The Provost of Trinity College recently honoured three of our students and their parents at a reception in Trinity College. These girls were singled out, not for merely securing a place in this prestigious university but for being among the top students in their classes based on their Leaving Certificate Results. The Provost presented Entrance Awards to:

Therese Grace, daughter of Eileen and Sean, from Ballyanne

Saoirse Kennedy, daughter of Janet and Denis, from Tullogher

Caroline Walsh, daughter of Ann and Dermot, from The Rower.

We extend sincere congratulations to these girls and their families on such a great achievement.

To mark the 150^th Anniversary of the foundation of University College Dublin the college awards a number of special scholarships. We are delighted that Emma Murphy was honoured by the UCD and awarded one of their 150^th Scholarships. In a very dignified ceremony Emma was presented with her award in the presence of her justifiably proud mother, Mary from Irishtown Heights. This is a tremendous achievement and a great source of encouragement to other students.

Imagine the excitement when an Assistant to Minister for Education and Science, Mrs

Mary Hannifin phoned the school to say that the Minister wished to speak to one of our students. Minister Hannifin wanted to congratulate personally Therese Grace from Ballyanne on being awarded one of the Easter Week 1916 Commemoration Scholarships for obtaining the highest results in the whole country in English, Irish and Accountancy.

In commemoration of each of the signatories of the 1916 Proclamation of Independence, the Minister for Education and Science awards seven third level scholarships to the students who obtain the highest result in particular groups of subjects in the Leaving Certificate. True to her word Minister Hannifin phoned Therese, who is a student of Business, Economics and Social Studies (BESS) in Trinity College and invited her to a special presentation in Marlborough House next January. She emphasised the wonderful achievement it is to obtain the highest results in Ireland in the combination of English, Irish and Accountancy. We are extremely blessed in the calibre of our teachers and Mr. Paul Deavy, Ms. Brid Fogarty and Ms. Colette Tinnelly are to be congratulated for their crucial roles in enabling Therese achieve her potential. Of course the last word has to go to Therese and to congratulate her and her parents, Sean and Eileen, on achieving such academic excellence.

2005

Renewable Energy National Conference

Well done to class 2:3 on their presentation at the Renewable Energy National Conference. The event was organised by Wexford Energy Management Agency.

As St. Mary’s is a designated green school, the students researched the mechanisms behind various forms of renewable energy and then carried out case studies on their own areas and suggested suitable sources of Sustainable Renewable Energy taking all factors (culture, economy, tourism, planning and climate) into consideration. All sites were plotted onto a 3-D plan of the south east from Forth Mountain to Tory Hill and from the Saltees to Mount Leinster. The class exhibit was awarded a prize of Lego donated by Sustainable Energy Ireland.  The girls used the Lego to construct  a solar – powered car and a wind turbine.

The finished model and lego constructions are now on display and will become a teaching resource for future groups. Well done to all the girls concerned and a special word of thanks to Mrs. Eva Kelly for her enthusiasm and guidance.
 

Celtic Enterpise Competition/Young Entrepreneur Scheme

Congratulations to all the 5^th Year girls who represented St. Mary’s in the Riverside Hotel, Enniscorthy on Thursday 11^th March.  We extend our thanks to Mr. Liam Glasheen and Ms. Una Doyle, Bank of Ireland, New Ross who helped select the fifth year representatives for the competition and advised them on their presentation.

Elaine Hart, Amy Moloney, Orla Deegan, Patricia Gaule and Marie Therese Nolan with their company ‘Juice it’ represented the school in the senior category.

Six companies were selected to go forward to the finals of the Junior selection for first year students. The teams did themselves proud, coming away with a special award for merit. It was the first time that schools from New Ross were entered into this category.

The 1^st Year mini-companies began last October when students started their own businesses. A market day was held in the school in the run up to Christmas, and was well supported by parents, staff and pupils.

In January, the teams began writing their business reports and on the basis of these, along with their businesses, were chosen to go forward to the county finals. On the day, students set up their stands and made a presentation to the judges. These were of a very high standard and the students were confident and well prepared.

The following first year students represented St. Mary’s:-

‘Stressheads’- Aoife Culleton, Laura Crowdle, Ciara Lyng

‘Boom Badges’:- Aine O’Connor, Colleen Madigan, Sinead Aspel,

‘Sign Here’ :- Amanda Kelly, Lisa Ryan

‘C & M Key Ring Collection’:- Carrie Lyng, Marguerite Brereton,

‘S.T.A.R’:- Aileen Murphy, Siobhan Cashin,

‘Rose’:- Leanne Rowe, Taragh O’ Connor, Aine Shannon and Claire Elmes
 

Design a Christmas Card

Young Scientists  Exhibition 2004

5th. Year students were successful in having 2 of their projects accepted for the 2004 Young Scientist Exhibition.

 Marie Therese Nolan, Sharon Kehoe & Jenny Owens’s project was titled "Investigating the Pollution Levels in three South East Rivers – the Barrow, Nore & the Slaney"

They checked the pollution levels by measuring the presence of phosphates and nitrates in the three rivers, determining the B.O.D levels (Biological Oxyen Demand) and the Ph, and by also checking its turbity. After extensive research the students concluded that the Nore was the least polluted river.

A project on Ergonomics was presented by Elaine Hart, Maria Russell and Emma Cummins. This involved the study of the design of furniture and appliances to reflect the comfort, health and safety needs of its users. St. Mary’s school was chosen as the site for study, with the computer room selected as the case study. The project looked at ways of reducing physical stress and strain while working with computers.  Six schools were surveyed to examine how ergonomically aware students were, and to determine whether pain and discomfort was experienced as a result of inappropriate seating, desk height, anti-glare screen, lighting, air-conditioning etc. Results were analysed and conclusions arrived at. Five of the six schools surveyed were not properly equipped. The school that was best equipped was built in the last two years and was fully funded by D.E.S.

A letter was written to the Minister of Education asking why all schools were not put on an equal footing in terms of access to appropriate grants etc.

The following Information Technology Co-Ordinators were most helpful in facilitating this project-

Mr Mick Duggan (Vocational College) Mr Billy McGrath (Good Counsel College), Mr Willie O’ Donoghue (CBS)

Ms Mary Pat Pilketon (Holy Faith) and Ms Mary Maugh (Abbeyside Community College, Ferrybank)
 

Kathleen began her academic career in DCU in 1995 when she undertook the degree in Analytical Science. Kathleen graduated with her degree in 1999 with first class honours and was awarded the Royal Society of Chemistry Prize in Analytical Chemistry in 1998 for her academic attainment in that year. As a result of her 4^th year research project, Kathleen’s work was published in the prestigious journal Analytica Chimica Acta; an excellent achievement for an undergraduate student. Without hesitation, Professor Malcolm Smyth took her on as a post-graduate student, and in her time here, Kathleen has excelled in so many endeavours both academic and social.

Kathleen gained her PhD in Chemistry this year and in addition is the first science student at DCU to submit her doctoral thesis in both English and Irish and be examined solely through the Irish language. To achieve this, Kathleen had to compile her thesis in English and then translate the entire work into Irish. Kathleen introduced a vocabulary of several hundred new words into the Irish language using the correct grammatical rules. These words have been registered though the national authority for the Irish language "An Góm". The importance of this contribution to the corpus of scientific literature in Irish is extremely significant. Kathleen’s research has now led to the development of several new research areas, some of which recently received funding by Enterprise Ireland through their Commercialisation fund.

Kathleen has to date published four research papers and had her work presented in nine scientific posters at international conferences from as far apart as San Diego, California, to Kyoto, Japan. She has given several oral presentations, the most recent of which earned her the AGB award for best analytical presentation at the 55^th Irish Universities Chemistry Research Colloquium at Trinity College, Dublin. She has also presented scientific posters and oral presentations through the Irish language. Kathleen was this year the recipient of the Colin Barnes Award in recognition of her numerous academic accomplishments and outstanding contributions to all aspects of the social life of the School of Chemical Sciences. The award was set up in honour of the late Dr. Barnes to show the school’s appreciation to exceptional post-graduate students.

Kathleen has also attempted to communicate her love and interest of science to the general public and sought to improve the public understanding of science. However, she hasn’t just achieved this in one language, but in two. Kathleen has translated scientific research topics into Irish, in language accessible to secondary school children, through the publication "An t-Eolaí". This has given teachers a valuable resource in allowing them to teach science through the medium of the Irish language. Her research work has also been published ‘as Gaeilge’ in the Irish Scientist Year Book. She has also appeared on the TG4 programme "Sin é", promoting scientific research in the National Centre for Sensor Research here at DCU.

Kathleen is presently embarking upon a new Irish language project with a colleague who is a keen ornithologist. Of the more than two hundred bird species within the island of Ireland, many do not possess Irish names. In combination with photography of these birds, Kathleen is naming and registering these species with An Gó m and hopes to publish this work at a later stage.

Kathleen was co-founder and secretary of the Chemical Research Society (CRS) in DCU from its establishment in 1999. The CRS was set up to develop the social and academic aspects of post-graduate life in the School of Chemical Sciences. She was always central to the organisation of fund-raising events and activities as well as organising scientific speakers and trips away. Through this, she contributed to the social interaction within the school between post-graduates and their peers and with the academic staff. Such events were also especially important for the integration of new students into the department. Kathleen was also an inaugural member of the postgraduate affairs committee (PGAC) set up to represent the interests and needs of postgraduate students at school and faculty level, acting as liaison between them and academic staff.

The sincere esteem in which she is held by both post-graduate students and academic staff is reflected here in the words of her post-graduate colleague, Blanaid White: "Kathleen never viewed DCU solely as an academic establishment. She endeavoured and succeeded in making it a more rounded environment in which to grow and learn and work". And in the words of her industrial supervisor, Dr. Killard "While many concentrate on their academic success alone, Kathleen still finds time and energy for others. She has made so many contributions to the DCU community, it is difficult to recount them all, let alone measure their impact".

Kathleen is an exceptional individual. She is one of those people of whom it can be truly said that she is liked and respected by all who come into her company. She is fully deserving of the Chancellor’s medal.

Book designer Emma Byrne won a major national award for her work at a ceremony in Belfast recently. Emma, a past pupil of St. Mary’s, is originally from Ballintubber, New Ross, but now lives and works in Dublin. Emma won the award for her work on a book entitled ‘Brown Morning’

Having studied Communication Design at Limerick school of Art and Design Emma graduated with a first class honours degree in 1996, and later that year she won the Designer of the Year award, televised on R.T.E

After completing her studies in Limerick, Emma went on to do an MA in Communication Design in Central St. Martin’s School of Art and Design, London.

Her working life began with Writers and Readers a book publishing company – where she worked as Art Director. Emma also completed a project for the State Pavilion of Liechtenstein at the Frankfurt Book Fair. In 2001 Emma returned to Ireland to take up a position with the O’Brien press in Dublin

The latest tribute to Emma’s talent and creativity was awarded by the Institute of Designers of Ireland who judged her work to be the best in the Graphic Design Category. Congratulations Emma and best wishes for the future.

Michelle Molloy is the latest name to emerge onto the Irish Fashion scene, who after four years working in London – launches her first major collection this season from her home in Ballycullane.

A past pupil of St. Mary’s, Michelle graduated from Limerick School of Art and Design in 1998 with a first class honours degree and represented Ireland that year in an International Fashion competition in Berlin. Whilst in London Michelle trained under the renowned fashion designers Hussein Chalayan and Jessica Ogden

The launch of Michelle’s first collection gained national exposure in both the Irish Times and the Irish Examiner and the accompanying articles and photographs noted that the up and coming fashion designer along with working from her home county, also used a Wexford location, local model and photographer to showcase her work. The model as it so happens is Lorraine Molloy, currently a 5^th year student in St. Mary’s. We wish you continued success in your career Michelle.

University Scholarships

Congratulations to Assumpta O'Brien who has been awarded an entrance scholarship to U.C.D. on the basis of her Leaving Certificate results 2003 and to Lizzie Lyng who has been awarded a sports scholarship. Lizzie is currently a student in U.C.C.
 

Art Competition

First Year Drama

First Year Debates

 Essays/Poems

The Terrorist

Martha Purcell (6^th year)

He strolled quietly into the café and sat at the booth nearest the window. He spread his long thin fingers out over the table and then yawned. He was thin, tall and slightly emaciated. Dark black holes encircled his eyes and his elbow bones stuck out at points. His stringy hair fell across his thin face hiding the sharp glare of those eyes, those eyes that had seen so much. But like the rest of him they too had dulled lately. Most people would have said drugs if they had been asked but he could tell you differently. His deep Texan accent would call you a liar and say he’d been up all night workin’ on his ‘plans.’

            The waitress eyed him from across the counter. Being a waitress in New York, you got a few shady characters but this guy looked harmless enough. After she felt he’d waited long enough she strutted over and took his order with what she thought was great expertise. He wanted a bagel with no cream cheese, just jam, and a cup of very strong coffee. She wiggled her way back over to the counter and became locked in conversation with a young, cocky businessman.

            Plans, plans. He was sick of thinking about his plans, which was strange because usually he could slouch in his den for a week without food or drink. His thoughts were all he needed to live. Those days, the only time he moved was to go out and set these plans in motion.

But today he wanted to forget everything and leave his thoughts in his den. He picked up the salt cellar and spilled the salt around the table in different shapes. Then he did the same with the pepper mill, interlocking the shapes, controlling them. They were his shapes, he had made them. He stopped, realizing that anything he did would be linked to his personality. What if you wanted a change of personality, he wondered. He knew though that in his heart he could not give up himself. This had happened before, and that time he had even gone so far as to get a job! He wondered why these breakdowns in his character happened. He was always so calm, collected…numb! You had to be. Maybe it was because…

A plate hit the table in front of him. The fork slipped and clattered to the ground tinkling like empty cartridges. She mumbled a “sorry,” placed a cup of black coffee roughly in front of him so that it sloshed over the rim of the cup and three drips slid slowly down the side, making pools of blood at the bottom.

He hated her for a split second then turned his attention to his food. The spilt coffee had now mixed with his salt and pepper shapes and they had formed a gritty mulch, reminding him of crushed buildings and bodies. He smiled. He loved it when imagery bounced into his head like that. He cut the bagel into small pieces before eating it and then drank his coffee quickly. He glanced up at the counter where the waitress was listening to the same guy. He was telling her about something huge that was after happening. His car has probably broken down or something, thought the terrorist sarcastically and grinned to himself. He looked at the ceiling for a minute and then checked his watch. It was half past nine. He would give those two something to talk about. “Could you turn on the television, please?” he drawled at the waitress.   The television set flashed and lit up. He sat back to watch the report with a proud, satisfying warmth in the pit of his stomach and waited for the story to unfold.

Poetry

For Always

We live in a world so full of wonder
Full of eyes so big and round
               But sometimes we get pulled asunder
    Sometimes lost and never found
But not always                            

At times the paths lie hidden               
    And it's left to us to find the way
                   To find the paths to where we are bidden
           To rest in peace at the end of the day
For always                                   

To lose yourself in grief and sorrow
                        Where life and love become paths you lose
                   Look always to the wonder of tomorrow
                 Where life and love are yours to choose
For us                                          
Forever                                       
Always                                        
                                                   A. N. Third Year Student

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