys, who lost out by just two points in their final. It was an evening of mixed emotions, but we are extremely proud of all our pupils, who played their hearts out. A special thanks, as always, to the Parents’ Association, who provided goodie bags for every player. Comhghairdeas, a chailíní, agus comhbhrón, a bhuachaillí.

Reminder – School Tours

The first of our school tours takes place next Friday, with the remaining tours scheduled for the following week. Cash payments are accepted, and Aladdin Connect also remains open for payment. Please refer to last week’s emails for details and prices. Teachers will send a reminder email a few days prior to each class tour. Please note that all tours, with the exception of the Infant Tour, will depart from and return to Ballymacarbry Community Centre. Parents are asked to complete the Permission Slip released on Aladdin Connect today for each child attending a school tour this year.

Open Afternoon

Our Open Afternoon for new pupils and their parents will take place on Wednesday, 3rd June, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

June Calendar

I hope to forward a calendar of upcoming events next week as we enter the final month of the current academic year.

Is mise,

Michael J. O’ Ryan
Principal

Dear Parents, Colleagues, and Members of the Board of Management,

Chick Hatching Programme

Today is Day 17 of the incubation process and, over the weekend, the incubator will be prepared for the hatching stage. The eggs will be laid flat on the tray, the heat will be reduced slightly, and the water levels increased in anticipation of hatching day on Tuesday, 19th May. Follow developments on our social media channels.

Treasure Island

On Monday last, we welcomed M&M Theatrical Productions from the UK, who brought Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic Treasure Island to life in our school hall. The acting, set design, costumes, sound, and lighting were all excellent, and the children thoroughly enjoyed following the adventures of Jim Hawkins, Long John Silver, and the other characters in their quest to uncover the riches hidden on the famous island.

As the company will return to Ireland next May, we were delighted to take the opportunity to book them once again. Next year’s production will be Pinocchio.

Swimming

Block B, involving Rang 3 and Rang 5, will commence next Tuesday and continue for the following five weeks. A second session will also be scheduled during one week in June. We are trialling a morning slot in place of an evening session, but timings are tight. As the session begins at 9:50 a.m., we ask that pupils arrive at school by 9:20 a.m., already changed and ready for lessons. It is also important that pupils bring towels and a plastic bag for wet clothes.

Holy Communion

Preparations are well underway for the Sacrament of the Eucharist, which will take place in our parishes next weekend. The Fourmilewater ceremony will take place on Saturday, 23rd May at 1:00 p.m., while the Nire ceremony will take place during the 11:00 a.m. Mass on Sunday, 24th May. Rehearsals at both churches, are planned for the coming week. Further information will issue next week to those participating.

Cumann na mBunscol Finals

Our boys’ and girls’ teams have reached the Plate Finals of the Cumann na mBunscol Hurling and Camogie competitions and are scheduled to play these finals at the Dungarvan GAA Club Grounds on Wednesday, 20th May. The Camogie Final is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. and the Hurling Final for 8:10 p.m. Playing members are asked to be onsite 30 minutes before throw-in.

Best of luck to all involved. We have also been asked to note that there will be a charge for spectators at the gate to help defray costs.

Irish Flag

We are delighted to share with the school community that we have earned our Gaelbhratach following a two-year evaluation process. A great deal of work, energy, and enthusiasm has been invested in promoting the Irish language within our school by both staff and pupils, and we commend everyone involved for their efforts. More information on this achievement to follow in an upcoming weekly newsletter.

RSE Packs

Our Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) Day will take place for our Rang 6 pupils on Friday, 5th June. It is customary to hold this programme in June prior to graduation later in the month. To support this, an information pack was sent home on Wednesday for relevant families. We would appreciate it if all paperwork could be completed and returned discreetly to Rose at your earliest convenience.

The New Primary Curriculum

The Department of Education’s new Primary Curriculum Framework (PCF) is being introduced gradually in primary schools across Ireland. The updated curriculum places a strong emphasis on children’s wellbeing, creativity, communication, active learning, and the development of key life skills alongside literacy and numeracy. It is designed to support children in becoming confident, curious, and engaged learners for the future. Parents who would like to learn more can view the framework and parent information here: New Primary Curriculum Framework Teachers continue to engage in professional development and training as part of the rollout of the Primary Curriculum Framework. Our staff took part in the latest training session last Tuesday.

School Tours

Our school tours will all take place in early June. The itinerary for this year’s tours is as follows:

• Junior & Senior Infants – Leahy’s Open Farm – Thursday, 4th June – €25
• Rang 1/2 – Fota Wildlife Park – Friday, 5th June – €28
• Rang 3/4 – National Reptile Zoo & Bowling – Wednesday, 3rd June – €34
• Rang 5/6 – UL Activity Centre & Crescent Shopping Centre – Friday, 29th May – €50

Aladdin Connect is now open for payments on all tours. Cash payments will also be accepted up to the day of each tour.

Is mise,

Michael J. O’ Ryan
Principal

Dear Parents, Colleagues, and Members of the Board of Management,

Class / Teacher Allocations – September 2026

Following careful consideration of the upcoming school year and the addition of an ASD class to our school, a class and teacher allocation plan has been prepared and will be forwarded later this evening. While no system is perfect, all schools must plan carefully, taking into account class splits, friendships, pupil needs, and overall numbers. Further details are included in the accompanying letter. We are issuing this information at this stage so that books, workbooks, and copies can be purchased for each child in their respective class.

Chick Hatching Programme

Today our eggs entered their 10th day of incubation, marking the halfway point in the gestation process. Sarah returned today to carry out candling, which helps identify which eggs contain developing chicks. The news is very positive at this stage, with all but one egg showing signs of developing life. All going well, we hope to have a brood of chicks hatching between 18th–20th May, please God — although, of course, we should never count our chicks before they hatch!

Aisling Kennedy Tournament

On Wednesday, our Rang 5 girls competed in the Aisling Kennedy Memorial Football Blitz in Presentation Clonmel in honour of our past pupil, Aisling, who sadly passed away in July 2022. The girls competed against a number of other schools, playing four matches in total and progressing all the way to the final, where they were unfortunately narrowly beaten by Powerstown NS. They thoroughly enjoyed the competition and represented our school with great pride, determination, and sportsmanship throughout the day.

Cumann na mBunscol

Well done to our hurling and camogie teams, who played their plate semi-finals this week. The girls had a very good win against St. Mary’s, while the boys had a hard-fought victory over Garranbane. We now look forward to Finals Evening on Wednesday, 20th May, in Dungarvan GAA Grounds. Maith sibh go léir.

HSM Tasting Feedback 

This is the feedback we received from Carambola following the recent food tasting:

“The level of engagement from the students was fantastic, and we received a great deal of positive feedback. Here is a brief summary of the tasting session:

• Chicken rolls were a huge success, scoring 10/10, with the only suggestion being that the portion size could be slightly bigger.
• Chilli beef was very well received by all students and also earned 10/10.
• Gluten-free pasta scored 9.5/10.
• Meatballs and pasta received 8/10.

The children also shared some excellent ideas for future menu options, including:

• Pepperoni pizza rolls
• Cabbage and bacon

In addition, I reviewed parent activity following the tasting session and noted a 10% increase in menu changes compared to last month, which is very encouraging.”

School Tours

Our school tours will take place over the next four weeks. The itinerary for this year’s tours is as follows:

Jun/Sen           Leahy’s Open Farm, Tallow                                                   Thurs 4^th June

Rang 1/2          Photo Island Wildlife Park, Cork                                           Fri 5^th June

Rang 3/4         Reptile Zoo & Bowling Kilkenny                                             Wed 3^rd June

Rang 5/6         University of Limerick Activity Centre & Crescent S.C.          Fri 29^th May

As pricing has not yet been finalised, Aladdin Connect will open for payments on Monday. Cash payments will also be accepted for the remainder of the month.

Treasure Island Performance

On Monday, 11th May, we will host M&M Theatrical Productions, who will bring Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson to life. The performance will begin at 9:30am.

Scout Success

Well done to Mary and Mia, past pupils, and their leaders, who enjoyed success once again at last weekend’s County Shield in Cashel. They represented their Cobra Patrol, local Scout group, families, and indeed our school extremely well.

Bus Éireann School Transport

The closing date for the Bus Éireann School Transport Family Portal is today. Further information is available on the Bus Éireann website. Bus Éireann School Transport

Reminder

Primary Curriculum Framework In-service Day 2 will take place next Tuesday. The school will be closed on this day. The Breakfast Club and After School Club will operate from 8:00am to 2:00pm, subject to demand. For enquiries, please contact 083 2028749.

Is mise,

Michael J. O’ Ryan – Principal