Dear Parent / Guardian / Colleague / Board Member,

 

Seachtain na Gaeilge – Our two seanfhocail for the week are,

1. Is maith an t-anlann an t-ocras. Hunger is a good sauce
2. Is gaire cabhair Dé ná an doras. God’s help is nearer than the door

 

Free Schoolbooks – I attach a one-page Dept of Education & Skills information leaflet for parents in relation to acquiring primary school books for the 2023/’24 Academic year. We will update parents in Term 3 as to what the process will look like in our school. Class arrangements, teacher allocation and booklists will all have to be published earlier than usual this year to minimise delays in acquiring books.

 

TIMMS. – Can I kindly ask that Rang 4 parents return their white Timms envelopes to the school by Monday, even if you have already completed the task online. Thanks, if you have already done so. Class Assessment will take place on Tuesday 18^th April next.

 

Uniform Exchange – This P.A. event will be held in the community Centre foyer on Sat 25^th & Sun 26^th March between the hours of 10am & 6pm. You are free to give or take items of clothing on the day.

 

Confirmation – Confirmation in the parish takes place on Thursday next. Newcastle at 12 noon, Fourmilewater at 2 pm and Touraneena at 4 pm. We wish all our pupils well in advance. A retreat for all parish candidates will be held here in school on Tuesday 28^th March hosted by the Holy Family Mission, Glencomeragh. Mrs Byrne is collecting the fee for this. We thank Fr. Michael for his assistance throughout.

 

Primary Game – Congratulations to Rang 6 pupils, Taylor Morrissey and Aaron Wyse who were successful in recent trials to represent our school at half time, Camogie and Hurling Primary Games, at upcoming Senior Hurling Championship games in Munster.

 

Historic Weekend in the Valley – 100 years ago this weekend, members of the Provisional Government of the Irish Republic met in Knockanaffrin to discuss the latter stages of the Civil War in Ireland. Attending this meeting were important national figures such as General Liam Lynch and Eamon De Valera and others. These men were protected in safe houses by local men and women of the Nire & Ballymacarbry areas. The result of a vote taken, was that the effort would continue until another meeting was held in Araglin on April 10^th 1923. Lynch was shot, making his way to this meeting, five miles from our school as the crow flies. The order was given by then Chief of Staff, Frank Aiken to cease offensive operations on 27^th April. So in effect, the Irish Civil War was over, one month after the famous meeting in the Nire Valley. A commemoration will be held on Sunday at 2 pm at the Steel Bridge, to mark the centenary of this important event. Lest we forget.

 

New Time – (Daylight Saving Time) will commence this Sunday morning. Please remember to put forward your clocks by one hour. This week we witnessed the spring equinox. The days now will get continuously longer until the summer solstice on June 21^st.

 

Easter Holidays – School will close on Friday next at 12:30 pm for Easter. School will reopen on Monday 17^th April at 9:20 am. Breakfast and after School Club will continue as usual on Friday afternoon, but will be closed for the duration of the Easter holidays.

 

Is mise,

Michael J. O’ Ryan – Principal.