News 2006 - 2007
SUMMER TERM 2007
DRAMA:
The Drama Club’s primary task is to provide a space for the creative talents of the students learning the rudimentary skills of the stage. We are hoping to begin a writers group so that we can write and perform our own plays. We also welcome those who wish to learn stagecraft and with time hope to encourage student producers and directors. We began in September 2006 and we worked on several aspects of Drama such as characterization, speaking, projecting, movement, and scripting. This culminated in the production of a short specially written drama ‘Krismas Kool’ including the Haka, being performed in front of the whole school at the Christmas Assembly. All the participants, the actors; Rachel White (5th year), Joanne Hatton, Lisa Worrell, Hannah Allison and Alex Kristle and Adam Schmidt all from1st year and Nicola Waring (2nd Year), with the help of choreographer Jenny Van De Puil and Drummer Ed Forristal from 5th year and those behind the scenes such as Mary Akinumi (4th year).
DEBATING;
Aine Murray and Laura Taylor, both 3rd years were runners up in a split decision behind the winners in the AIB, Plate Competition where they beat 262 other speakers in a series of rounds which began last October in UCD. In the Spring three of our Juniors; a team made up of Nicola Waring and Bethany Harte, both 2nd years, and individual speaker Anna Phelan (3rd year) competed very ably and beat 200 other speakers into Quarter Finals of the AIB Junior Schools Debate. Two teams, Yann Donnelly (3rd year) and Adam Schmidt (1st year) , and Nicola Waring (2nd year) and Aine Murray (3rd year) all competed in a one day marathon of debating in UCD and gained their places in the Quarter Final against 100 other speakers. Aine said “Debating has given me more confidence in myself and I’m better able to express my opinion”. Our seniors who also had never debated before acquitted themselves very well and enjoyed their outings in Trinity in the Senior Schools Competition. They were Edwina Hanbidge and Wendy Hodgins. Another team of Frances O’Murcoe and Rachel Rothwell who together are now the club’s President and Vice President also did well. The Debating Club also had a Christmas Fun Debate on the theme ‘This House believes that Christmas should be cancelled’. There was much joviality with the participants dressing up for the occasion and a good time was had by all. Our plan for September is to target the National Competitions in Debating and Public Speaking as well as encourage 1st years to participate in a monthly lunchtime debate in house. We also look forward to welcoming new students to the club, so that we can maximise the wonderful talent in the school.
ART:
An exhibition spanning two years of work by Kilkenny College Transition Year Students was mounted in Yates House at the end of May, This year the Design Brief for 4th Year was to make a wall hanging based on one of the following themes: - Art; Kilkenny’s History; Urban Development; Pollution; Renewable Energy; Community; Friendship; our Environment and Cultures. The brief also required the use of Mixed Media, with particular emphasis on textiles. For 5th Year the brief was to study and investigate the techniques and subject matter of acclaimed Kilkenny artist, Tony O’Malley. Tony O’Malley passed away in January 2003 at his home in Callan. His wife, Jane, is an artist in her own right and she had a huge influence on his career. As part of their research, the 5th Years went to see the exhibition in the Butler Gallery in 2005 entitled Visual Diaries. They also listened to an interview on Rattlebag from a previous year. The exhibition provided an opportunity to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity and the O’Neill Centre in Kilkenny.
VIEW SOME OF THE PICTURES BY CLICKING ON THIS SENTENCE
Congratulations:
to Kitty (Form 3) and Harriet (Form 1) Hackel who were both 2nd in the European Championships at Geneva last month in Aero Gymnastics to music.
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BARBARA GILL:
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It is with great sadness that the College has learnt of the tragic death of former teacher Barbara Gill following a traffic accident. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to her family and friends at this sad time. A celebration Service for her life took place in Clonbulogue, Edenderry on 23rd April, 2007, followed by burial in Cloncrane Cemetery.
We publish a recollection from a former teaching colleague and friend:
When Barbara Gill joined me as a colleague in Kilkenny College in 1983, I was immediately struck by the warmth of her personality and the boundless energy which she brought to her teaching career. She was filled with enthusiasm for her work and enjoyed relating to her students, taking the time to get to know them well. In the course of her time in the College, Barbara showed great kindness and understanding to those within her care, helping many individuals with the struggles of growing up. This was particularly evident in her years as Head of Girls in Celbridge House. Barbara's guidance was tempered with empathy and a deep, human understanding of the problems encountered by others. At her funeral, a past pupil told me of Barbara's valuable support during a traumatic time. I, myself, remember a troubled student persistently calling out for her late at night and she always answered that call without complaint.
Being residential in a boarding school, the staff can get close and share so much together. This was the case with Barbara and myself in the 80s and early 90s. I have reread letters written to me during her time in Maynooth and Lille, France, when she was on career break. In these, she revealed herself with openness and truth, questioning, doubting, probing, always searching, wanting fulfilment from life. That was a quest which she never gave up on. Barbara's time in the College displayed this desire brilliantly. Not satisfied to engage in teaching and the routine extra-curricular activities alone, she set up organisations and interests close to her heart in school, engaging and influencing many students in Kilkenny College and in their lives afterwards. Barbara's commitment to 'Amnesty', voluntary service overseas and 'Fair Trade' projects was outstanding during those years in Kilkenny.
Barbara wanted to make a difference and gave so much of herself in the cause of others. I remember her cycling down to the Butts area of Kilkenny every Wednesday where, over a two year period, she taught an adult to read and write. She gave him the gift of helping his children with their homework and gave him dignity and self-respect. Her work in the area of adult literacy was quietly done and we can never fully appreciate the huge impact she made in that regard.
Barbara and I were born in the same month of the same year. We were close in age and, for a number of years, close friends. In recent years, I had seen less of Barbara and our lives veered off in different directions. But, while travelling to her funeral with friends and colleagues from the College, I thought that I would love to see her, chat about old times, laugh at the memories, talk about the peace and happiness of her present life. That was not to be and I really missed her. Then wandering into her beautiful childhood home, I noticed her photograph, the same Barbara that I first met in 1983 - warm, open. honest, hopeful and smiling.
Gillian Farrar 29.4.07.
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OPERATION HABITAT:
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Over €3,000 was raised for Habitat for Humaity on fund-raising day 16th March. Over Easter 16 pupils anf four staff travelled to Pitesti in Romania to help with building and repair work on housing. The Habitat porject provides practical and physical help for improving living conidtions for countries and communities in need.
The follwing is an extract from a report recorded by one of our pupils on the expedition:
Before leaving for Romania, I had not idea what to expect. I was going out to a foreign country in every sense of the word, with a group of people from my year that I honestly didn’t know especially well. This would never have happened without the generosity of my parish, family and friends, it was overwhelming the support I received and a big thank you for everything and I well exceeded my fund-raising target.
We spend a day travelling to get to Bechet (the village we worked in). We were in three countries, on two flights and we spent seven hours on the road! This really brought home how far out and isolated we were. The village of Calarasi (where we stayed) is one and a half hours from the nearest big town! This really was the countryside. Romania (or at least where we were, is an extremely flat country) Flat open fields, almost completely used for crops. I only saw one herd of cattle and one small flock of sheep during my stay. It is a very dry area with the soil nearly turned to sand and the only form of transport for the vast majority is horses and carts. The carts even have number plates! There is no such thing as machinery, everything is done by hand; it is like stepping back 100 years. The people are of quite small build and have the characteristic tanned complexion. Extremely friendly people, just crazy drivers! The few cars that were on the roads were lethal! Horses are the people’s best asset; used for ploughing, transport and labouring. It was fascinating to see such a stark contrast to our Green Isle. The toilets and lack of water for showers and even washing your hands was always a constant problem. We all seemed to come out none the worse for it at the end of the 12 days though!!
We were off to the work site on the first day in the neighbouring village of Bechet. Straight away we
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were broken into two different teams as there were two houses to be completed. The houses were for victims of the flooding of the Danube in spring 2006. The construction of the houses themselves was funded by the government, but the families still were so poor that they could not afford to finish them; this is where we stepped in. All that there was on our arrival, were four walls and a roof, poorly built, you could see how crooked the walls were and the other house only had half a roof. Unfortunately, the government only bothered to half build the second house, so an elderly and perhaps homeless couple of over 60 were forced to build the rest themselves, which gives reason for it being possible to put your arm through the cracks in the wall!
We all set off with great enthusiasm, wanting to get as much done as possible for these people. I won’t deny that there weren’t many hardened builders among us, so it was often a case of trial and error. Immediately it was obvious that there was a serious lack of equipment and materials, there were always squabbles over the screwdrivers!
We began by putting up the profiles, which are literally metal bars stepped off the wall to hold up sheets of plasterboard which would become the inner wall. It may seem easy but try getting a level in a house that’s the complete opposite without any experience! It took us a few days to get this all finished and then went to do the plasterboard which in theory should have been easy, in a normal house that is. There was never a dull moment. ‘Reach for the Stars’ was our most regular song, we were always laughing and singing, teachers included. There was no teacher/student barrier; we were all one, after all this was no school trip! We sometimes went on little trips in the evening after work, we went to Bulgaria, fishing and had a barbecue in the primary school among others. The primary school invited us in as ‘visitors of honour’ one day, it was so touching. The children all lined up outside to greet us and gave us flowers. We were shown around and they gave us a recital of some traditional Romanian dances and songs. We, in return, gave them a pathetic rendition of ‘Amhrán na bhFiann’ and the ‘Fields of Athenry’ followed by some clumsy Irish dancing; in work boots may I add! We were met by the Mayor of Bechet who is a quite influential figure out there, we exchanged flags and gifts. Both local and national televisions came out to interview us often without us realizing we were being recorded, oops!
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Back at the houses the plasterboards had to be polyfilled, sanded and finally painted. Painting was by far the best fun! We started it on the last day and the pressure really was on to get it finished in time for the opening, we had fourteen people working on one room at one time. This has been one of the biggest experiences of my life to date and I hope it has made a difference to those less fortunate.
Hazel Potterton
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CRICKET
There were two recent cricket matches– one against Gonzaga which KCKwon by one wicket and under-13 against CUS which we lost by two runs
Senior Match against Parents on Friday 11th (postponed) and under 13 against King’s Hospital.
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LITERARY AWARD:
Khalehla Nuzum and Megan Patterson, both Transition Year journalists, have won a Senior Category Award in The Irish Times Schoolmag Competition.
Their article, ‘An Interview with Zoltan Zinn Collis’ was written for the Transition Year magazine ‘Kickback’, after Mr. Collis, a survivor of the holocaust, visited Kilkenny College late last year.
They will be presented with their awards at a ceremony in the Laughter Lounge, off O’Connell Street Bridge, Dublin, on Tuesday, 1st May, 2007. Their article will also be published in The Irish Times, later that week.
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On Friday 10th of November at 12.10 an anxious group of students, teachers and parents fell silent as a small, stout man entered the McAdoo Hall. His presence alone, he being one of the few remaining survivors of the Holocaust, is enough to silence any room.
Contrary to what many expected though, he began very light heartedly, cracking a joke about his 'Winnie The Pooh' obsession, which he later described as 'catching up on a lost childhood'. His talk. at times. did become much more serious. However, I think more for his own benefit than ours. he integrated many jokes into it.
From many of his descriptions you could see that some of his memories are very blurred. He could only describe a limited amount of memories from his childhood, but when he did they were extremely vivid. The most moving of these was when he spoke about his sister, who was only two months old when she died, being mercilessly ripped out of the arms of his mother and thrown over a wall. Such horrific events as these could not but leave a man emotionally scarred and detached for life.
However he covers up and hides these feelings from the public eye. In his talk, he took us through being captured from his home. in Czechoslovakia, when he was only four. his memories from his four or five month stay at the BergenBelsen concentration camps. and his eventual release by British troops. too late to help his little sister, his brother. who died shortly afterwards, or indeed his mother, who died on that very day. His father had disappeared earlier, before the rest of the family had been taken to Belsen. He then told us a bit about how his Irish 'father', Dr Bob Collis. came to find him and his sister and take them home with him to Ireland. Dr. Collis returned to his village in 1948 to find his extended family. but although he found his maternal grandmother, she wasn't in a position to look after her grandchildren so they remained in Ireland. He himself visited Belsen in 1999 just before it was raised to the ground. but doesn't think he would visit again.
Two of the TY Journalism students spoke to him after his lecture. We asked him if many of his memories were 'learned' and he admitted some were. However he recounted to us how, when he visited Belsen in 1999, he was able to pick out the place where he had lived in the camp.
We also asked him about childhood nightmares and if he still suffered them in adulthood. He doesn't remember if he had many such nightmares in childhood but admitted he has retained fears which he believes are based on frightening memories, such as a fear of ESB poles. because they used to hang dead bodies from such poles in Belsen. Indeed, even to this day he prefers baths to showers. because showers remind him of the power hoses used by the German soldiers at the camp.
Finally we asked him what relevance the atrocities perpetrated aginst the Jews have in todays'world. He told us that he feels it is important for people like himself to talk about his experiences so they might never be forgotten, and that perhaps might not happen again. He also feels that the lessons haven't really been learned - look at all the modern day atrocities in Rwanda and so forth. Despite the role of the United Nations they still happen - what can be done to stop them?
Megan Patterson & Khalehla Nuzum.
BRIAN CORRIE:
We offer our sincere sympathies to the Corrie family on the passing of Brian who was a valuable and loyal member of our school management team. Brian spent many hours supervising the construction of the various builidngs, extensions and facilities over the last number of years and he will be much missed. We offer our condolences in particular to his wife Jean, his daughter and son tanya and Jonathan, his grandchildren and the wider Corrie family.
We also offer our sympthies to Mr and Mrs Duncan on the death of Valerie’s father who passed away just before Easter.
CONFIRMATION:
The Easter Term concluded with a wonderful Confirmation service in St. Canice’s Cathedral in association with that Parish.
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Those confirmed by Bishop Burrows from the College were Lauren Baker (Birr); Charlotte Benn (Roscrea); Rachel Botha (Kilkenny; Emma Boyd (Tinahely); Adam Brownrigg (Bunclody); Andrew Burrows (Kilkenny); Rebekah Chapman (Bunclody); Lynda Condell (Athy); Kate Condell (Killeshin); Ailbhe Coulter (Kilkenny); Ethan D'Alton Templeshambo); Colin Deacon (Bunclody); Rachel Dowley (Piltown); Susan Dudley (Templemore); Richard Eager (Kilkenny); Ross Elmes (Agbade); George Graham (Newbridge); Jennifer Gray (Timolin); Kim Hamilton (Roscrea); Gordon Hanbidge (Kiltegan); Bethany Hart (Kilkenny); Ciara Hendy (Portarlington); Alison Holmes (Timolin); Foster Horan (Bunclody); Russell Jacob (Killeshin); David Keppel (Timolin); Kiara Lalor (Abbeyleix); Sarah Mabelson (Kilkenny); David Mather (Shinrone); Tatiana Nuzum (Abbeyleix); David Nuzum (Arklow); Gavin Ridgeway (Portarlington); Poppy Salmon (Kells ); Philip Thompson (Rathdowney); Alan Tomkins (Aghade ); Laura Walshe (Hacketstown ); Jonathan Yates (Naas); Sophie Young (Templemore).
DRAMA:
We are pleased to announce that there will be drama presentation on Tuesday 22nd May featuring two one-act plays; “Just” by Ali Smith and “Elziabeth Refuses” by Margaret MacNamara, a play adapted from “Pride and Prejudice”.
DEBATING:
This activity has been re-invogorated this year and has improved both internally and in external competitions, culminating with Aine Murray and Laura Taylor as runners-up in the Junior Schools’ debating competition held in UCD.
NEW CLASS ROOM BUILDING;
The new state-of-the-art building is nearing completion. The two-stporey building contains classrooms, two up-to-date-science laboratories, a Quiet Room, (with furnishings generously presetned by the Past Pupils’ Association and Staff Rooms. This magnificent new construction will be ready for our pupils when they return to school in September.
OPERATION HABITAT:
Over €3,000 was raised for Habitat for Humaity on fund-raising day 16th March. Over Easter 16 pupils anf four staff travelled to Pitesti in Romania to help with building and repair work on housing. The Habitat porject provides practical and physical help for improving living conidtions for countries and communities in need.
DARRYL JACOB
Congratulations to Darrly who gained fourth place in the Grand National at Aintree on Saturday last 14th April. Overshowdowed perhaps by the limelight on the winner, he ran an excellent race, not only finishing but came in among the leaders. Anyone who had him correctly place did well as he was 100/1!
MEMORIAL ASSEMBLY:
The now annual special Assembly took place at the end of January. It was taken by the Revd Elaine Murray and Mr. Trevor Garrett. Among those present was the family of Conor O’Brien.
Also among those remembered in the prayers were: Bishop Noel Willoughby, Dean Harvey, Mr. Robert Deverell (father of past pupils Lee and Ivor Deverell), Fergus Stanley, Darren Shiel and Gareth Taylor, all Past Pupils 1991, Annabel Hughes past pupil 1984, Mrs Ann Marie Rogers mother of Katie Rogers (Form 1), Miss Eileen O’Donnell [Staff], Miss Christine Murphy [Staff], Mrs. Josie White (mother of Nurse Morrisey) Mr. Richard Dukelow (father of Mr Dukelow), Mr. Ted Rea (Mr. Don Brown’s brother-in-law), Ms Hilda Dancy past pupil Celbridge, Ciara Gibbs (Loreto pupil), Mr. Alan Cunniffe Post Master John’s Green Kilkenny, and Mr. Brian Cairns Headmaster Midleton 1981-2003.
The Assembly also included an anthem sung by the Chamber Choir.
ART:
We are delighted to announce details of the presentation to the winners of the Kilkenny Advertiser Christmas Art Competition.
The presentation will take place in Mayor Martin Brett's chambers in the City Hall on Thursday 25th January at 4pm. All teachers, parents and children are welcome to attend.
Mayor Martin Brett will kindly present all the certificates and prizes to the winners. Pictures of the presentations will appear in the Kilkenny Advertiser on January 31st.
Details of the various winners for each school are as follows:
Kilkenny College
Daniela Cardillo (winner)
Suzanne Williams
George Grahan
Neassa Quille
En France
Ten of our TY pupils are currently spending six weeks in France on Exchange and attending the Institutution St. Louis, Saumur: Patrick Barrett, Jill Condell, Elise Doyle, Elizabeth Fallon, Robert Holmes, Sheebani Jondhale, Patricia O’Morchoe, Sarah O’Neill, Dara Quane, and Jason Roe. We welcome the following French students in their place: Juliette Bordais, Lucille Jouzeau (boarder), Estelle Potard, Marine Caillard (boarder), Simon Girault, Patrick Chevreuil, Juliette Rutkowski (boarder), Lisa Perols, Laure Fardeau, Pierre Petiteau,
We welcome 10 pupils from St. Louis school who are reciprocating the exchange and staying with us at present.
Well done to:
- The Choirs and orchestra who performed ao well at the Carol service and Chrismas concerts before the break.
- Daniela Cardillo-Kilkenny Advertiser who won the top prize in the Christmas Art Competition
- Wesley Hughes who has achieved his Level one in the IRFU Referees’ Course
- Katie Condren who won the IPS circuit regional award for working hunter and qualified for National finals and came second. Her pony club nominated her for the monthly award.
Past pupil Daryl Jacob now a promising jockey won the Lexus Plate in Leopardstown on ‘The Listener’. He caused a big surprise with a comfortable victory in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown after Christmas. The 7-1 chance made all the running and never looked like being overtaken. He beat all the leading fancies including Beef Or Salmon and War of Attrition.
- Congratulations to Danny Mullins who won four pony races on the first day of the new season at Ballyheigue, Co. Kerry
- Ryan Rhys Griffiths who did well in the Kilkenny Chess competition – a very promising expert in this field.
IN THE TOP TEN:
Kilkenny College has been reported in the media as having made Ireland’s “Top 10 Co-educational Schools” and is rated sixth in terms of the number of students entering university.
77 out of the 144 students who sat the Leaving Certificate went on to one of the countrys main colleges or universties.
CONGRATULATIONS:
To Jacqueline Avery, Form 4 was awarded a Certificate by the Waterford Institute of Technology Business Teachers Association to recognize her A in Business in the Junior Certificate.
To Jamie Wilson (Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology Entrance Scholarship).
FORM 4 FUND-RAISING DAY:
Will take place on Friday 16th March 2007 from 11.30 a.m. - 3.30 p.m, in aid of the Form 4 pupils who are going with the Habitat to Humanity group to build houses in Romania. We are very grateful to the Parents' Association for their support. If there are any parents available to help on this day, please contact Mr. Henry Yates.
MEMORIAL SERVICE:
We are having a Memorial Service at School Assembly on Wednesday 31st January 2007 . If you would like the name of a family member, past pupil or friend of the school remembered in our prayers that morning, please let the Headmaster know.
REUNION OF THE CLASS OF 1996:
Saturday 3rd February 2007, Upstairs in Carrigans Bar, High Street, Kilkenny From 8 p.m. onwards. Past pupils should contact Lisa Pollock – 087 9917238 lisapollock2002@yahoo.co.uk or Alan Poole - 086 3104283 alanthomaspoole@gmail.com, if they wish to attend or if they wish to be included on a contact list.
SYMPATHY:
We offer our condolences to Katie Rogers and her family on the sudden passing of her mother.
( Form 1W). The School Choir took part in the funeral ceremonies and the school represented in Abbeyleix.
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SCHOLARS
We congratulate the following pupils who gained scholarship to University courses:
David Brennan – Entrance Scholar to UCD; Bevan Nolan schorlaship to B. Ag. Sc. In UCD; Emily Cunningham, Harry Fogg, Sarah Porter, Julie Starrett all TCD Entrance Exhibitions.
DEBATING
Senior students competing in Trinity College Dublin in a debating competition on Monday 13th November are Edwina Hanbidge, Wendy Hodgins, Frances O’Morchoe and Frank Harte. They will speak against the motion that “performance enhancing drugs in sporting competitions should be allowed”.
The following junior pupils will be competing in an inter-schools debate against seven other schools on 14th November: Bethany Hart, Nicola Waring, Anna Phelan, Aine Murray, Jan Donnelly and Laura Taylor.
TRANSITION YEAR
Zoltan Zinn Collis, a survivor of the Holocaust, was guest speaker on Friday 10th November. The GAISCE night hike and day hike is taking place on 9th/10th December when 22 students will participate.
CATHEDRAL PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION
Congratulations to Eve O’Connor, Form 3, who won 2nd prize with her photograph “Hello Cello” in the Junior section of the recent Photographic competition in St. Canice’s Cathedral in aid of the Organ Restoration Fund and Douglas Donohue Form 1, who won 4th prize with his photograph “Earache” also in the Junior section.
The Revd Canon Norman T. Ruddock
We extend sympathies to the wife and family of Canon Ruddock who died on 6th November. He had been a pupil in the school back in the 1950s and in his later years would have been well known amongst the families of our pupils from the Ferns and Wexford area.
The Revd Robert Whiteside
The College has learnt with sadness of the passing of the The Revd Robert Whiteside. Bob was well known to staff members as in his days of coaching the senior boys’ hockey in The King’s hospital he would have carried out many a friendly battle between the two schools and of course taught alongside our Headmaster Mr. Gray. After some years as Warden of Wilson’s Hospital School Bob returned as Chaplain to KH. We remember with affection Bob’s visit to the College Assembly last year as we kept in touch especially with his wife Lesley and son Andrew commencing the writing of the history of Kilkenny College. We extend our sympathies to Lesley and all the family.
Munich 2006
At 3 a.m. on 28th October a bus containing some 32 chirpy and not so chirpy students and four brave members of staff left the school grounds with the intention of getting to Munich some hours later. After a breakfast based on Kitkats, fruit and sandwiches, we landed in Munich in time to buy lunch in a discount Bäckerei. A couple of hours in the Deutsches Museum and its souvenir shop led to a sleepy reception for tour guide Sylvia Klein. Having seen the Glockenspiel in action at the Marienplatz, it was time to check in at our hostel and tuck into some Goulash. To finish off the evening’s proceedings, a table quiz was held - nine rounds later and a victorious team headed by Tim Dukelow, we went to bed.
Rising at seven for a continental breakfast, Sunday took us by bus, train and cable car to the summit of the Zugspitze. After seeing the beautiful view, having some tasty hot chocolate in Germany’s highest Biergarten some of us were a little nervous upon finding ourselves heading down the opposite side of the mountain in a cable car without any members of staff…but a quick text to Mrs. Arnopp reassured us that we were headed in the right direction. We stopped in the pretty town of Garmisch/Oberammergau for lunch before a tour of Neuschwanstein Castle, built (and barely lived in) by the ‘mad’ King Ludwig. Our evening activity was ice skating, and after a pleasant extended evening stroll around Munich by night, the vague directions were clarified by some helpful passers-by and we eventually found ourselves handing over our passports and donning ice skates. Some of us took to it more than others (i.e. Ray and Yvette) but lots of handholding help ensured that everyone let go of the bar at some stage and more importantly, enjoyed themselves. A spontaneous visit, to a revolving tower in the Olympic Stadium where we could get the full view of Munich by night, was enjoyed by everyone.
On Monday we made it all the way to Austrian city of Salzburg (curiously enough passports weren’t necessary) where we visited a strange museum at Mozart’s birthplace. When we had seen enough of Mozart’s hair and some avant-garde interior design, we headed for a tour, like no other, of the Saltmines - wearing traditional miner’s dress we were taken inside by a mine train and our miner guide, Gerald, kept us entertained for the entirety of the tour with the history, slides and noises of the tour. We went on to visit Hitler’s hiding place, tucked away in the mountains and aptly titled the Eagles Nest.
It had a beautiful view, but there was more chance of buying an ice cream than there was of learning much about Hitler, as he did not spend much time there. Our last evening activity was bowling, which thanks to the U-Bahn and the S-Bahn was easier to find than the ice skating. Various styles (of both bowling technique and of dress) were displayed and many a chocolate milkshake was devoured.
The next morning we packed up, leaving 150 Italian students to take over the hostel instead. Some last minute sightseeing involved a surprise trip to Hitler’s favourite beerhall, the Hofbräuhaus, before a dash around Munich’s main shopping street to pick up souvenirs, Starbucks frappuccinos and for those of us who found the huge music store, a low priced CD or five. A few students enjoyed traditional German style sandwiches for lunch with a few slices of schnitzel or salami. Our last stop was at Dachau for a sobering but essential guided tour of the concentration camp. A huge thanks has to be given to Mrs. Arnopp for organising the trip and also to Mr. Knox, Miss Clancy and Miss Walsh for coming with us and making it such a great trip.
Kate Rothwell
MOVING ON
We said farewell recently to two of our administration staff.
Mrs. Katherine Lynch, Household Manager in Kilkenny College from 1997 has taken retirement. Katherine was a very articulate spokesperson for the Divorce Action campaign and was a speaker in Liberty Hall in the first Divorce Referendum in 1986.
She has also worked with President Mary Robinson in Aras An Uachtarain and more recently has been National Co-ordinator of Sue Ryder shops.
She enjoyed her work at the College and was very much a team player, witnessing the College evolving with the construction of five new buildings.
Katherine has a wide range of interests and that she had a house in the Pyrenees where she would be re-locating in the near future.
Ms. Mary Harrington is also leaving us to fresh pastures. She has been School Secretary for nealy five years. Mary had been a pupil in the school along with her brothers and sister and her father Ollie, a teacher for many years in the school and vice-principal for several years before he retired.
We wish both ladies all the best in the future as they take their leave of us.
FIRST YEAR TRIP TO CORK
On Wednesday 6th September, the entire first year group went on an excursion to both introduce them to the school trip environment and to allow them all to get to know each other. This trip included visits to the Mitchelstown caves, Fota Wildlife Park and the town of Midleton. The great weather on the day added to the enjoyment of the trip.
The day started with the bus journey to the caves. We entered the caves in three groups. By this stage most people were already becoming friendly and welcoming to everyone around them. The long descent into the caves made for some scared faces as some people were thinking about the climb back up. We all learned about the formation of the caves and the formations inside.
After a few sandwiches outside the caves, we headed off to the Wildlife Park. Despite having been given directions when leaving the bus, everybody managed to go the wrong way and get lost before turning around and heading towards the park. The highlight at the park was certainly the loud monkeys. These amazed many of us as we couldn’t quite believe the noise had come from them. We saw many different animals, such as giraffes, monkeys, lamas, bison, birds, seals, possums, cheetas, zebras, ducks and even wallabies (which many people mistook for kangaroos!)
Finally we headed to Midleton. This was the opportunity for everybody to wander around and discover the town for themselves. Most people headed straight to the McDonalds. Some people went into the town to get a bit of shopping done. After this we all headed back to school after a very long but enjoyable day.
By Andrew Schaverien (Gap student) with the help of Trevor Clare, Douglas Donohue and Robert Tector.
KCK INVADES CAPITAL
Recently a large contingent of rugby and boys hockey teams travelled the Rocky Road to Dublin and laid siege to teams in Palmerstown and Blackrock. The casual passer-by at the grounds of the King’s Hospital would have been forgiven for thinking he was in Kilkenny as the pitches abounded with the familiar black and red strip of the players accompanied by a number of KCK staff supported from the sideline by the headmaster Mr. Gray and Mrs. Gray. The first XV were lining out against their KH counterparts while the senior seconds hockey teams were doing battle on the adjacent Astroturf. The senior hockey firsts had penetrated deeper into city territory to take on the blue and white of Newpark Comprehensive.
DINING FACILITIES
Over the last while improvements and variations have been the order of the day in the Dining Room and the latest innovation is the Salad Bar which is proving very popular with pupils and staff alike.
Click on Prize Day for feature page on this event in October 2006
Kilkenny College, Castlecomer Road, Kilkenny, Ireland - Irish secondary school.
