Tag Archives: Gaelcholaiste an Chlair

“NOT only are we frightened for our exams, but we are frightened for our lives, and the lives of those around us.” Those are the words of Ennis Leaving Certificate student Jake O’Loughlin who is pleading with the Taoiseach Mícheál Martin and the Minister for Education Norma Foley to listen to students’ worries about how Covid-19 will affect this year’s state examinations. The Gaelcholáiste an Chláir student believes that the government have up until now “been extremely hesitant to listen to the pleas of my fellow students” and he is calling for clarity on plans for the Leaving Cert this year. He says there is “intense worry” among students. He expresses appreciation to the Taoiseach and Minister for Education for “finally addressing the physical health of me, my fellow students and our families, by not forcing us to return to school on January 11”. However, he insists that the government needs to address the mental health of students immediately. “The …

A PRIZEWINNING artwork, entered by Ennis student Cillian Boyd, is one of 13 artworks selected from the archives to illustrate the 2021 Texaco Children’s Art Competition Calendar just published. Amongst artworks drawn from the past 16 years of the competition, Cillian submitted his entry entitled ‘Gulls, Autumn Morning’ in the 51st year of the competition, held in 2005, as a pupil at Gaelcholáiste an Chláir, Ennis. Winning third prize in the 14-15 years age category, his piece appears during the month of September in the new calendar where it will be seen in thousands of homes throughout Ireland during the coming year. Commenting at the time, a competition adjudicator said that Cillian’s piece was “one of a number that perfectly reflects the artistic talent and creativity that many young people in Ireland possess and the essential role schools play by encouraging and inspiring their students through art education”. A multiple winner, Cillian achieved further success across a number of years …

A CHRISTMAS shopping experience with a difference takes place in Ennis this weekend. A group of local students are coming together to highlight that poverty effects people throughout the country every day of the year by running the St Vincent de Paul’s Ennis charity shop for 24 hours. The 16 members of the 4GC class at Gaelcholáiste an Chláir will completely manage the Vincent’s shop on Parnell Street from 9am on Friday until 9am the following day with bargains galore promised. Teacher Martina McNamara tells us that the students are all looking forward to doing their bit to support the work of St Vincent de Paul in Clare, taking on all of the tasks involved in the management of the charity shop. She explains, “Our Transition Years annually organise a fundraising campaign for local charities. This year the 4GC class at Gaelcholáiste an Chláir will manage and run the local St Vincent de Paul charity shop here in Ennis for …

A CHAMPION swimmer aiming for Olympic glory and an RTÉ presenter are just some of those who have gone back to school to take part in a virtual open night next week. As a result of Covid-19 the usual open night for Ennis Community College / Gaelcholáiste an Chláir is unable to go ahead. However that has not stopped plans to showcase the schools to prospective students with a virtual event going live at 12 noon on Monday. Principal Brian O’Donoghue revealed moving to an online platform has had advantages, giving the schools an opportunity to highlight the paths some past pupils have taken. Former students have created videos for the virtual event telling their own school experiences. Among those are Ruairí Mac Giolla Bhuidhe, professional swimmer aiming towards the Tokyo Olympics 2021, Zainab Boladale presenter on RTÉ Nationwide, Roisin O Fhallúin who achieved maximum points in the Leaving Cert, Donnie O’Keeffe local business man and software engineer Rezvee Sikder. …

Clare County Council has granted permission for a major expansion project at Ennis Community College and Gaelcholáiste an Chláir. The planners made their decision on Wednesday, having received applications on behalf of the school from Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board. “We are thrilled with the decision to grant permission for this development”, said the school principal Brian O’Donoghue. “The project will see a build of over 4,100 square metres. It includes multiple classrooms and specialist rooms such as science labs. Also included is a full size state of the art sports hall. We have been in Ennis since 1938 and this is a very significant development which will greatly benefit our students and the community of Ennis.” Construction is expected to begin in the coming months.

THE BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition 2015 officially opened at the RDS in Dublin on Wednesday but it is this Thursday and Friday that things begin to really heat up for the entrants. The preliminary phase of judging takes place today (Thursday) and the final round of judging takes place early on Friday, with the overall award announced to coincide with RTÉ’s Six One News. For the winner or winners, the overall award can open up great opportunities to advanced education and top-class jobs in their chosen field. From the science behind the often controversial voting in the Eurovision Song Contest to the correlation between mathematics and music, the 51st annual exhibition promises to be more exciting than ever with a huge range of projects on offer, guaranteed to fascinate all visitors. Those in attendance will see the work of 1,185 students in 550 projects, 22 of which are Clare entries. The exhibition at the RDS represents the culmination …

IT wasn’t a case of their eyes deceiving them when shoppers in Ennis last Friday observed moving statues in the town’s main thoroughfare. Bringing statues to life was an innovative art project and publicity stunt by students of two local schools, Ennis Community College and Gaelcholáiste an Chláir, to promote the upcoming Winter Fashion Show and Christmas Fair being held in aid of the schools. Each ‘statue’ was played by a student, dressed in a costume made from fabric stiffened with glue and painted to create the effect of stone. Each represented a well-known figure associated with French history and culture, such as Marie Antoinette, Napoleon, Marcel Marceau, Coco Chanel, footballer Eric Cantona and the band Daft Punk. The idea arose recently during preparations for French Day at the two schools, which share one campus in Harmony Row. French teacher Brendan Carragher came up with the idea of depicting well-known French figures and the concept of the statues came from …

Students from seven Clare schools will exhibit 22 projects in the 2015 BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition at the RDS, Dublin in January. Leading the way, with 10 entries, is Mary Immaculate Secondary School, Lisdoonvarna, followed by Scoil Mhuire, Ennistymon and Meanscoil na mBráithre, Ennistymon, with three each; St John Bosco Community College, Kildysart and Gaelcholáiste an Chláir, Ennis, with two each, and Rice College, Ennis and Kilrush Community College with one each. Among the Galway schools an interest in the Young Scientist competition are Seamount College in Kinvara, with one project, and Portumna Community College, with three. At the 51st annual event from January 7 to 10, there are over 120 awards to be won, including the prestigious BT Young Scientist & Technologist of the Year. The BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition is organised by BT Ireland, one of the country’s leading communications and networked IT service providers, and is supported by a number of valued partners …