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

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

Flying Our Flags
This week, in beautiful spring sunshine, we proudly erected our flags at the school entrance. These include our school crest, Green Flag, Amber Flag, and Cineáltas Flag. A photo, along with further details on each, has been shared on our social media page. Thank you to everyone involved in achieving these important awards.

Hot School Meals
Our food tasting session with Carambola took place on Tuesday. This had been arranged prior to Easter following feedback from the Hot School Meals survey. Pupils sampled a variety of foods offered by the company during lunchtime. Many thanks to Molly Catherine and Tara for facilitating this enjoyable event.

Chick Hatching Programme
We extend our thanks to Sarah from Ballinamult, who is supporting a programme exploring the life cycle of a chick—from egg to bird. Over the coming weeks, pupils will observe the incubator and learn about the changes taking place within the shell. At the halfway stage, they may even observe development through candling. Without counting our chickens, we are hopeful of some new arrivals around Wednesday, 20th May. We will keep the school community updated on progress.

Congratulations
Congratulations to Gavin Flynn, who represented Ireland at U12 level in the Nations Cup tournament at Gimnàstic de Tarragona Stadium in Spain. Gavin played in goals against teams such as England and Scotland, performing excellently throughout and enjoying a truly memorable experience.

Road Safety

A sub-committee of the Board, together with the neighbouring landowner, met with representatives from Waterford City & County Council this week to advance road safety improvements on the R671. This follows the recent allocation of funding to the project.

The Council intends to bring proposals forward for public consultation in due course. While this process can be lengthy, it is hoped that works will commence and be completed before the end of the year. Any proposals regarding staff parking will be dependent on the outcomes of this consultation.

In the meantime, we ask all parents and guardians to continue adhering to the one-way system for drop-off and collection, and to avoid obstructing sightlines for motorists entering the regional road. As always, we recommend waiting to collect children until after the buses have departed at 3:10pm.

Pre-loved Shoes
Many thanks to all who donated pre-loved shoes. We collected a total of 101 pairs. Their journey to children in Africa began on Thursday, when the courier arrived, and our Senior Infant class helped to load the van.

Treasure Island
On Monday, 11th May, we will host M&M Theatre, who will bring Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson to life. This swashbuckling adventure follows Jim Hawkins as he sets sail with pirates in search of Captain Flint’s buried treasure. The production explores themes of morality, danger, and responsibility, and features comical characters, sword fights, and, of course, pirates.

Cumann na mBunscol
Our boys and girls (Hurling & Camogie) will participate in the Cumann na mBunscol Shield Semi-Finals on Thursday in Dungarvan. We wish them and their mentors the very best of luck. We are also working with local GAA clubs to organise several weeks of coaching, once vetting has been completed. Thank you to all who have offered their time.

Bus Éireann School Transport
A reminder that the closing date for the Bus Éireann School Transport Family Portal is Friday, 8th May. Further information is available on the Bus Éireann website.

Reminder
Our second staff in-service day on the new Primary Curriculum Framework will take place on Tuesday, 12th May. The school will be closed on this day, as previously advised. The Breakfast Club and After School Club will operate from 8:00am to 2:00pm, subject to demand. For enquiries, please contact 083 2028749.

May Altar

We continued the tradition of setting up our May altar today in honour of Mary, our mother. Children are asked to ‘bring flowers of the rarest and blossoms the fairest’ to adorn this space during the month which we devote to her.

We hope you enjoy the (Lá Saoire Poiblí) Bank Holiday weekend and that the fine weather of late April returns.

Is mise,
Michael J. O’ Ryan
Principal

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

Enrolment

Places have now been offered to families for our new special class opening in late August. We were oversubscribed and, unfortunately, some applicants were unsuccessful on this occasion; however, those families have been placed on a waiting list. We are asking those who have been offered a place to return the necessary documentation as soon as possible. Our attention now turns to adapting our building to meet these additional needs and recruiting staff in line with NCSE protocols.

Ethos

Preparations are well underway in Rang 2 for the Sacrament of the Eucharist which will take place in both local churches on the weekend of the 23rd / 24th May next. Fourmilewater will take place on the Saturday, with the Nire scheduled for the following day.

Díolachán Cáca (Cake Sale)

The school bake sale was a wonderful success, raising a fantastic amount of money for both the school and our chosen charity, Down Syndrome Ireland. Thanks to the incredible generosity and enthusiasm of our families, we enjoyed a day filled with delicious treats, community spirit, and support for a very worthwhile cause. A special thank you to Miss Duggan and the 5th Class students for doing such a fantastic job organising the bake sale and helping make the event run so smoothly. We would also like to thank all the parents and children for their wonderful baking, donations, and contributions — from cakes and buns to helping on the day, every effort made a difference. Congrats to our 6 raffle winners yesterday. Your support helped make the event such a memorable and successful occasion for our school community.

Cumann na mBunscol

Both our hurling and camogie teams were in action this week, each playing their first-round games in Dungarvan. They have advanced to the Plate Semi Finals in the next few weeks. Well done to one and all, including team mentors and drivers.

Education Passport – Rang 6

Thank you to those families who have completed and returned the passport. If you have not yet done so, please return it either electronically or in hard copy as soon as possible.

Bus Éireann School Transport

The closing date for the Bus Éireann School Transport Family Portal is Friday, 8th May. Further information is available at: https://www.buseireann.ie/schooltransport.

Hot School Meals

Our food tasting session with Carambola will take place next Tuesday. This was agreed prior to Easter following feedback received through the Hot School Meals survey. Our pupils will have the opportunity to sample the variety of foods offered by the company during lunchtime.

Child Protection Training

The CPSMA is offering Child Protection Training to all Boards of Management this spring, and our Diocese is participating in the training of board members at locations throughout the Diocese of Waterford & Lismore.

The Primary Schoolbooks Scheme

The Primary Schoolbooks Scheme is a funding initiative through which the Department of Education and Youth provides funding to recognised primary and special schools in the Free Education Scheme to purchase schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks. Under the scheme, schools purchase books in bulk and retain ownership of them. The school then provides each pupil with all required schoolbooks on loan at the start of the school year. This means that parents of primary pupils do not pay towards the cost of schoolbooks, workbooks or copybooks. I have attached a department-published information booklet for you to peruse prior to our purchasing books, workbooks and copies for the 2026/27 school year.

Bingo

The final Bingo of the spring takes place tonight in the Community Centre. Eyes down at 8.00pm.

Is mise,
Michael J. O’ Ryan
Principal