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

 

Enrolment

Our Special Class enrolment has now closed. Applications will be reviewed this weekend in line with our Patron-approved Admissions Policy. All applicants, both successful and unsuccessful, will be notified in due course. Please note that our Open Afternoon for all new entrants will take place on Wednesday 3rd June from 1:00pm to 2:30pm.

 

Pupil and Past Pupil Achievements

Chess

Well done to our chess team, The Knight Owls, who had a very enjoyable day in Ballinameela on Wednesday representing our school in the Regional Finals. With 112 participants, it was a fantastic achievement. A special mention must go to Jack Doocey, who came first overall, winning all six of his matches — an outstanding accomplishment. Congratulations also to Clodagh, Oisín, Vlad, Aaron, Gavin, Jack, Senan and Aodhán on representing the school so well.

 

Irish Dancing

Comhghairdeas to past pupils Hannah Whelan and Anna Walsh who achieved excellent results at the World Irish Dancing Championships in Chicago over the Easter holidays. Also, to current pupil Ellen Walsh who competed admirably in the earlier rounds. All three are members of the McGrath School of Irish Dancing in Newcastle. Maith sibh, a chailíní.

 

Boxing

Commiserations to past pupil Claire Walsh, who narrowly lost the All-Ireland Boxing Final in the National Stadium, Dublin, last weekend. Claire has had a fantastic first year, winning County and Munster titles with St. Nicholas Boxing Club, Carrick-on-Suir. A great achievement.

 

Letter from Patron

Please see attached a letter from our Patron regarding an upcoming event entitled: A New Vision for Catholic Education in Ireland: Opportunities and Challenges for Engaging Families, Schools, Parishes, and State to foster a Catholic ethos in building communities of faith, inclusion and excellence. This event will take place on Thursday 23rd April 2026 in St. John’s Pastoral Centre, Waterford City. The talk begins at 7:00pm (doors open at 6:30pm). Attendance is free, but registration is required via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.ie/ Further details are included in the attached letter.

 

Department of Education Survey

Over the coming weeks, we hope to share an update on the findings from the recent Department of Education and Youth survey on the administration of primary schools.

 

Junior Achievement Ireland Award.

Our 5^th class pupils commenced the Local Enterprise Achievement Programme (LEAP) today as part of the Junior Achievement Ireland Initiative. This is a collaboration with Waterford Local Enterprise Office (LEO) to foster entrepreneurship in Waterford Primary Schools. As local company Boston Scientific is affiliated to this scheme, they have allocated parent April O’ Gorman to deliver these workshops to our pupils. This will culminate in the pupils showcasing their business plans at SETU Arena, Waterford in late June.

 

Díolachán Cáca (Cake Sale)

Our annual Díolachán Cáca will take place on Thursday 23rd April. This year, all proceeds will go to Down Syndrome Ireland. We encourage all pupils to get involved by baking and bringing in homemade treats. Students are also reminded to bring some money on the day to purchase items and raffle tickets.

 

Swimming

Swimming Block B will commence on Tuesday 19th May for a period of 6 weeks and will include pupils from Rang 3 and Rang 5. We are trialling a Tuesday morning slot this term to help ease traffic pressure on Fridays. A detailed letter will issue to relevant families this evening.

 

Education Passport – Rang 6

As part of preparations for transition to post-primary school, the Education Passport will be sent to parents of Rang 6 pupils this evening. This is an important support in ensuring a smooth transition to second level. We would appreciate if families could complete and return the information either electronically or in hard copy.

 

Cumann na mBunscol

The INTO hurling and camogie competitions begin next week. We wish all our boys and girls the very best of luck. Best wishes to Saorlaith, who will represent the school in the Primary Game in Ennis this Sunday, and to Miss Denmead, who is a team mentor. Best wishes also to past pupils Jamie, Tom and Seán in their Senior Championship opener.

 

Bus Éireann School Transport

The Bus Éireann School Transport Family Portal is now open for applications and payments for the 2026/27 school year. The closing date is Friday 8th May. This is particularly important for families with new pupils starting school or those transitioning to post-primary. Further information is available at: https://www.buseireann.ie/schooltransport

 

1926 Census

The 1926 Census of Ireland will be released online tomorrow, marking 100 years since it was conducted and its significance as the first census of the Irish Free State. Exploring the census is a simple and engaging way for children to connect their learning to real people and places — particularly if they can find records relating to their own family or local area. You can search the records free of charge on the CSO website: https://www.cso.ie/

 

Is mise,
Michael J. O’ Ryan
Principal