Here you will find news and events from throughout the year.
Croagh Patrick Climb - 30th August 2011
We climbed Croagh Patrick on 30/8/2011. We left St. Mel’s at nine o clock on the morning and the journey took around two hours. When we arrived we took a class photo at the statue of St. Patrick. Immediately after the photo, we headed straight up the mountain. Fergal Keenan, Oisin Flanagan, Darragh Greene and Darragh Mcloughlin completed the challenge in fifty five minutes. When everyone had reached the top Fr. Joe Mc Grath said a mass and everyone was welcome to join us. The mass took approximately half an hour.
Everyone seemed to enjoy the day and everyone got to know each other. The whole class thought it was a very challenging climb and helped most people to settle into T.Y.
Everyone seemed to enjoy the day and everyone got to know each other. The whole class thought it was a very challenging climb and helped most people to settle into T.Y.
Sean Prunty Talk - 2nd September 2012
The former Longford town midfielder Sean Prunty came into talk about his heart condition, which forced him to retire from soccer. He told us of the struggles he had not playing football, and if he had continued to play he probably would have died. He showed us his heart monitor which is just below his heart. He now he has found a new job working with younger players in London so he is still involved with soccer even though he is not playing it.
Boda Borg - 13th September 2011
As a bonding trip we all went to Boda Borg adventure centre in Lough Key Forest Park, just outside Carrick-on-Shannon.
In this centre you had to complete as many levels as possible in the space of two hours. Each team received a stamp after completing a level and we had to try and collect as many stamps as possible. This was actually much harder than we first thought.
Overall, we all enjoyed the day and would recommend it to next year’s Transition Year.
In this centre you had to complete as many levels as possible in the space of two hours. Each team received a stamp after completing a level and we had to try and collect as many stamps as possible. This was actually much harder than we first thought.
Overall, we all enjoyed the day and would recommend it to next year’s Transition Year.
Coffee Morning for County Longford Hospice - 15th September 2011
On the 15th of September we helped raise much needed funds for Longford Hospice. All twenty seven of us including some teachers helped prepare the assembly hall for a tea and coffee morning. The main coordinator of the event was Trudy Farrell but Mrs Mulvihill and Denise Moran also helped out. We started with the first years at nine o’ clock and then we finished with the Leaving Certs at twelve o’ clock. Students were divided out into different groups and assigned various tasks. These tasks included taking care of the tea and coffee, putting biscuits out on the tables, collecting money at the doors and so on. It was estimated that in or around 300.00 euro was raised throughout the course of the morning.
In my opinion I felt that the event was a success in a way that the whole Transition Year class worked well together as a group. On the other hand we were all a bit disappointed because we didn’t raise as much money as classes did in recent years
In my opinion I felt that the event was a success in a way that the whole Transition Year class worked well together as a group. On the other hand we were all a bit disappointed because we didn’t raise as much money as classes did in recent years
Attic Youth Café - 16th September 2011
We were brought down to the Attic above the Temperance Hall.
On arrival, we signed into the role book and played with the guitar, the fussball table, the pool table and on the computers. After ten to fifteen minutes we were gathered on the couches and given a brief about what the Attic does and what courses it runs through the year (i.e. the drug and alcohol awareness)
They asked us all if we would be interested in joining and eight people joined from St Mel’s T.Y.
On arrival, we signed into the role book and played with the guitar, the fussball table, the pool table and on the computers. After ten to fifteen minutes we were gathered on the couches and given a brief about what the Attic does and what courses it runs through the year (i.e. the drug and alcohol awareness)
They asked us all if we would be interested in joining and eight people joined from St Mel’s T.Y.
Circus Skills - 28th September 2011
We had a lady from Switzerland to teach us the basic circus skills. We started in the P.E. hall and practised on mats. We learned simple tricks like handstands, cartwheels and how to make a human pyramid. Later in the morning we went outside where tight ropes were set up and ropes hanging from the trees. We spent a while at that and then learned how to use a unicycle. It was a very enjoyable day for all!
An Triail - 3rd October 2011
On the 3rd of October we travelled to Galway along with the higher level Irish classes in 4th year to see the Irish Play “An Triail”. We saw the play in the “Black Box” Theatre in Galway City.
The Play was very unusual as each character except for Maire wore a mask, and that the set on which the play was acted on, was very basic, consisting of simply a wall with 3 windows. Our TY class had previously studied the Play so we knew what was going on, even if we didn’t understand ALL of the words! Rather than having actors to play the Judges in the play, there were two massive 7 foot tall puppets. This was very different to any play I had ever attended before because I had never seen a play with both actors and puppets!
After the play we were given some free time to walk around Galway city to get some food and to go around shops in nearby retail parks and Eyre square. After that we got on our bus home which was also great fun.
Overall our TY class thought the day out was a success and great craic!
The Play was very unusual as each character except for Maire wore a mask, and that the set on which the play was acted on, was very basic, consisting of simply a wall with 3 windows. Our TY class had previously studied the Play so we knew what was going on, even if we didn’t understand ALL of the words! Rather than having actors to play the Judges in the play, there were two massive 7 foot tall puppets. This was very different to any play I had ever attended before because I had never seen a play with both actors and puppets!
After the play we were given some free time to walk around Galway city to get some food and to go around shops in nearby retail parks and Eyre square. After that we got on our bus home which was also great fun.
Overall our TY class thought the day out was a success and great craic!
Public Access to Law - 17th October 2011
On Monday the 17th of October a Barrister from Galway came in to talk to us. He told us about all different laws and the different types of law. He told us about immature decisions people make and how the get in trouble with the law. He warned us what not to do when we get into trouble. We learned things about how you can get in trouble with the law accidentally.
Before lunch all we did was talked about the types of law and the constitution which was very interesting. During lunch we were asked to read over a case which involved a person murdering their spouse. After lunch we acted out a murder case. We were all given different roles to play and we acted out the full court scene. Our jury decided that the defendant was guilty. This was very interesting and educational.
I think that all of the TY class enjoyed the day.
Before lunch all we did was talked about the types of law and the constitution which was very interesting. During lunch we were asked to read over a case which involved a person murdering their spouse. After lunch we acted out a murder case. We were all given different roles to play and we acted out the full court scene. Our jury decided that the defendant was guilty. This was very interesting and educational.
I think that all of the TY class enjoyed the day.
Psycho Spaghetti - 19th October 2011
Our TY class went to a one man comedy by Ger. Carey in Virginia, Cavan. Our class was one of a number of different TY classes to attend the show. We left the school at 9.30 and made the hour journey down to Cavan. The stage was set like a real classroom and he went from one character to another and did it brilliantly. He reacted well to the audience presence and at the end everybody gave him a standing ovation at the end of a good show.
Disability Awareness Day - 26th October 2011
This year in Transition Year we have one student who is wheelchair bound, he is involved with the Irish Wheelchair Association so we decided to organise a disability awareness day, whereby 5 students including Daryl were in wheelchairs for a day, these students sought sponsorship in their local area and we raised close to €600 for the charity. Photographs can be found of this on our Photographs Page.
Bypass Talk - 10th November 2011
On the 10th of November a man called Paul came in to us to talk about the new N5 bypass being built in Longford.
Paul is the head engineer of the project and gave us information about it. We learned that construction started on the 7th of April 2011 and is said that it will be finished in early October but since the weather has been dry they are ahead off schedule and is now due to open in September if the weather is good. This bypass is 3km long and will take a lot of traffic out of Longford which will improve safety, improve the environment quality through noise and pollution. The bypass will take around 5000 vehicles per day out off Longford.
Paul is the head engineer of the project and gave us information about it. We learned that construction started on the 7th of April 2011 and is said that it will be finished in early October but since the weather has been dry they are ahead off schedule and is now due to open in September if the weather is good. This bypass is 3km long and will take a lot of traffic out of Longford which will improve safety, improve the environment quality through noise and pollution. The bypass will take around 5000 vehicles per day out off Longford.
Youth Mass - 10th December 2011
On Saturday 10th of December, our Transition year Class along with the two Scoil Mhuire Transition Year classes, helped out at the local Cathedral Centre for the 7:30pm mass. A number of us from each school had different roles to do throughout the mass. We did all of the readings for the mass, some of us had to bring up the bread and wine, others had to hand out welcoming cards at the start of the mass and the Scoil Mhuire Transition Years had to sing in the choir for the mass.
Carol Singing - 15th & 20th December 2011
At half ten on the 20th of December morning we walked down to Super Valu to perform a few carol songs to earn money for TY. A percentage of our total collection, which was €710, went towards St. Vincent De Paul. We also did the same thing in Tesco but weren’t as successful as we were in Super Valu.
Ice- Skating - 12th December 2011
On the 12th of December 2011 our Transition Year class got a bus up to Dublin to go ice skating.
This was a great success as everybody had a great time learning how to skate. A lot of people were good at skating and they helped teach the others how to skate. After ice skating we went shopping in Liffey Valley. This day was thoroughly enjoyed by all!
This was a great success as everybody had a great time learning how to skate. A lot of people were good at skating and they helped teach the others how to skate. After ice skating we went shopping in Liffey Valley. This day was thoroughly enjoyed by all!
B.T Young Scientists - 12th January 2012
B.T Young Scientists and Technology is in its 48th year this year it is a competition for all second level students. Every student or group that enters will have to choose what there project will be about. There are certain categories that each project will fit under, so only a certain amount of groups or students will get in.
Our T.Y class entered a couple of projects into the competition but only one group got through. That group is Sean Costello, Fergal Keenan and Rory Sullivan. Their project was entitled “Does the price of an item affects how it is rated?“ and it was in the Social Section. Congratulations to the lads.
The competition took place between the 11th to the 14th of January 2012. The lads that got through stayed up in Dublin for the week in the Jurys Inn Hotel. They had a great time. Our T.Y class visited the B.T competition to see our class’s project and other projects in the RDS arena on the 12th of January.
Our T.Y class entered a couple of projects into the competition but only one group got through. That group is Sean Costello, Fergal Keenan and Rory Sullivan. Their project was entitled “Does the price of an item affects how it is rated?“ and it was in the Social Section. Congratulations to the lads.
The competition took place between the 11th to the 14th of January 2012. The lads that got through stayed up in Dublin for the week in the Jurys Inn Hotel. They had a great time. Our T.Y class visited the B.T competition to see our class’s project and other projects in the RDS arena on the 12th of January.
Garda Talk - 31st January 2012
One afternoon two Gardai came into talk to us about safety on the roads. They told us of a lot of different accidents that they had been called to, and a lot of them were very serious. They showed us videos of peoples parents talking about how their children had died on the road, and how the accident had affected their lives forever. The Gardaí told us how when they are called to an accident they have to go to the parent’s house or the family’s house, and tell them about what had happened to their child. They showed us statistics about the ages of people who have accidents, and how young male drivers have a lot more accidents than other people. I think the Garda talk had a big impact on a lot of people in the class because a lot of the stories were very scary, and I think that when we start driving we’ll be a little more careful because of this.
Trip to St. Patrick's Institution - 23rd January 2012
Our Transition year class recently visited the St. Patrick’s Correctional facility for underage offenders in Mountjoy, Dublin. For our class this was a first hand experience of prison life in the facility and how daily life is there. We met an inmate who had been in there since he was fifteen years old. He told us how life was confined within the large walls of the prison. He also allowed us into his cell to give us a glimpse of this life for the past 4 years. As a class most of us found it intimidating to be in the prison as there was a lot of noise and shouting in our presence. It’s safe to say that we were happy to be able to walk out of there.
Road Safety Talk - Febuary 2012
In February, a man from Limerick came to our school to show us what can be the result of dangerous driving. He brought in a car which he had got off a mechanic, the car was cut in half and was badly damaged, this was to show us what can be the result of a car crash.
He also told us some heartfelt stories about some people that he knows that have been killed in a car crashes. He explained the consequences of bad driving, I thought that this was very educational.
This activity was also very entertaining and was not as boring as I thought it was originally going to be.
He also told us some heartfelt stories about some people that he knows that have been killed in a car crashes. He explained the consequences of bad driving, I thought that this was very educational.
This activity was also very entertaining and was not as boring as I thought it was originally going to be.
6th Class Open Day - March 2012
This year’s open day was a great success. The idea of opening the school to 6th class students is to give an insight into going to school at St. Mel’s College. We were all given different jobs to do for the day. We met the 6th class pupils off the bus,and gave them a tour of the school. The pupils got to experience woodwork, technology, computers, science and P.E. They all had a great time. We ended the day by bringing them down to the canteen for some refreshments
Art and Photography Exhibition - 23rd March 2012
On Friday the 23rd of March, our T.Y class went to Dublin to view different art exhibitions with The Ballymahon Convent Of Mercy's T.Y class and we were also accompanied by our photography teacher Shelley Corcoran.
The first of three galleries we saw was the National Gallery of Photography, where there was an exhibition on the Amazon rainforest and the people and tribes that lived in the amazon. The photos in the exhibition were tribes in the amazon and their different rituals, traditions and celebrations. The aim of the exhibition was to save 1 billion trees and was run by Sky and the WWF.
The second gallery we went to was the Temple Bar Gallery & Studios to view the Lights Camera Action exhibition which was more contemporary art and is very hard to explain in writing what was in it.
The final gallery we went to was the Irish Museum of Modern Art, there was no special exhibition when we went there. We viewed different modern photos like a photo of people viewing a painting and a picture of a tree hanging upside down.
When we finished viewing the pictures inside the gallery we went to a garden outside the museum where there was a fountain and a hedge maze. After spending time outside we took a group photo outside the museum to end the day.
The first of three galleries we saw was the National Gallery of Photography, where there was an exhibition on the Amazon rainforest and the people and tribes that lived in the amazon. The photos in the exhibition were tribes in the amazon and their different rituals, traditions and celebrations. The aim of the exhibition was to save 1 billion trees and was run by Sky and the WWF.
The second gallery we went to was the Temple Bar Gallery & Studios to view the Lights Camera Action exhibition which was more contemporary art and is very hard to explain in writing what was in it.
The final gallery we went to was the Irish Museum of Modern Art, there was no special exhibition when we went there. We viewed different modern photos like a photo of people viewing a painting and a picture of a tree hanging upside down.
When we finished viewing the pictures inside the gallery we went to a garden outside the museum where there was a fountain and a hedge maze. After spending time outside we took a group photo outside the museum to end the day.
Causey Farm - 24th April 2012
On the 24th of April we went to Causey Farm in Navan. We went to see how the working of a farm was done. Most people in T.Y never seen the working of a farm before, and had great interest in it. We milked a cow, and brought in a cow to the shed that was going to be calved. When we brought the cow into the shed Kevin Halvey jacked it. Lots of the lads were interested in this. On the morning we baked brown bread and in the evening we went bog hopping. It was a great day overall.
Photography End of Year Exhibition - 14th May 2012
An exhibition of our photogarphy from the year will take place in Backstage Theatre on Monday afternoon. It will be great to view the wortk from the other participating schools also. Here, a winner will be announced for each school and an overall winner. Watch this space for our winning photographer!!!!
London Trip
Our end of year trip is to London. We are going on the 16th May.
This will be a great way to end the year
This will be a great way to end the year